Regular drug tests urged for school bus drivers

S chool bus drivers’ training, mental health and safety issues highlighted a dozen Crown recommendations from a fatality inquiry into a crash that claimed the life of a nine-year-old girl.

Alberta Justice lawyer Nancy Mc-Curdy told provincial court Judge Bruce Fraser on Wednesday that drivers should advise employers of any mental health issues or counselling they have taken and be evaluated by an independent health professional before being allowed to drive.

She also proposed that drivers be given a drug test when hired, disclosing any medications being used including sleeping pills and anti-depressants, and be tested on a regular basis thereafter.

Kathelynn Occena was killed on the morning of Oct. 18, 2007, when the Third Academy private school’s bus, being driven by Louise Rogers, veered into a parked gravel truck on the side of the road in the 1500 block of Crowchild Trail South, then caromed into a power pole.

Three other children were seriously injured, including Kathelynn’s sister, seven-year-old Julia.

The inquiry heard Rogers has no recollection of what happened from the time she turned onto Crowchild Trail until the collision at 8:26 a.m.

Rogers had been seeing the school psychologist for stress, personal and family issues, and was nevertheless given the OK to drive.

She had been recently hospitalized for mental health issues and prescribed sleeping pills and antidepressants, although they were at low levels in her system that day.

Sunil Mattu, chief operating officer at Third Academy, said it has been difficult for everyone involved.

"We do regret that a young girl lost her life. It’s a terrible thing," Mattu said outside court. "This was an accident and, although we have gone through this process, at the end of the day we have done everything before and after this accident to ensure such an accident not happening."

Mattu praised the Crown’s recommendations, as well as those made by Alberta Transportation after the accident.

"In terms of overall safety for all riders of school buses in Alberta, perhaps some of those recommendations will be adopted," he said. "Some of them have already been adopted by Third Academy and are in practice. We’ll wait for Judge Fraser’s final recommendations and we’ll promptly respond to those and we will implement them."

McCurdy also recommended small school bus operators should implement training and evaluation of drivers and standardized hiring criteria used by larger operators.

She said complaints related to Rogers’ driving in the days before the collision either did not get properly handled or filed, and they should be handled distinct from regular phone calls and be part of a driver’s record.

The purpose of an inquiry is not to find fault, but to make recommendations to prevent similar incidents.

dslade@theherald.canwest.com