39 children were injured in a school bus accident this morning. The accident happened on Highway 281 just south of Quincy, Washington. The area is an agricultural region, about 120 miles east of Seattle. According to the police report, the bus driver lost control and went off the road. He then over corrected, causing the bus to overturn on it’s passenger side. All 39 students on board suffered injuries, although most were minor scrapes, bloody noses, and bruises.
Three children were in serious condition, though none of the injuries are life-threatening. One of the seriously injured was airlifted to nearby Moses Lake, and the other two were taken to a hospital in Ephrata. The rest of the students were taken to local Quincy Valley Medical Center, where they were treated and reconnected with family members. The bus driver was not injured.
This is the second school bus accident today, with another occurring in Indianapolis, Indiana. That accident, which occurred at about 7:40 a.m., resulted in two fatalities–the driver and one student. The bus was heading for Lighthouse Charter School in Indianapolis when the driver lost control and crashed into a train bridge. 12 other passengers were injured, two of them critically. Current reports do not say how the driver lost control, however the accident is still being investigated. The collision with the bridge caused the supporting pillars to crumple the front end of the bus. Classes were cancelled for the day following the accident.
With these accidents, do you think that buses should be required to install seat belts, for the safety of the children on board?
