Two injured after car rear-ends school bus in Santa Rosa County
June 01, 2015On behalf of Terence Gross of Gross & Schuster, P.A. posted in Car Accidents on Monday, August 29, 2011.
It must have been a rude awakening for students returning to school. A car rear-ended a school bus in Santa Rosa County on Friday. The driver of the car and one of the student passengers were transported by EMS after the car accident.
The accident occurred on U.S. 98 near the intersection with Woodlawn Beach Road near Gulf Breeze. According to the Pensacola News Journal, the crash happened at about 1:30 in the afternoon. Middle school students were on the bus, although how many is unclear.
The middle school student who was hospitalized was reportedly complaining of neck pain. The injuries of the driver of the car were not reported. They were taken to Gulf Breeze Hospital after Santa Rosa Medical Services received the report regarding the accident. The Florida Highway Patrol and the Midway Fire Department both responded to the scene, according to reports.
To complicate matters, the car that rear-ended the bus started leaking fuel after the accident. Emergency responders therefore had to evacuate children from the bus. After parents were notified their children would be late, a different bus took the students home, according to the Pensacola News Journal.
The accident shows how important it is for drivers to keep their eyes on the road when behind the wheel, especially near a school bus. Luckily, injuries were fairly minimal in this accident, but the outcome could easily have been worse.
It’s especially important to remember that school buses make frequent stops. With flashing lights and signs, it should be clear when a bus is about to stop, but one should always keep an eye out, regardless.
Source: Pensacola News Journal, “Child, adult injured when car rear-ends school bus,” Aug. 26, 2011
