School Bus Driver Honored for Quick Thinking in Crash

GRETNA, Neb. — A school bus driver was recognized for his quick thinking on Tuesday after his bus was unable to stop and crashed into the yard of a home, WOWT reports.

The driver, who was transporting 11 students, nearly missed a student, some cars, and a house before ending up in the yard, according to the news source. A representative from Gretna Public Schools told WOWT that the pressure went out on the bus’s brakes, and they believe the emergency brakes helped prevent the bus from hitting the house.

The students and their parents told the news source that they were thankful the driver was able to navigate the bus into the snow and avoid any injuries. Megan Meyer, the mother of one of the students on board, told WOWT that they hold the driver in “high esteem” for his actions and “keeping the kids safe.” Emily Burr, the mother of two students on board, added that seeing video footage of the crash brought her back to a time when she experienced a school bus crash, and said this incident “could’ve been way worse.”

The district told the news source that the driver has been with the district for five years, and that the district's drivers conduct daily bus inspections, which include a brake test, before their morning routes. The Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the incident, but has not released an official cause, according to WOWT.

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