NATIONAL COALITION OF SCHOOL BUS SAFETY NEWS UP TO DEC. 2003

School Bus Crash Insurance May Not Be Enough
June 3, 2003

A state official says a school district's liability insurance coverage could come up short if all the families affected by a school bus crash file claims.

The school bus crash last month in Siloam Springs killed 14-year-old Jessica Price of Siloam Springs and injured more than 20.

Larry Walker is manager of the state Education Department's School Motor Vehicle Self Insurance Program. He says he expects many claims seeking part of the district's 50-thousand-dollar liability coverage—and that the coverage won't be enough.

Arkansas law requires state bodies to carry liability insurance on their motor vehicles. The law sets minimum amounts, but some critics say those limits should be different for school buses than ordinary vehicles.

The accident occurred when a school bus crashed into a wooded ravine just south of the Illinois River bridge on Arkansas 16.

Story by The Associated Press

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