Kids Injured When Tree Falls on School Bus
Last week, five students were injured when a tree fell onto a school bus in Greenville County. According to WLOS ABC News Channel 13, the incident happened on Wednesday afternoon at about 5:20 p.m. There were six Southside High School students on the bus at the time. The tree fell onto the bus near Old Grove Road and Gray Fox Trail in Piedmont. Five of the six students were transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries. No other injuries were reported on the scene. Although very little information has been released about this crash, initial reports indicate that a dead pine tree got blown over in the wind.
School Bus Crash in Candler
Earlier this week, there was a crash involving a Buncombe County school bus in Candler. According to WLOS ABC News Channel 13, the incident happened on Monday morning in the 1850 block of Pisgah Highway, near the Davis Creek Road intersection. Initial reports indicate that a Jeep Compass struck the Enka Intermediate School bus.
Waynesville School Bus Driver Charged With DWI
Last week, a school bus driver in Waynesville was arrested on suspicion of driving drunk while she had students onboard. According to WLOS ABC News Channel 13, the bus driver, 46-year-old Angell Kirkpatrick Benson, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon. Initial reports indicate that her Breathalyzer test showed she had more than twice the legal limit of alcohol in her system. She was reportedly swerving on the Smoky Mountain Expressway at about 3:30 p.m. Her school bus crossed the centerline at least twice, and nearly went off of the roadway, before a pursuing officer was able to pull her over. Benson was not able to perform field sobriety tests satisfactorily, and she was arrested.
Kids Injured in Tour Bus Crash
Last week, eight people were injured in a crash involving a tour bus and a Great Smoky Mountains Railroad train. According to WLOS ABC News Channel 13, the incident happened at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Swain County. Initial reports indicate that the train was travelling at a relatively low speed when a tour bus carrying ninth graders from Georgia Military Prep School crossed its path. At least six students and two staff members were injured in the wreck. The driver of the tour bus, 59-year-old Charlie Poole of Milledgeville, Georgia, was charged with failing to yield the right of way at a railroad crossing.
School Bus Safety in Western North Carolina
The recent fatal school bus crash in Chattanooga has school districts across the nation assessing the safety of their own school buses, drivers and school transportation programs. WLOS ABC News Channel 13 recently reported on some efforts going on in Canton. In North Carolina, school buses have to be checked by a licensed inspector every 30 days. Additionally, school buses in North Carolina are not to exceed speeds of 45 miles per hour. Some districts are adding cameras on the inside and outside of buses to help improve accountability in the event of a wreck or other potentially injury-causing incident. Although these measures certainly help to improve school bus safety, taking the bus to and from school isn't totally without risk.
Back to School Safety in Buncombe County
With the new school year starting, Buncombe County officials are calling on parents, caregivers, motorists and students to make safety a top priority around bus stops. While school buses are designed and built to transport children to and from school safely, they're not completely without risk, and there are some important concerns to discuss with children and drivers to improve overall bus stop safety this year. WLOS ABC News Channel 13 recently reported on the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office's safety message to drivers around Asheville. They're reminding drivers in Buncombe County to exercise caution wherever children might be present, and especially around bus stops.
Weaverville School Bus Collision
A school bus driver is in hot water after leaving the scene of a collision in Weaverville on Friday morning. According to WLOS ABC News Channel 13, the incident happened at about 7:30 a.m. Apparently, the school bus was on the way to Weaverville Primary at the time of the crash. The bus reportedly hit the part of the truck where sanitation workers stand as the truck is moving. There was no word on whether or not a sanitation worker was on this part of the truck at the time of the crash. The driver left the scene of the crash, and has since been cited for unsafe movement and leaving the scene. There were eight students on the bus at the time of the collision.
Cameras Catching School Bus Passing Violations
Thanks to the installation of cameras on the sides of school buses in Buncombe County, the rate of convictions for school bus passing violators has gone up from 25 to 50 percent. According to WLOS ABC News Channel 13, prior to the cameras, school bus drivers had to write down license plates, if they were able to. Even when passers were tracked down, conviction rates were incredibly low. Now that they have photographic evidence, violators are going to be held accountable for endangering the lives of children.
Fatal Wreck in Cherokee
On Tuesday, one person was killed and another was injured in a one-car crash in Cherokee. According to WLOS ABC News Channel 13, the car crossed the centerline and struck a tree. The crash occurred on Adams Creek Road, sometime before noon, in the Birdtown area.
