The Ministry of Public Security has reiterated its commitment to ensuring children get to school safely, branding existing transport measures "chaotic and lawless."

Shen Xue (L) and Zhao Hongbo of China perform during their short programme of pair event at ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating-NHK Trophy in Nagano, Japan November 30, 2006. [Reuters]

"Vehicles are often unlicensed and overloaded and do not respect speed restrictions. Some even drop off students far from campus to dodge inspections," spokesman Wu Heping said yesterday at a press conference.

With this in mind, Wu said the ministry has ordered a nationwide overhaul of all school transport vehicles.

The overhaul, starting from Monday until next Wednesday, will aim to get a clearer picture of the private school bus business in China, for example finding out the exact number of buses. Local authorities are also required to record the route of each school bus and regularly check it.

Drivers of school buses will need to have more than three years' driving experience, and each driver should be paired to a fixed bus. No trucks, tractors or unlicensed cars are allowed to operate as school buses.

In addition, school buses should have clear signs to identify themselves so that other vehicles can exercise more care when driving nearby.

"The government should also draw up plans to regulate the school transport market in the interests of student safety," Wu said.

The move comes after an accident last week in Shuangcheng in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, in which an overloaded school bus plunged into a river killing eight children and injuring 39.

Wu said that eight officials had received disciplinary punishments for the incident.

Also at the press conference, officials warned drivers to be careful as December is traditionally a dangerous month on the roads.

Wang Jinbiao, deputy director of the ministry's traffic administration bureau, said that although the actual number of recorded road accidents in the first 11 months of the year was 349,000, down 15.3 per cent year-on-year, they face a "very tough task" during the rest of the year.

"The numbers of major accidents, in which at least 10 people were killed, climbed sharply last December and in 2004," Wang said, without giving specific numbers.

Bad weather such as rain, fog and snow and a growing number of vehicles and passengers at the year-end are all contributing factors, according to the ministry.

"What is more, weather forecasts have shown that we will have more snow and rain across the country this winter," Wang said.

To reduce the number of major road accidents, the ministry launched a nationwide road safety campaign in October.

During the campaign, which will last until the end of the year, police officers are visiting transport companies and passenger transport areas to see whether there are any violations of traffic rules.

More vehicles will be stopped on the road and checked for overloading.

Officials reminded drivers to dial 122 and 120 for help in the event of a road accident.