Parents like to think that their children will be safe when they are on a school bus. The fact of the matter is that school buses aren’t always safe. When they are involved in an accident, the occupants can become injured or even killed. One recent accident highlights the horrors of these accidents.
In this accident, a pickup truck slammed into a bus head-on. The accident led to the death of a coach who was driving the bus. There were five female students on the bus. Four of them suffered minor to moderate injuries that required medical care. Of the five students, one had to be rescued by firefighters. The remaining students were able to escape the bus through the back door.
One report notes that the driver of the pickup truck didn’t appear to stop prior to running into the bus. Firefighters also had to rescue the driver of the pickup truck by cutting the roof off of the vehicle. That driver was said to have suffered serious injuries in the crash and was taken to the hospital via helicopter.
Harrisburg Public Schools canceled school the day after the accident. The superintendent noted that counselors would be available to students and staff members when school resumes. This point is a reminder that the effects of a serious crash can go far beyond the physical injuries. Emotional trauma can occur, which can be very difficult for people involved in the accident and those close to them.
Victims of motor vehicle accidents might opt to pursue legal action for the effects of the accident. This is something to think about sooner rather than later since there are specific time limits for these claims.
Source: Columbia Daily Tribune, “Harrisburg coach killed in school bus crash; four students sustain minor injuries,” Patrick Lambdin, Sep. 28, 2017