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What are the risks of riding a school bus?
School bus drivers try everything they can to make sure the students onboard are safe. In fact, riding a bus is one of the safest ways to go to and from school, but I am also aware that there are risks associated with riding the bus. Accidents happen and passengers may encounter unfortunate incidents not only while riding the bus, but also while entering or leaving the bus. However, safety on the road does not only depend on school bus drivers. Motorists also need to be aware of school buses and be more careful when driving near them. Motorists should stop when the bus displays red flashing lights. Drivers should always be on the lookout for children crossing the street to get on the bus. If drivers don’t pay attention to the road, then accidents happen.
JCPS bus hit by DUI driver
A Jefferson County Public School bus carrying students from Iroquois High School was involved in an accident in Shively on Tuesday, September 23, 2014. The rear of the school bus was hit by a DUI driver. The accident happened on Dixie Highway and Bachmann Drive in Shively around 3 p.m. There were no reported injuries, but police say that some of the students commented about having back pain. They were examined by EMS.
Related: Driving In School Zones: Safety Tips For Kentucky Drivers
Statistics
- In 2011, a total of 1,414 collisions either directly or indirectly involved a school bus happened in Kentucky. From this figure, 488 were injured and five were killed.
- Nationwide, there were 1,236 fatal school transportation-related crashes from 2001 to 2010.
- An average of 18 school-age children die in school transportation-related crashes each year.
As a Kentucky Accident Attorney, I’d like to ask everyone to not drink and drive. This will help keep the roads safe for other drivers and students. We all need to keep our children safe when riding a school bus. If we properly educate and demonstrate bus safety, our children are more likely to be safe. It’s a team effort.