Police catch 59 school van drivers for drunk driving in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: In a major crackdown on school vehicle safety, Bengaluru traffic police caught 59 school van drivers under the influence of alcohol during early morning checks across the city. The incident has raised serious concerns over the safety of schoolchildren.

During a routine drive, traffic police conducted breathalyser tests on 4,559 school vehicles. To their shock, 59 drivers were found to be intoxicated, including one case in RR Nagar where the driver showed alarmingly high alcohol levels early in the morning. All the offending drivers had their licences suspended immediately.

The police have strongly cautioned school managements against hiring irresponsible or unverified drivers and emphasized the importance of background checks. They also urged parents to be vigilant when arranging private transportation for their children.

Authorities stressed that transporting children is a matter of utmost responsibility and that such negligence endangers lives. Schools have been warned of strict action if such violations recur.

The Bengaluru traffic police have committed to continuing these surprise checks and intensifying enforcement to ensure children's safety. The incident serves as a wake-up call for better oversight and accountability in school transportation services across the city.