Two people were hurt when a school bus crashed into a firetruck in Newark Thursday afternoon, October 24.
Police investigation the accident said that the crash happened at 14th Avenue and South 9th Street. Witnesses at the scene of the crash report that the bus was traveling on 14th Avenue and turned to South 9th Street at around 5 p.m. when it hit a firetruck that was parked on the street.
Police who responded at the scene said an 11 year-old student, a bus driver, and the bus driver’s aide were on board when the crash happened. The bus driver and the bur driver’s aide sustained minor injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Thankfully, the student was not hurt from the crash.
The firetruck was not occupied when it was hit.
We are glad no one got seriously injured in the crash. We hope the bus driver and the bus driver’s aide recovers well from their injuries. Accidents involving a school bus can result in a lot of injuries, specially when the school bus is full of students. Nationally, over the past 32 years, 414 students have been killed while in the process of being picked up or dropped off by a school bus. This translates into almost 13 deaths each year over the last three decades. Because of this, several New Jersey laws were passed to make the roads safer for school buses and the students that ride them.
New Jersey law states that drivers must stop at least 25 feet from a stopped school bus with flashing red lights if they are on a divided highway and on the same side of the highway as the school bus and must remain stopped until all students are safely on the bus or on the side of the highway, and until the bus’s flashing red lights have been turned off. Vehicles approaching a stopped school bus – but from the opposite side of a divided highway – that is picking up or letting off students may pass at 10 mph or less and must remain at that speed until completely past the stopped school bus. We urge drivers to observe and follow these laws to make the road safer for everyone.
If someone you care about was killed or severely injured in an accident, there may be a lot going through your head. The NJ injury attorneys of Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers have helped people like you fight for justice. We will discuss all of your legal options with you, free of charge. Call (973) 364-8300 to get in touch with one of our knowledgeable attorneys.
Note: This blog reports on the types of cases our firm has extensive experience handling. It is painful to learn of the prevalence of these serious accidents, and it is our sincere hope that future catastrophes can be avoided. Our blog posts are written from scouring recent news stories. As more information is revealed, these stories may be updated. If the information in this blog article is outdated or false, please let us know so we can add updates or corrections.
Disclaimer: By showing the frequency of these serious accidents, Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers hopes that more will be done to prevent them. Another aim is to give readers information that can be used to help them reduce the likelihood they are involved in a serious accident. Content on our blog is not legal advice.