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.
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.