Reflection On The Accident Of The Study Tour Bus At SMK Lingga Kencana, Don't Be Tempted By Cheap Transportation But Don't Guarantee Safety

Family and relatives brought a photo of the victim of the bus accident at the Lingga Kencana Depok Vocational School at the funeral home, Parung was confused, Depok, West Java, Sunday (12/5/2024). (Between/Yulius Satria Wijaya/nym)

JAKARTA The case of a bus accident that brought a group of students from the Lingga Kencana Depok Vocational School caught the public's attention. The public was also asked to be aware.

It is known that the tourism bus carrying a group of students from SMK Lingga Kencana Depok had an accident on Jalan Raya Ciater-Subang, Subang Regency, West Java, Saturday (11/5/2024) at around 18.45 WIB.

West Java Police Chief Inspector General Akhmad Wiyagus while reviewing the accident site said that there were 11 victims who died in the accident.

Tourism bus accidents, especially those carrying groups of students, are not the only times this has happened.

On January 9, the bus carrying the SMAN 1 Sidoarjo tour study group had an accident on the Solo-Ngawi Toll Road, East Java. Two people were declared dead and three others were injured in the accident.

But the most heartbreaking busstudy tour accident was the accident that hit the SMK of the Young Generation Guidance Foundation (Yapemda) in 2003. When he returned from Bali to his hometown, Sleman, Yogyakarta, one of the three AO Transport buses carrying 54 students had a tragic accident on Wednesday night, October 8, 2003.

The bus caught fire after previously being hit by container trucks and trontons on the front and rear. Unfortunately, the passengers inside could not get out because the door was hit by a tronton truck, while the glass breaking equipment was not available. All passengers consisting of 51 students, two teachers, and one tour guide died from roasting on the bus, not far from the Paiton PLTU Gate.

A fatal accident also happened to a tourist bus, a pilgrimage group of Pasuruan residents on Jalan Bundah, Kemangi Village, Gresik. The bus was badly destroyed after a bullfight with a dump truck. It is reported that five passengers died in an accident.

From a number of tourist bus accidents, almost all of them made bus drivers suspects.

The initial suspicion was that the Trans Putera Fajar bus had failed brakes. Until now, there are no suspects in the case of a fatal accident that claimed the lives of 11 students of SMK Lingga Kencana. However, the condition of the bus which is considered too old and unfit for the road is in the spotlight.

This was also observed by the Deputy Chairperson of the Empowerment and Development of the Indonesian Transportation Community Area (MTI) of the Central Djoko Setijoworno. He said the bus used by SMK Lingga Kencana Depok was not registered and its KIR test status had died since December 6, 2023.

Many companies are not in administrative order, even though now it has been made easier, registration with an online system. Supervision of tourism buses still needs to be tightened and there must be sanctions for bus companies that are negligent in administrative order," said Djoko in his statement received by VOI.

Djoko added that so far, drivers have always been sacrificed in almost every bus accident. In fact, bus companies must also take responsibility

"It's time, bus entrepreneurs who don't want administrative order are prosecuted," he said.

Quoting data from the Directorate of Traffic of the Directorate General of Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation, as of November 2023 the number of tourism vehicles is 16,297 units. Only 10,147 buses (62.26 percent) registered in the Land and Multimodal Transport Online Licensing System (SPIONAM), the remaining 6,150 buses (37.74 percent) are illegal transportation or not registered. The public also needs to be aware of low-cost offers from the organizers.

Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) asked the public or schools to rent a legal, licensed, tourist bus and company to avoid accidents like what happened last weekend.

First, choose a bus manager or a legal and licensed tourist bus company. How to do it? Ask the company or manager, which is called the supervisory card and this card must be genuine, cannot be copyable," said KNKT Senior Investigator Ahmad Wildan, quoting Antara.

Ahmad also asked the public or the school to ensure that tourist buses meet technical and roadworthy requirements. The public or the school can ask for a test book from the company or the manager of the tourist bus.

Finally, people or schools who want to rent tourist buses must ensure that the vehicle is equipped with a letter of assignment from the company and ensure driver's license that is in accordance with the vehicle rented.

"Here the service user or tenant must be aware, it means that he must ask who the tour bus driver is and where is the driver's license," said Ahmad Wildan again.

Another thing that is no less important is choosing a tourist bus equipped with a safety belt or safety belt on the passenger seat, and ensuring that the number of passengers does not exceed capacity. Regarding the safety belt, Djoko agreed that socialization of usage must be carried out more massively.

"Socialization must be even more massive in the use of the safety belt for all vehicles traveling long distances. Both public vehicles and private vehicles," he explained.

"People should also not only see cheap bus rental offers but do not guarantee safety," said Djoko.