North Carolina Bus Accident Sends Students to the Hospital for Treatment of Minor Injuries After Car Goes Under the Bus
In Lillington, a number of five high school students and a car driver were transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries following a North Carolina school bus accident. The traffic collision occurred yesterday morning when the school bus was rear-ended by a vehicle at the intersection of US 101 and Lafayette Road.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol says the car, driven by Lillington driver Maureen Denise McCouat, went under the bus, seriously damaging her vehicle and causing minor damage to the school bus.
This is not the only Harnett County bus accident to happen recently. A number of week ago, another car slid under a school bus during a North Carolina traffic accident. Fortunately, no one was injured. Following the motor vehicle crash, the car driver waved to the occupants of the school bus before driving off. The motorist has yet to be apprehended. On Friday, a local elementary school bus was almost involved in an auto accident when another motorist swerved in front of it.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which defines a school transportation-related crash as a traffic accident involving an actual school bus or a vehicle being used as a school bus that takes kids to and from school or to school-related activities:
• 1,541 people have been killed in US school transportation-related crashes since 1997.
• 73% of these fatalities were riding in the other vehicles when the motor vehicle accident happened.
• 7% of the people that died were riding in the school bus when the traffic crash occurred.
• 20% of deaths involved pedestrians and pedalcyclists.
• Between 1997 and 2008, 27 school bus passengers and 16 bus drivers died in 36 single-vehicle accidents.
• 32 passengers and 34 drivers died in the 54-multiple vehicle crashes involving a school bus.
Driver Slams Under Bus: Students Go To Hospital With Minor Injuries, Dunn Daily Record, March 3, 2009
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Related Web Resources:
School bus injuries much higher than thought, MSNBC/AP, November 6, 2006
Our North Carolina bus accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Michael A DeMayo LLP are committed to helping bus accident victims recover the compensation they may be owed by a negligent motorist or another negligent party.
