Bus driver to spend 6 months in jail for allowing students to jump out of moving bus
– Conductor charged
The 2019 road madness was hell for the Guyana Police Force’s Traffic Department.
Screenshot of the video showing a student jumping off the moving bus
The road madness reigned, from minibus drivers and conductors dancing out of moving buses to them dancing at the top while it was in motion, to speeding, to putting passengers out for complaining about the speed to a whole list of other traffic violations.
It appeared as if that very madness seeped into 2020 when a video surfaced on social media showing a route 44 minibus driving along the roadway and allowing students to jump out of the moving vehicle.
The shocking video, lasting for one minute and twelve seconds, showed a young schoolgirl falling on to the public road after jumping out. She was followed by a number of other students who cheered as they jumped off.
But the Traffic Department was quick in their action and that very driver was located and thrown before the court for his reckless actions. The driver of the minibus BVV 7920, Omkar Rambharose, yesterday pleaded guilty to all the charges read to him.
Those charges were dangerous driving, failure to ensure the safety of his passengers and breach of insurance. He was then sentenced to six months imprisonment and his driver’s licence was suspended.
The conductor however, made good his escape and a search has been launched. However, another conductor who was in the bus at the time was also charged. He was slapped with two charges; being an unlicensed conductor and breach of insurance to which he pleaded guilty.
He was fined a total of $40,000 or he will have to spend two weeks in jail if the payment is defaulted.
Traffic Chief Linden Isles had previously called for commuters to be proactive and call out those errant and reckless drivers who continue to blatantly disregard their safety.
That campaign, started last year, has continued into 2020 with more and more persons coming forth and making complaints leading to those reckless drivers being charged.