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Following is a question by the Hon Christine Loh Kung-wai and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Transport, Mr Kevin Ho, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Regarding the safety of children travelling in school private light buses (commonly known as "nanny vans"), will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the maximum number of children passengers under the age of six allowed in a nanny van;

(b) of the total number of traffic accidents involving nanny vans without seat belts during the past five years, and of the respective numbers of children passengers who died or were injured in these traffic accidents; and of the prognosis of the seriously injured children who are still under medical care;

(c) whether it will consider stipulating that children passengers in nanny vans must wear seat belts; if not, why not, and whether the absence of escorts constitutes a major reason for not implementing that stipulation;

(d) whether it will consider stipulating that nanny vans must have an escort on board; if not, why not; and

(e) whether the rationale for the stipulation that school buses must have an escort on board is also applicable to nanny vans?

Reply:

Madam President,

The legal seating capacity of any vehicle is specified in the registration document of the vehicle. In general, the seating capacities of nanny vans range between 12 and 16. Nevertheless, it is stipulated in the Road Traffic (Traffic Control) Regulations of the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) that:-

(i) a child under the age of three years shall not be counted as a passenger; and

(ii) three children aged three years or above but not exceeding 1.3m in height shall be counted as two passengers.

The maximum number of children passengers under the age of six which can be lawfully carried in a nanny van therefore depends on the legal seating capacity of the vehicle and the age and height of children passengers.

As nanny vans are not required by law to be equipped with seat belts, the Government does not keep accident statistics on nanny vans based on whether they have seat belts or not at the time of the accidents. Nevertheless in the past five years, 131 passengers under the age of 15 were found not wearing seat belts (irrespective of whether seat belts have been installed) when the nanny vans they were riding got involved in traffic accidents. Of these 131 passengers, five were seriously injured and the rest were slightly injured. The Government does not keep track of whether these five seriously injured passengers are still under medical care.

The provision of escort service on school buses carrying primary or kindergarten pupils has been made mandatory since 1 February 1997. The capacity of a nanny van is considerably less than a school bus and there is no similar requirement for nanny vans to provide escort on board because at the time the legislation was drawn up, there were strong concerns from the nanny van trade about costs arising from the compulsory requirement of escort.

A working group chaired by the Transport Department is reviewing the safety requirements for nanny vans. Amongst other things, the extension of mandatory escort requirement and seat belts for passengers will be examined by the working group. The concerned parties, including the nanny van trade, will be consulted on proposals arising from the review.

End/Wednesday, November 11, 1998

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