On South Carolina roadways, child safety should be at the top of everyone’s priority list - especially our school bus drivers. There is nothing worse than receiving news that an innocent child has been severely injured or killed in an accident. It’s particularly disturbing to hear when schools supposedly dedicated to caring for our children don’t uphold their promise to hire safe bus drivers and safely transport our children. If the well being of young people is truly a priority in South Carolina, then why are school bus accidents continuing to happen? 

Recent School Bus Accidents in South Carolina

School bus on the side of SC roadAccording to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, school buses are the safest mode of transportation for getting children back and forth to school. Nevertheless, thousands of children find themselves in emergency rooms each year from school bus related collisions. When this article was first published in 2014, there had been four reports of such accidents in a matter of days across South Carolina. One of these accidents occurred in Columbia when a utility truck collided with a Richland School District One bus. The male bus driver and five young passengers were transported to the hospital with serious injuries as a result of the collision. Six days later in Darlington County, a female bus driver fell asleep at the wheel and ran into an abandoned mobile home. Four of the 32 students aboard the bus were sent to the hospital with injuries. The Darlington driver was charged with disregarding a stop sign and has been suspended from pay while the case undergoes further investigation.

As of 2019, we continue to hear from parents and read news stories about reckless drivers putting our young people in harm's way. In February of 2019, 7 students were hospitalized after the school bus driver went off the road, hit a few trees, and then went down an embankment in Laurens County, South Carolina. In this situation, the bus driver was cited for driving too fast for conditions. 

School Bus Wrecks Are Often the Result of a Driver's Reckless Decisions

Regardless of who is at fault, school bus accidents should never happen, as what we call "accidents" are really the consequence of a driver's choice to violate basic rules of the road. From bus drivers, to school administrators, to parents, to general members of the public, everyone knows that no child should ever be endangered by an adult - this includes needless dangers on our roadways. No risk is worth it when it comes to someone’s life, especially a child’s. 

We all have a right to safety. It is our job as a community to call upon our school officials, legislators, and fellow drivers to take the steps necessary to protect this right for our children. Likewise, we must hold schools and drivers that violate this precious right accountable when they cause harm.

You May Need An Experienced South Carolina Child Injury Lawyer

Should your son or daughter ever be involved in a school bus accident and you find yourself in need of direction, call me for a free consultation at 803-790-2800 or start a chat with us now. You may also find answers to your questions in my free book, Safety First, Justice Always: Your Guide to South Carolina Auto Accident Law. I look forward to hearing from you and being of service to your family.

Kenneth Berger
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Columbia and Myrtle Beach car accident and personal injury lawyer dedicated to securing justice for clients.
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