NATIONAL COALITION OF SCHOOL BUS SAFETY NEWS 2006

School Bus Crash Judgment Announced
Nov 1, 2006

Two years ago a school bus crash in Warren County sent 14 of students to the hospital. Two of those students just had their day in court, where video of what happened that day was shown.

A typical morning school bus ride in April, 2004 ended when a bus flipped over in Warren County.

The camera captured 27 students free falling throughout the bus after it flipped on its side.
John Lowery represented two students injured during that crash in 2004. One of them, a sixteen year old girl, had a broken nose.

"She went airborn and essentially face planted the side of the bus," Lowery said. "I've seen it 50 times and it's still kind of shocking."

Like all other school buses in America, this one didn't have seat belts.

Jim Hall, a former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board feels three point seat belts on buses can save lives. He thinks not having them sends a mixed message.

"This is a 20-year-old argument," Hall said. "Kids still say ‘I don't understand, I get in the car and I have to be buckled up,'"

Others argue school bus seats are designed to keep students safe without belts.

"Certainly, in this case, it probably would have helped this child," Lowery said.

Some would say seat belts would have helped the 26 other students tossed around that day, on their way to school.

In the case that was heard in McMinnville, Warren County Schools argued the 16-year-old got hurt because she wasn't properly sitting in her seat.

The judge did not agree, and awarded the now 18-year-old $60,000. Her younger brother, who wasn't as seriously hurt, got $3,000. No one on that bus was seriously hurt during that crash.

No others students on that bus filed lawsuits against the school district. Warren County has 30 days to appeal the judge's ruling in the case.

  click here for link to video

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