• 18
  • October
    2011

We are officially into the daily grind of the school year, but it sounds like drivers still need a reminder about how to safely drive around school buses. Last week outside of an Alabama school, a child who had just gotten off of her school bus was injured in a car accident.

While a 7-year-old getting hit by a car is terrifying and not incredibly common, the things that reportedly led up to the collision are not uncommon. The driver supposedly responsible for the crash is a 21-year-old who was distracted at the time of the incident.

According to news reports, last Wednesday morning children were getting off of their stopped bus in front of their Alabama elementary school when the distracted driver approached. She was allegedly running late and talking on her cell phone when she tried to pass the stopped bus and hit the child.

Not only was that driving behavior irresponsible -- it was illegal. When a bus is stopped with its various signals engaged, drivers coming from either direction are required by law to stop until the lights have stopped flashing and the stop arm is lowered. Failing to stop for a bus can lead to reckless driving charges.

The child who was hit last week didn't sustain serious injuries and is expected to return to school soon. The driver responsible for the accident is charged with reckless driving, but the legal trouble might not end there. Family of the crash victim could potentially sue the supposed distracted driver for personal injury damages.

Source

Opelika-Auburn News: "Auburn University student who struck 7-year-old charged," Donathan Prater, Oct. 12, 2011