19 DeKalb County Students Hospitalized After Bus Crash

On August 28, a River Road school bus crash sent 19 DeKalb County students to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The bus driver was not seriously injured.

According to Fox 5 Atlanta, the incident occurred around 8 a.m. as the bus was en route to Salem Middle School. School officials reported that the bus was struck by another vehicle at approximately 8:20 a.m., causing it to hit a pole and come to rest on its side in a ditch. DeKalb County police are leading the investigation into the crash, with assistance from the DeKalb County school police.

School buses and safety

The NHTSA reports that between 2013 and 2022, 111 occupants were killed in school bus vehicle accidents. 50 were drivers and 61 were passengers.

The NHTSA also lists some further facts about school bus accidents:

• From 2013 to 2022, there were 976 fatal school-transportation-related crashes, resulting in 1,082 fatalities—an average of 108 deaths per year.
• In the same period, 198 school-age children were killed in school-transportation-related crashes, including 35 occupants of school vehicles, 80 occupants of other vehicles, 76 pedestrians, five cyclists, and two other nonoccupants.
• There were 1.5 times more fatalities among pedestrians (169) than occupants of school vehicles (111) in these crashes.
• Between 2000 and 2022, there were 55 fatalities involving a driver illegally passing a school bus – which occurs an average of 2.4 fatalities per year. Twenty-five of these fatalities were pedestrians aged 18 years old or younger.

In spite of these incidents, school buses are considered the safest vehicle for occupants. The color of the bus is meant to attract attention from other drivers, and the buses are carefully designed to reduce the impact of crash-related forces on passengers. As a result of the extra emphasis on safe design, students taking the school bus are far less likely to face injuries than those traveling in family vehicles, biking, or walking. The greatest risks for occupants of school buses come in the form of getting to and from the bus. The large size of the vehicle means that it can be difficult to see around it, and pedestrians near a bus may face risks from the bus itself or another driver.

Driving safely around school buses

It’s also important to note that School Bus Safety Week is from October 21 through the 25^th. We’d like to take this opportunity to talk about school bus safety here in Savannah.

While school buses are one of the safest modes of transportation, illegal passing poses a significant threat to children. The NHTSA identifies the area around the bus known as the “Danger Zone,” where children are most at risk. This includes:

• 10 feet in front of the bus, where the driver may be sitting too high to see a child
• 10 feet on either side of the bus, where a child may be in the driver’s blind spots
• Behind the school bus

Georgia drivers must stop for school buses in the following scenarios:

• Two-lane roads: All traffic traveling in all lanes must stop when a school bus stops to pick up or drop off children.
• Two lanes with a center turning lane: All traffic traveling in all lanes must stop when a school bus stops for children, including vehicles in the turning lane.
• Four-lane roads without a median: All traffic traveling in all lanes must stop when the school bus stops for children.
• Four or more lanes with a center turning lane: All traffic traveling in all lanes must stop when a school bus stops for children, including vehicles in the turning lane.
• Divided highway of four or more lanes with a median: Only vehicles traveling in the same direction as the school bus must stop when the bus stops to pick up or drop off children.

In short, you must stop for a school bus whenever the driver signals a stop (typically with flashing lights and a “STOP” sign) unless a median separates your lane from the bus.

Who is liable for a Savannah school bus accident?

Depending on the circumstances of the accident, a variety of parties could be held liable. These include:

• Motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians
• School bus drivers
• Private schools or companies that operate school buses
• School districts
• Bus and parts manufacturers
• School bus maintenance companies
• The owner of the school bus
• Road construction companies and municipal road crews

Were you or your child injured in a school bus accident? The Savannah bus accident attorneys at Harris Lowry Manton LLP are here to help. We can help investigate the accident, assign liability, and fight for your right to financial compensation. Let us work for the best possible outcome on your behalf. To meet with an experienced bus accident attorney, please call or use our contact form to schedule a consultation at our offices in Atlanta or Savannah.