School Transportation of P1's

[Saabhonda]

Hi All,

My 5 year old was going on his first school trip, There are 19 kids in the class and so the school decided it would be a good idea to use 2 of the teachers own cars as the mini bus was full. My child ended up in the back seat with 2 other children with no booster/child seats. The car was a 02 Clio with non standard alloy wheels and driven by an older teacher.

We are not impressed and have approached the school head teacher who was very sorry.

My Q is what is the law surrounding the transportation of school children??????????


Thanks Nick

P.S this is my first post.....

[zeduffman]

As far as I'm aware, teachers aren't insured to transport schoolchildren at work. For this reason teachers aren't supposed to take kids to hospital in their own cars if there's an emergency.

EDIT: as I'm sure you know, no booster seat is illegal for children under 1.35m as well.

Edited by zeduffman on Monday 21st May 20:10

[Hairy Bob]

First of all I would be worried to see if they had proper insurance.

You can get it easy enough, when my mother was a teacher she paid for it.

But if the child is small it needs a booster seat.

Edit... Just realised your child was 5, I would be rather annoyed and would want it in writing that this would not happen again.

Edited by Hairy Bob on Monday 21st May 20:08

[mozza42]

Bookmarked

[white_goodman]

Teachers can get insurance cover for transporting students but it is something that you have to ask your insurance company for. Anyone transporting students during school time would also need to be CRB checked but if the driver was a teacher then this wouldn't be an issue!

[billzeebub]

throughout my school going days im the late 80s and 90s I would regularly be given lifts in teachers cars, both during school hours and after. It was just part of a normal day. My parents were largely thankful and appreciative. However times and attitudes have obviously moved on necesitating the curtailment of such practices.

[thinfourth2]

I sat on the back seat of a car when i was a child without a booster seat

I died

Twice on a tuesday

[Dave_]

Why the need to mention "non standard alloys" btw?

Does this make it worse?

[fozzymandeus]

So, are you going to sue the school for the years of therapy the child will need to recover from the trauma of their Clio related ordeal?

I spent quite a few journeys in the boot of a volvo estate in my childhood (friend's parents, not a teacher). I am still alive, barely.

Oh incidentally, the law regarding the transportation of school children is thus:

If the teacher has appropriate insurance, and transports the child in a suitable manner, they are insured.

If they don't then they probably aren't. Without prejudice, I'd suggest that they lapsed in not transporting those children with a booster seat, however:

You have no head of damages. Case closed.

By the way, did your child enjoy the trip?

Edited by fozzymandeus on Monday 21st May 20:19

[750turbo]

Dave_ said:

Why the need to mention "non standard alloys" btw?

Does this make it worse?

Yes, specifically as it is a Clio.

[Backtobasics]

I read the title expecting to hear about some school using impreza p1's as transport. I was going to sign my daughter up straight away!

[billzeebub]

Backtobasics said:

I read the title expecting to hear about some school using impreza p1's as transport. I was going to sign my daughter up straight away!

like

[spud989]

white_goodman said:

Teachers can get insurance cover for transporting students but it is something that you have to ask your insurance company for. Anyone transporting students during school time would also need to be CRB checked but if the driver was a teacher then this wouldn't be an issue!

This, pretty much. That said, I'm sure there'd be a reasonable legal argument as per 'in loco parentis' if there was a dire emergency - would be an interesting court case.

[williredale]

Worrying...

No booster seat
Have they got insurance?
What risk assessments have the school carried out with regard to the trip?
What does the school safeguarding policy say?

[ArmaghMan]

billzeebub said:

throughout my school going days im the late 80s and 90s I would regularly be given lifts in teachers cars, both during school hours and after. It was just part of a normal day. My parents were largely thankful and appreciative. However times and attitudes have obviously moved on necesitating the curtailment of such practices.

Well said

Next time draw names from a hat and tell the unlucky 3 that they cant go because some parents complained last time.
I would tell the class whose parents it was too.

[Powerrr]

I seen P1's and thought about Impreza's.

[V88Dicky]

thinfourth2 said:

I sat on the back seat of a car when i was a child without a booster seat

I died

Twice on a tuesday

Think yourself lucky. I used to stand in the passenger footwell of me dad's Maxi, peeping over the dashboard, and can remember being killed at least six times in 1976.



To the OP, relax, chillout and be thankful that your kid's school has helpful teachers like that. I'm sure there was tests done in the States that showed that kids at booster seat age were no more likely to be killed or injured if they were wearing an adult seatbelt without a booster.

[F1GTRUeno]

Did the kids complain?

Probably not.

[C8H18Head]

Motoring highlight of my primary school years was getting an occasional lift in a female teacher's MR2 to the local ski slopes...

Ducking down in the back of other parent's estate boots at approaching police was fun too...

Should I be lucky to be alive?

[soxboy]

What alloys were they that were the cause of concern?

If they were TSW Venoms then I think a strongly worded letter to OFSTED may be called for. And make sure the teacher gets the sack, and obviously the head too. And don't forget to tell Watchdog. And Accidentlawyers4U (just to be on the safe side, for the trauma and breach of human rights).