Instead of getting home safely after school, at least a dozen North Carolina students were hospitalized after a truck crashed into their school bus earlier this week. Fortunately, none of the injuries were life-threatening, but the accident may certainly serve as a reminder to other drivers about the importance of practicing safe driving habits in order to protect others on our roads.
The truck accident occurred Monday shortly before 4 p.m. According to reports, the school bus was carrying dozens of students from East Carteret High School when the accident occurred. The Beaufort Police Department reported that the Carteret County school bus was traveling west on Professional Park Drive when a small truck suddenly struck the bus at the intersection of Troon Way.
Police reported that the truck smashed into the bus full of students after the truck driver had failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection. The force of the collision caused the axle of the bus to separate from the frame of the bus. The damage was so bad that the bus was towed from the scene.
Although the vehicles sustained quite a bit of damage, none of the children on the bus were seriously injured. However, at least a dozen of the students on the bus at the time of the crash were taken to Carteret General Hospital to receive treatment for minor injuries.
The driver of the truck was cited for failing to yield the right of way. He claims his brakes were not working when he attempted to stop as he approached the intersection.
Many parents may certainly be thankful that their children were not seriously injured in Monday’s crash, but they may also be frustrated with the truck driver’s negligence. Failing to abide by traffic laws and failing to pay attention to the road when driving is a recipe for disaster on our North Carolina roads. For this reason, negligent drivers may be held responsible for causing an innocent victim to suffer serious injury or death if they fail to take their driving privileges seriously.
Source: Jacksonville Daily News, “Driver cited in school bus crash,” Nov. 8, 2011