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   4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash

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Topic: 4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash (Read 365 times)

lakelady
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4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
« on: Nov 21^st, 2006, 2:22pm »

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Our state is mourning. Sad

4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
Teen Girls Killed In Plunge Off Overpass After Cut Off By Car

(CBS/AP) Huntsville, Alabama
A fourth high school student has died from injuries she got in when a school bus nose-dived off an interstate overpass, the police chief said Tuesday.

The bus driver, who was found critically injured on the overpass, was among 15 who remained hospitalized, authorities said. Four were listed as critical.

Police Chief Rex Reynolds identified the fourth victim of Monday's school bus wreck as Crystal Renee McCrary, 17. Like the other victims, she was a student at Huntsville High School who was on the bus when a car came up in a side lane and the bus veered over the guardrail and crashed about 30 feet below.

Investigators Tuesday were focusing on why a school bus cut off by another car on a Huntsville overpass fell over the side of the overpass, landing 30 feet below on its nose and killing three student passengers.

Two high school students, Christine Collier and Nichole Ford, died at the scene. A third teen, Tanesha Hill, died later at the hospital, reports CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann.

More than 30 Lee High School students and the bus driver were taken to Huntsville Hospital, which became a hectic trauma center Monday with emergency physicians and staff called in to help as ambulances brought in the severely injured.

Five people, including the bus driver, had undergone surgery, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Police said the bus, taking students to classes at a downtown tech center, swerved on the overpass, plowed through a concrete barrier and plunged to the street below.

Police Chief Rex Reynolds said an orange Toyota Celica driven by another Lee High student apparently came close to or struck the bus, causing it to swerve. He declined to say whether charges would be filed.

"Did the Celica hit the bus or did the Celica hit the ramp? We're unsure at this point," Reynolds said.

Another student, driving behind both vehicles is sure.

"His car started swerving and actually pushed the bus up on the wall and the bus flipped over," the teen said.

The dead students were remembered at a memorial service Monday night, reports CBS News' Donna Francavilla (audio).

Nichole Ford was a single mother who fought to return to school, even after being shot in the head.

"She has a baby, and she had to get out of school for a little while, but now she's back in school, and she was going to graduate in May," said friend Cornelius Ford.

From her window seat in a school bus packed with laughing classmates, LaWanda Jefferson spotted a passing orange car seconds before she felt herself catapulted sideways.

"The bus went to the side, and I guess it went over," she said. "When it was falling ... I was just glad when it hit the ground."

It struck the ground nose-first, about 30 feet below the I-565 overpass.

Two teenage girls died in the wreckage; a third died later at a hospital.

"They were falling on each other. People were screaming, yelling, crying," said Jefferson, 16, who suffered fractures to her left arm and cuts and bruises to her face.

Students on the bus, which was not equipped with seat belts, were screaming when rescue workers arrived. "They were thrown all over the bus," said Huntsville Fire Chief Dusty Underwood.

Some had to be extracted from the crumpled front of the bus, he said.

Some parents were called to the scene by wailing children on cell phones. Many were angered that police held them back or had no information. At the hospital, some collapsed in tears amid more confusion.

Hospital officials said the horror of the wreck was compounded by the inability of hospital staff to identify some of the more severely injured students who were unable to talk and had no identification on them.

The police chief said the driver and a passenger in the Celica went to a hospital following the crash, but he was not aware if they were treated for injuries. He said the driver was interviewed by police.

The bus driver was in critical condition, said Brooke Thorington, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Education.

"This is a heartbreaking tragedy," said Gov. Bob Riley in a statement in Montgomery.

The National Transportation Safety Board, which was to investigate the wreck, has said that school buses are designed to protect occupants without the use of seat belts. A new design uses strong, well-padded, high-backed seats, closely spaced together, the NTSB has said.

However, NTSB board member Debbie Hersman said at a news conference Monday night that the board last week added school bus safety to its list of most wanted transportation safety improvements. She said the board is recommending that new standards be devised to improve safety when buses are involved in rollover crashes.

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AmberJ
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Re: 4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
« Reply #1 on: Nov 21^st, 2006, 4:44pm »

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a) I did not know you were from Alabama....

b) This is so devestating and terrible. I watched a news report about it last night, its absolutely terirble. Such young lives taken far too early... sad, just sad

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el_sheik_doufa
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Re: 4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
« Reply #2 on: Nov 22^nd, 2006, 3:08pm »

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Never heard it...

Although, when I was in the Czech Republic earlier this summer, I heard about an eighth grade class returning from a trip to Serbia. The bus tipped over, and a 15 year old boy tipped out of the window and fell in to a ravine of some sort. It was heartbreaking, because I had been to the school (on a visit)that he was taught in. And the reason it tipped over? The bus driver fell asleep at the wheel.

AND HE DIDN'T EVEN GET SUED!!!!!

But, yeah, four kids dead in this! Man, that's horrible.

« Last Edit: Nov 22^nd, 2006, 3:08pm by el_sheik_doufa »

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lakelady
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Re: 4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
« Reply #3 on: Nov 22^nd, 2006, 6:49pm »

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Appreciate the comments. Yes, Amber I live in Alabama. And this was very sad.

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Rhune
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Re: 4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
« Reply #4 on: Nov 22^nd, 2006, 8:20pm »

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I have a lot of strong feelings about seat belts and school busses. My husband has already said that he doesn't want our kids to ever ride on one until some of the safety issues are fixed. I realize they are probably thousands of times more likely to be involved in an accident riding in our minivan than on the school bus, but at least in my minvan they are wearing a seatbelt.

I'm so sorry for the families that lost their children in this accident.

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Tyler
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Re: 4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
« Reply #5 on: Nov 22^nd, 2006, 10:26pm »

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Seatbelts in Cars and Seat Belts in a Bus are very different. In a Car it is enclosed and when you have your seatbelt on you won't be moving around nearly as much. The only seat belt you could have on a bus is a lap belt. Which won't do much. Even then you will still be flopping around. For one the seats are much bigger. Even though they are bigger you have less space because you are sitting with someone else. Even then half the kids wouldn't wear a seat belt. (Or at least on my bus)

There are so many reasons why seatbelts on a bus would just not work. There isn't enough space.

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Tyler
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Re: 4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
« Reply #6 on: Nov 22^nd, 2006, 10:37pm »

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In response to the seat belt issue I would like to respond by saying that the only time that seat belts would be and are effective is when dealing with handicapped children.

There have been proven tests done with seat belts that show that children that were belted in during an accident were more apt to have severe stomach injuries from the seat belts. Seats on school busses are padded to protect the children from injuries for this reason.

I found this on the internet. I would have to agree with this statement. You would only be able to have a lap belt and it would just would like cut your stomach in half. (Not really but it would hurt)

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Rhune
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Re: 4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
« Reply #7 on: Nov 23^rd, 2006, 2:32pm »

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I have read several times now that seat belts similar to those in race cars, that cross over the chest in an X shape would be very effective in school busses. It all comes down to not wanting to spend the money to refit all those school busses, or simply being so poor of a school district (thanks to the way education funding has been severely neglected) that they really can't afford to refit the busses.

When they claim seat belts can't be put in a bus safely, they are making excuses. Lap belts would be dangerous, but lap belts are not the only kind of seat belts available.

« Last Edit: Nov 23^rd, 2006, 2:34pm by Rhune »

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Tyler
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Re: 4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
« Reply #8 on: Nov 23^rd, 2006, 5:42pm »

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That's true about the racecar seat belts. Truthfully, I don't think half the kids would use them. Nor would I think many of the drivers would enforce it. I asked my busdriver last year and others about what they thought about seatbelts in busses and they all say it would be a horrible idea.

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AmberJ
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Re: 4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
« Reply #9 on: Nov 23^rd, 2006, 7:15pm »

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There is an episode on ER, I dont know the exact season except its before season 6 cuz I have it on DVD, where a bus flips over and many children are seriously injured/killed. The episode really deals with this issue and makes it aware to everyone who thinks they are not needed.

This recent event is another reminder that seat belts are needed.

Racedude I'm aware most students, esp. teenage boys would not use the seatbelts, but the option needs to be there. How is that seat belts by law need to be worn by everybody, but in school buses, whose majority passengers are under the age of 16 do not even have seat belts as an option. It does not make sense that we are not even attempting to protect these children.

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Tyler
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Re: 4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
« Reply #10 on: Nov 23^rd, 2006, 7:19pm »

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Actually, on my bus it would be more so the girls. Many of the girls walk up and down on the bus while are driver is driving. Most of the guys stay in there seat and the girls act crazy the whole time.

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Rhune
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Re: 4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
« Reply #11 on: Nov 23^rd, 2006, 7:56pm »

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If tickets were handed out regularly to the bus drivers, schools and students after they went into effect, then people would start wearing them regularly. If you are 16 years old and not wearing a seat belt in a car, you can get a ticket even if you are just a passenger.

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Tyler
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Re: 4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
« Reply #12 on: Nov 23^rd, 2006, 8:08pm »

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How would the school no the students are wearing seatbelts? I don't think a busdriver is going to be concerned about looking to make sure everyone is wearing there seatbelt. They may be but I think there priority is getting everyone home safely. The driver can't be looking up in the mirror every 13 seconds to check that kind of stuff! Yes, the bus has camera, but you can't rely on those! I doubt someone is going to watch 1 hour of footage for 200+ busses for 180 days.

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AmberJ
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Re: 4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
« Reply #13 on: Nov 23^rd, 2006, 9:37pm »

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I think the option should be made available. I suspect those young ones on the bus would use them because it is what they are taught. When you go in a car you use a seatbelt because it is SAFE. If you teach kids to use seatbelts in cars but not in busses, it doesn't send a good signal. Why is it okay for one not the other. When you fly on an airplane you are told that the only time you should undue the seatbelt is when the plane has landed and the seatbelt sign is off and if you need to get up for whatever reason. Otherwise you are to wear the seatbelt.

It just does not make sense that the option of seatbelts in a bus is not an option. If you teach kids to wear seatbelts at a young age I suspect they will grow up to wear them,.

The option SHOULD be there

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Joab
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Re: 4th Student Dead In School Bus Crash
« Reply #14 on: Nov 24^th, 2006, 2:16am »

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In Singapore, everyone of us will have to put on the seatbelt in a car, and even in the taxi, or we can be given a fine of $100 if we are caught by the traffic police.

However, the public bus transport still does not have seatbelts because it will be a ridiculous idea for commuters to put on seatbelts after getting on/off the bus.

« Last Edit: Nov 24^th, 2006, 2:16am by Joab »

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