Like others involved in deadly accidents, the driver in the latest incident faces criminal charges. The bus companies, however, face civil liabilities that will be covered by insurance. It is time to explore if bus companies and their management should be subject to criminal responsibility – something that may require legal reform and changes to the law.

The government should recognise that it needs a bigger stick to wield against bus operators. Meanwhile, isn’t it high time for an independently commissioned report on the deeper issues with bus companies, and how their relationship with their drivers might be contributing to lethal accidents?

Mohan Datwani, Quarry Bay

Bad driving is not the only danger

Can the November 18 flipping of yet another KMB double-decker bus be considered dangerous driving?

According to Road Traffic Offences in Hong Kong, in the case of R vs Conteh: “The court … emphasised that what is important is to keep firmly in mind, however tragic the outcome, the high threshold required to establish dangerous driving.” But in the case of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region vs Chan Yau, the judge “was of the view … that there is no reason why even a momentary driving event could not properly be considered dangerous”.

The courts are certainly divided.

Traffic collision investigations must take a two-pronged approach to establish causes of both the collision and the fatality.

In the first, police believed that the driver had changed lanes too late and hit a road barrier. Why? Was he distracted? With CCTV and the black box, this can be investigated.

Fatal minibus accident a wake-up call on seat belt requirements

The lack of seat belts has been identified as a major concern, and deaths might have been prevented had seat belts been installed and used. With CCTV monitoring both the upper and lower decks, surely the dynamics of passengers in such a collision can be observed and lessons learned.

Neil Dunn, Kowloon Tong

Track schools’ progress in fight against child obesity

Over 600 kindergartens are in the programme, and more than 400 kindergartens have also signed a charter to stop offering sugary drinks on campus.

To assess the programme’s efficacy, it would be helpful to track changes in the children’s body mass index from the start of kindergarten to when they leave for primary school. Currently, the government releases overweight and obesity data for four-year old children, and for primary schoolchildren but with no age breakdown. We urge the Department of Health to publish more detailed information so the public can better understand the problem of childhood obesity.

Healthy eating in schools can’t be left to guidelines on paper

Parents make major dietary and lifestyle decisions for their children. It is not enough for kindergartens and schools to educate parents about healthy eating and lifestyles. Cases of overweight and obese schoolchildren should be flagged and supported by the collective efforts of parents, school staff and health-care professionals.

The Family Health Service of the Department of Health keeps records of schoolchildren’s weight, height and BMI but without identifying their school or kindergarten. The government should compile data on child obesity to assess and rank kindergartens and schools on their success in keeping their children healthy. The school administrators and parents will then have more incentive to reduce obesity by bringing about behavioural changes in the children.

Yeping Gu and Yu Guo, Kowloon Tong

Thanks to ambulance staff

On November 22, I had to call an ambulance for my husband who was very unwell. I would like to express my utmost thanks and gratitude to the ambulance officers of A238 who attended to my husband with such professionalism and kindness, and made me feel that my husband was in good hands as we rode to Queen Mary Hospital. Thank you to everyone involved, including the person on the switchboard.

Vivienne Lee, Island South