Two high schoolers die in AL bus crash

ljwf22

Reality continues to ruin my life.
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HUNTSVILLE, Alabama (CNN) -- At least two high school students were killed when a school bus plunged some 30 feet off the side of a highway overpass Monday, according to school, police and fire officials.

The bus was carrying about 30 students.
Link:http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/11/20
 
Sorry to add that a total of 3 students have died. I live in Huntsville, very sad. I am proud of the way everyone responded.
 
This is such a sad story. I hope all of the injured students recover fully. My heart and prayers go out to those that have died and their loved ones.
 
I don't know that seatbelts would have made a difference in this case.

But does anyone understand why most school buses still don't have seat belts?
 
Because we are either too stupid or just plain too chinchy to spend money on the important things.

Why don't we have those breathilizer ignition things in every car? wouldn't it save more money in the long run not to have the horrible drunk driving deaths? Deaths of innocent children victims?
 
Nova said:
I don't know that seatbelts would have made a difference in this case.

But does anyone understand why most school buses still don't have seat belts?
Because Children use them to hit each other. And an entire new door of liability is opened up.
How do you make sure all the kids have their seat belts on?
What if an accident occurs and the kids need to be removed off the bus quickly?
 
Amraann said:
Because Children use them to hit each other. And an entire new door of liability is opened up.
How do you make sure all the kids have their seat belts on?
What if an accident occurs and the kids need to be removed off the bus quickly?

OK, so it's better to just die of a head injury because you're a moving target.

There's still liability if it turns out to be the school bus driver's fault.
 
Is that what I said?

Nova asked if anyone knew why buses don't have seatbelts, so I answered.
I did not say anything about it being better that children die.
I explained the reasons school buses don't have seatbelts.
The busdriver being potentially at fault in this accident has nothing to do with the liability a school district would have if all buses had seatbelts.
My listing the reasons did not imply I agreed with them. Just merely stating the reasons I have been told why school buses don't have seat belts.
 
The height of the seats have been stated to prevent injury if the students are seated properly in a normal collision. However, it wouldn't be so careening front end first, off of an ambankment or overpass.
 
2luvmy said:
The heigth of the seats have been stated to prevent injury if the students are seated properly in a normal collision. However, it wouldn't be so careening front end first, off of an ambankment or overpass.
This is very true. There seems to be evidence this bus was either hit by a passing car or the driver swerved to avoid it.

"Police said the bus, taking students to classes at a downtown tech center, swerved on the overpass, plowed through a concrete barrier and plunged to the street below.

Police Chief Rex Reynolds said an orange Toyota Celica driven by another Lee High student apparently came close to or struck the bus, causing it to swerve.

There is "some contact evidence," Hersman said, noting that investigators were looking for paint transfers between the vehicles."
Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061121/ap_on_re_us/school_bus_wreck
 
I read on another website that other students headed to the same tech school were attempting to "drag race" the school bus to the school...not sure if the bus driver was a willing participant but I would think not. It supposedly was not the first time this "race" had been brought about by other students in their own vehicles. This info was posted by someone from the area who was familiar with the situation. I expect if they can prove that this was the case, the teens doing this are going to be charged big-time. :doh: :furious: :furious: :furious:
 
Nova said:
I don't know that seatbelts would have made a difference in this case.

But does anyone understand why most school buses still don't have seat belts?

Years ago our local news had an investigative report into why there are not seatbelts on school buses. The upshot was that in case of fire, they cannot get all the students out in time to save them. Maybe they need more than just the front and rear doors.

Amra has a good point about students hitting each other with the seatbelts. I can see that happening and serious injuries resulting. There is no way the driver alone can watch all the children to make sure they are behaving.
 
In a "normal" collision accident, the child's head is most likely to hit the well-padded seat in front of him/her.

This is every parent's horror come true; what a tragedy! I hope the rest of the injured heal. I simply cannot imagine being at that hospital and the personnel not even knowing which one was my child or the extent of their injuries. A firm reminder that even our youth should carry some form of ID on them at all times.
 
This accident happened in my town. The reports are that a car was trying to pass the bus to get in front of it (should not have been) hit the bus and the bus hit the concrete barrier and went over. Another teenage driver (of another vehicle) said the car that hit the bus fishtailed first and may have had a blowout.

I do not really understand the reason for not having seat belts. But I think buses are a safe means of transportation. This was an unusual incident of going over the overpass. It fell 30 feet and was intact except the front of the bus. It went over and hit on the nose of the bus. There were 40 -43 (not sure of exact #) students on the bus. Think about going off an overpass 30 feet in a vehicle and walking away as some students did. There are 25 students still in the hospital.
 
...my kids ride the bus every day, and I agree that this is every parent's nightmare...

I am pro seat belts, and think that school busses should have them...Around here, some of the newer ones do...I think there are ways of monitoring whether or not the belts are being used, and whether they are being misued, like for fights, etc. Just like on a car, the bus driver could be alerted by beeping when a seatbelt is taken off while the bus is moving...Belt goes off, driver pulls over....The first time it takes the kids 3 hours to get home, they'll catch on...

OTOH, this accident was so bad, that I do not know if anything could have helped... :(
 
LadyLuck said:
This accident happened in my town. The reports are that a car was trying to pass the bus to get in front of it (should not have been) hit the bus and the bus hit the concrete barrier and went over. Another teenage driver (of another vehicle) said the car that hit the bus fishtailed first and may have had a blowout.

I do not really understand the reason for not having seat belts. But I think buses are a safe means of transportation. This was an unusual incident of going over the overpass. It fell 30 feet and was intact except the front of the bus. It went over and hit on the nose of the bus. There were 40 -43 (not sure of exact #) students on the bus. Think about going off an overpass 30 feet in a vehicle and walking away as some students did. There are 25 students still in the hospital.
I'm just so sorry for the loss in your community. When a child is lost, the entire community grieves. God Bless.
 
LadyLuck said:
A fourth student has died from the school bus accident yesterday.
Thats terrible. My mamaw called me yesterday to tell me about it.

I pray for all those families and their friends at school. So sad.
 
Amraann said:
Is that what I said?

Nova asked if anyone knew why buses don't have seatbelts, so I answered.
I did not say anything about it being better that children die.
I explained the reasons school buses don't have seatbelts.
The busdriver being potentially at fault in this accident has nothing to do with the liability a school district would have if all buses had seatbelts.
My listing the reasons did not imply I agreed with them. Just merely stating the reasons I have been told why school buses don't have seat belts.

Understood, Amraann, but those reasons make no sense. (Not your fault, of course.)

The same logic would justify removing the seats themselves. (So that the school won't be liable when kids push other kids into hard, metal seats. Something I remember happening a lot in my days on the bus.)

The same logic would justify removing seatbelts from cars.
 
SewingDeb said:
Years ago our local news had an investigative report into why there are not seatbelts on school buses. The upshot was that in case of fire, they cannot get all the students out in time to save them. Maybe they need more than just the front and rear doors.

Amra has a good point about students hitting each other with the seatbelts. I can see that happening and serious injuries resulting. There is no way the driver alone can watch all the children to make sure they are behaving.

Is there some new policy whereby children are stripped nude and searched as they enter a bus? Surely they have things they can fight with anyway.

Now perhaps there is something to not wanting to diminish exit time in an emergency, particularly with small children. Maybe they panic and can't get out of the belts.
 

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