On average, about 33 school-age children die in school transportation-related crashes each year, according to recently released federal data.

About 17% of the children killed in these crashes are occupants of school transportation vehicles. Nearly half (45%) of the fatalities are occupants of other vehicles.

The findings are drawn from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)’s new edition of School Transportation-Related Crashes, which was published last month.

NHTSA defines a school transportation-related crash as one that involves, either directly or indirectly, a school bus body vehicle or a non-school bus functioning as a school bus, transporting children to or from school or school-related activities.

The new report shows that from 2004 to 2013, 327 school-age children were killed in school transportation-related crashes. Of those, 54 were occupants of school transportation vehicles, 147 were occupants of other vehicles, 116 were pedestrians, nine were pedal-cyclists and one was classified as an “other nonoccupant.”

The report also puts the school transportation-related crash data in the context of overall vehicle crashes: From 2004 to 2013, there were 340,039 fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Of those, 1,214 (0.36%) were classified as school transportation-related.

To view the full report from NHTSA, go here.

About the author
Thomas McMahon

Thomas McMahon

Executive Editor

Thomas had covered the pupil transportation industry with School Bus Fleet since 2002. When he's not writing articles about yellow buses, he enjoys running long distances and making a joyful noise with his guitar.

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