Previously I commented that the past couple of months had held two major runway school bus stories. In the first story, it seems that a student was caught in wrong doing. However in this story the driver was obliviously out of line.
This story took place in Cleveland.
It seems that a bus was on its way to deliver about twenty-seven students to a charter school when the driver decided to stop and get fuel. While at the station, the driver proceeded to leave the children unattended and go into the restroom.
While inside, for some unknown reason, the bus began to roll. As it picked up speed children began screaming and jumping out of the door into the street. One quick thinker jumped behind the wheel and applied the emergency brake. When the brake failed, the student chose to drive the bus into a pillar.
The store manager was a witness tot eh entire incident. When the bus began to roll, he quickly ran and began to bang on the restroom door to alert the driver. The driver chased the bus and was taken to the hospital with chest pains.
Had the bus not been brought to a stop, it would have continued to pick up speed and likely caused many more serious injuries than the fifteen that occurred.
It is against the polices of the school system for a driver to get fuel while in route with children. It is even more unacceptable for a driver to leave the children unattended. It is uncertain why the driver decided to stop for fuel and break the rules.
It was also discovered that the driver had licenses to drive the bus but was not registered as required by policy.
I hope that much more investigation will be done in this story and measures will be taken to prevent future occurrences like this from happening.
Should School Buses have Seat Belts?
Once Upon a Time on the School Bus
Promoting Good School Bus Behavior