School buses are a common form of transportation for many students. While riding the school bus can be very uneventful, one group of Cape Coral junior high students experienced terrifying event on the bus one afternoon last week.
The students’ bus was hit by a U-Haul truck that failed to stop at a red light. According to witnesses, the U-Haul driver tried to stop the truck, but could not stop the truck before colliding with the school bus. The U-Haul truck hit the side of the bus, causing at least one window to break.
The driver of the U-Haul was trapped in his vehicle after the collision. Rescue workers had to use the Jaws of Life to remove him from the vehicle’s wreckage. The driver was taken to a hospital for treatment, along with two students on the bus who incurred minor injuries. All are expected to recover.
According to Cape Coral police, the driver of the U-Haul was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash. It is unclear what charges may be filed against the U-Haul driver. However, the fact that the driver was allegedly under the influence of drugs or alcohol could likely have been the cause of the accident.
Because of the U-Haul driver’s failure to stop at the red light, two junior high students required treatment at the hospital and many more students on the bus were likely scared by this event. Riding the school bus may often be thought to be a safe way for children to get to and from school. However, this accident may cause some to question the safety of riding the school bus.
Source: The News-Press, “Red-light runner impaired by drugs and/or alcohol in Cape Coral crash involving school bus, police report,” Feb. 20, 2013
Our firm represents clients who have been hurt in various types of truck accidents. To learn more about our practice, please visit our truck accident webpage.
