One in four school buses fails early test
Almost one in four buses transporting schoolchildren in Athens was found to have breached transport safety regulations as the government conducted random tests on the first day of the school year yesterday. Inspection teams consisting of police and Athens prefecture officials found that out of a total of 369 buses checked, about 80 were found to be in breach of regulations. Most drivers were guilty of driving buses that did not have seat belts, lacked the proper signs indicating that schoolchildren were on board, drove on worn tires and did not have a fire extinguisher. «Unfortunately, the first day of tests found that school buses have problems,» Athens Prefect Yiannis Sgouros said. «Some do not understand the importance of transporting small children in safety,» he added. Fines of between 410 and 1,065 euros were imposed while the number plates from five vehicles were confiscated. Last year, some 7,000 checks on school buses revealed almost 600 infringements, according to police.
