Semi Truck Accident with School Bus Unloading Children at Bus Stop
A semi truck crashed into the back of a school bus that was stopped at a bus stop and unloading children in Wisconsin, according to a local news station. Police investigating the crash determined that the semi truck driver only hit his brakes at the last second based on the short skid marks in the road. Witnesses indicated the semi truck crashed into the bus at full speed. The accident occurred during the day in good weather, and the bus had its flashing red lights on. It appears that the semi truck driver failed to see and ultimately stop for the school bus because he was preoccupied drinking a soda and coughing at the time. Several children were injured in the crash, but none of the injuries appear to be life-threatening.
Semi truck drivers are permitted to eat and drink in their vehicles while driving only, of course, if eating or drinking does not interfere with their ability to safely drive their semi truck. If a semi driver is unable to drink a soda and recognize a big, yellow school bus dropping off kids with flashing lights stopped on the road, that is obviously a problem. The video with the news story indicates that the road on which this accident occurred is fairly straight. In the lawsuit that will likely follow based on the serious injuries suffered by several of the kids, the semi truck driver will likely be questioned as to when he first saw the bus, why he did not see the bus sooner, why he did not hit his brakes until the last second, why he decided to take a drink of his soda when he was behind a bus in the afternoon when they make frequent stops and whether his speed was safe given the fact that he was driving a fully loaded semi truck and trailer behind a school bus.
