As part of long-term preventive actions carried out by the police throughout Croatia, special attention is paid to the technical correctness of vehicles assigned to transport children. Actions such as "Respect Our Signs," which are regularly conducted in all counties, aim to reduce the number of technically defective vehicles on the roads, especially those transporting the most vulnerable group of traffic participants - children. Police officers therefore often organize extraordinary technical inspections of school buses, as well as oversight of drivers and tachograph records to ensure compliance with all regulations regarding drivers' working hours and the technical correctness of vehicles.

Technical correctness of buses crucial for children's safety

Police inspections of vehicles transporting children have become an indispensable part of the strategy to reduce traffic accidents. In cases where technical deficiencies are detected, the vehicle is immediately removed from traffic until all problems are resolved. This was recently the case in Varaždin, where during the inspection of a school bus, it was found that its traffic permit had expired and that a preventive technical inspection had not been conducted since April of that year. The bus was immediately removed from traffic and replaced with another technically correct vehicle to ensure the safe transport of children. Such examples demonstrate how the police leave nothing to chance when it comes to children's safety.

This case is not isolated - similar inspection actions are regularly conducted in other locations across the country. For example, in Split, during September, the police conducted inspections at five locations, where more technical irregularities were found on school buses, including worn tires and defective brakes. All vehicles with identified deficiencies were removed from traffic, and misdemeanor charges were filed against the drivers and responsible persons in the legal entity.

Legal provisions and penalties

According to applicable laws, drivers, owners of transport companies, as well as technical inspectors, bear responsibility for the correctness of vehicles transporting children. High monetary fines are prescribed for technically defective vehicles. In the case of school buses, if significant technical deficiencies are identified, the police can issue a misdemeanor order with fines ranging from 1,320 to 3,980 euros for the legal entity, while the responsible person in the legal entity can be fined an amount from 450 to 1,580 euros. Drivers also face monetary fines, which can amount to up to 260 euros, as was the case in the last inspection in Zagreb. In that case, the bus with children was removed from traffic due to serious technical deficiencies, and misdemeanor proceedings were initiated against the driver, the owner of the bus, and the responsible person.

Preventive actions in the future

Such preventive actions will continue in the coming months. The police are already announcing that inspections of the technical correctness of buses will be intensified with the aim of further reducing risks in traffic. In addition to technical deficiencies, attention will also be paid to monitoring drivers' working hours to prevent exceeding the allowed driving time and driver fatigue, which can lead to accidents. Police inspections represent a crucial part of the strategy for traffic safety, and their goal is to protect children as the most vulnerable participants in traffic.

Let us remember that in 2022, the police conducted more than 1,941 inspections of buses and drivers, during which 111 violations were discovered. These data clearly indicate the need for further improvement of the control of technical correctness of vehicles. Inspections will be intensified in the upcoming period, as children's safety must come first.