A school bus accident on Friday sent three people to the hospital in Ventura County. The Ventura County Fire Department confirmed the accident took place east of Santa Paula on South Mountain Road near Glanville Road. The crash occurred in the afternoon hours of April 22, 2022.
KTLA-TV reports the school bus had twelve people on board when it rolled into a ditch. The accident left the bus on its side. The driver of the bus and two passengers were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The bus was from Santa Paula High School but it’s not clear how many of the victims were students.
Officers are still working to determine what caused the accident. They have not released the names of the victims who were hurt.
School Bus Accident Dangers in Ventura County
Buses are meant to transport more people, more efficiently. Buses usually make for a safer trip too. But buses are large and heavy vehicles, and seatbelts aren’t always provided. An accident can cause serious injuries for victims and that’s especially worrisome when children on school buses are involved.
Children hurt in serious accidents often suffer more life-altering injuries. This is due to the fact that their bodies are still developing. The healing process for broken bones or back and neck trauma can affect how they mature and cause further complications in the years ahead.
This is a concern for every parent in Ventura County who sends their kids off to school on a bus or allows them to participate in school activities. California’s Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) tracks bus accidents across Ventura County each year.
Their data researchers recorded 29 accidents involving school buses and other types of buses in 2021. Those crashes led to around 40 injuries. In 2020, 30 bus accidents were recorded to account for 41 injuries.
These astounding statistics only enforce the need for motorist caution across Santa Paula and beyond. Drivers at the wheel of buses must exercise more caution to keep their passengers and students safe. Drivers in other cars must also do their part by slowing down and allowing extra space for buses no matter where they are encountered.
Of course, sometimes the fault is from the bus driver themselves. According to Quirk Accident & Injury Lawyers, a Ventura County personal injury firm, common causes of school bus accidents include distracted drivers, overloaded buses, driving too fast and risky driving behavior.
