Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By Robert Fernicola, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
Diane Russell of Vineland New Jersey recently drove her Kia through a red light and slammed into a school bus carrying two children. The bus was flipped on its side; both drivers, the two middle school children on the bus and the five year old passenger in Russell’s car were injured.
The bus driver, Helen Mathis, was briefly pinned in the bus. According to police, all the injured people were taken to the hospital and none of the injuries were considered serious. Luckily, the bus driver had just started her pick up route and only the two students were on board at the time of the accident. Her bus usually carries thirty five students.
Both students were wearing their safety belts when the bus turned over. After the accident, Ms. Mathis advised the students to escape through the back safety exit while she radioed for help. Ms. Russell has been cited for running a red light.
In the morning hours, drivers are usually hurriedly trying to rush to work, and are sometimes more careless or take more risks than at other times of the day. Unfortunately, the morning commute is also the time that school buses are out picking up kids for the day. Getting to work a few minutes early is not worth risking the life, health, safety, or well being of a child.
Read more about this school bus accident at Five hurt in V’land school bus crash.