MR SITOH TUCK MENG, who, like all the Forum readers who wrote in, was saddened and commiserated with the parents and family of eight-year-old Russell Koh who died after he was reportedly flung out of a school minibus in a collision last Thursday. Apart from seat belts, school buses should have an adult minder, he says

WHAT A PARENT DID

'No one said no and yet nothing changed.'

DR RAJIB GHOSH, who says he had raised the matter of belting up in buses with his son's pre-school director, the bus operator and the Land Transport Authority (LTA). No one disagreed about its importance, but nothing changed, he recalls. So, his wife now ferries their son

LET'S FACE IT...

'The reason for this steep increase is not the installation cost of the seat belts but the fact that the buses would not be able to cram in more school children.'

MADAM CASEY CHOO, questioning a reported justification by the Singapore School Transport Association that costs would spike by as much as 50 per cent if seat belts were installed. She and her husband were reluctant to let their two daughters take the school bus because seat belts are not mandatory, but they had no choice as they both work. 'The Government should act on buckling up young school children in school buses,' she says

BE FIRST WORLD, BELT THEM UP

'Thanks to seat belts, the children came through with only minor injuries.'

MS CHIN LAY FONG, citing a report of a school bus collision with a pick-up truck in Canada recently, in which nine pupils were saved. First-world nations like Britain and France require belting up in school buses too, she noted. It is ridiculous to require passengers to belt up and not offer the same protection to school children in Singapore, she says

TELL US WHY

'Can the Singapore School Transport Association, the LTA and the Traffic Police give a valid reason?'

DR DAMIEN LEE, who asks why seat belts are not mandatory in school buses

MOE SHOULD WEIGH IN TOO

'What can the Education Ministry do to help our children get to their place of education safely?'

MRS JULIE TANG