School Bus accident

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Guest

New member
Err, I wouldn't call school buses safe. I'm actually kinda surprised more effort hasn't been put into safety features on school buses. I think this is more a lucky escape than an example of a safe school bus.
 

ThreeBeans

New member
Those kids were all big enough that they were somewhat contained in the 'compartments' between seats on impact.

I doubt they would have fared as well as, say, kindergarteners. Buses may be safe due to the fact that they are statistically in fewer accidents, but I don't plan to let my kids ride them before they are big enough not to need booster seats in the car.
 
Whoa. :eek: Thank goodness there weren't any major injuries! My older son was actually involved in a bus crash with a dump truck (weird!) a couple of years ago, but thankfully there was no flipping involved. That's a phone call from the school I'll never forget... When we were in FL a little over a week ago, we passed the intersection where it occurred, and he just had to retell the whole experience, LOL.

This isn't necessarily rooted in hard fact, but I tend to think that school busses have, in general, proven their safety statistically over the past several decades, and while they could be safer, they are doing their job pretty well as-is. I'm all for reforms to improve them, but don't have any qualms about my kids riding them currently, either. ;)
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
School buses are designed to keep kids over the size of an average 6 year old safe with compartmentalization & the height of the bus means side impacts are not as severe compared to cars -- now that Leila is that size, I don't worry unnecessarily.... It's the average PreK/K children who I worry about!

Rollovers are a special cause for concern with every vehicle, but knowing that kiddo + parent would both be at about 8 times the risk of crashing to begin with while driving to/from school in my own vehicle, I feel better letting any child sized to fit the school bus (including young kids if proper harness systems are available) :twocents:
 
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BeanJeepin

New member
See, my kids won't be riding a school bus for some time here. There was an accident a year or so ago. They told the ambulance NOT to come saying the school nurse would take care of checking out the kids (with no emergency/trauma training). THREE hours later an adult aide on the bus called EMS to come take her to the hospital from the school for severe BACK PAIN. The kids had not yet been looked at by anyone at that time. How do I know? I'm an expired EMT for the ambulance corps in that district. One of the member's kids were on that bus at the time. Sure, it's thirdhand, but I believe it.
 

BudgieStew

New member
They are adding harnessed seat in schools buses in my home town,for children under 40 lbs.
Currently they only have 10 seats but plan on adding to the fleet every year.

I would link to it or C/P but its subscription only site that opens in Adobe and I have no idea how to copy and paste that.
 
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flipper68

Senior Community Member
See, my kids won't be riding a school bus for some time here. There was an accident a year or so ago. They told the ambulance NOT to come saying the school nurse would take care of checking out the kids (with no emergency/trauma training). THREE hours later an adult aide on the bus called EMS to come take her to the hospital from the school for severe BACK PAIN. The kids had not yet been looked at by anyone at that time. How do I know? I'm an expired EMT for the ambulance corps in that district. One of the member's kids were on that bus at the time. Sure, it's thirdhand, but I believe it.

:confused: Interesting story but it really has little to do with BUS safety.

The school/school administration made the decision not to seek medical assistance. There is the source of the problem in your story. It should be relatively easy to fix - School Policy: Emergency responders SHALL respond to any accident involving a vehicle." Done deal.

I would think who ever took the call of not to come would have had the sense to go anyway, although you don't indicate how severe the accident was.

Also, it's not unusual for accident victims of any kind to be "fine" initially and in severe pain later. It's called "shock."

I agree with Papooses. All the data shows private vehicles have a much higher incidence of accidents and resulting injuries than buses. True, crashes do happen, but overall, the benefit of bussing far outweigh the dangers (reliable transportation and as a result consistent attendance for large numbers of children - especially in rural and/or low income areas, fewer vehicles on the road/in the school parking lot, potential learning from field trips and other events).

Off topic but on the same note:

How many of your kids wear "Crocs?" There are several documented cases of injury from escalators in young children wearing them. Will this cause you to remove them from the wardrobe?

Ditto for use of trampolines, scooters, skates, skateboards, bikes, swimming pools, or eating hotdogs, grapes, and popcorn, etc., etc.

While I want children to be safe and have been the meanie more than once when I forced the use of booster, harnessed seat, helmet, etc., I don't see most of the above as prohibited if used/done with supervision and instruction.
 

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