MENU
SEARCHThirteen children were killed in school bus loading and unloading accidents in the 2009-10 school year. The total is down nearly 25 percent from the previous year.
Thirteen children were killed in school bus loading and unloading accidents in the 2009-10 school year.
Thirteen children in the U.S. were killed in school bus loading and unloading accidents in the 2009-10 school year, according to the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) national report.
The latest total is a decrease of nearly a fourth (23.5 percent) from that of the previous school year, 2008-09, in which there were 17 danger zone fatalities. That followed the lowest total on record: five fatalities in 2007-08.
The loading/unloading report is compiled annually by KSDE’s School Bus Safety Education Unit. It is a collection of fatality accident records provided by the state agencies responsible for school transportation safety and/or accident records. Onboard fatalities are not included.
The newly released 2009-10 edition of the report shows that eight of the children killed were struck by their own school bus, while the other five were struck by a vehicle passing their bus.
Of the children hit by their bus, six were killed at the front, and two were killed at the back (one of them was first struck by the front bumper and then run over and killed by the rear wheels). Seven of the buses in those incidents were Type Cs; the other was a Type D.
Five of the 13 total fatalities in 2009-10 occurred in Georgia.
The loading/unloading statistics have been collected since the 1970-71 school year. During that year, there were 75 danger zone fatalities, which is the highest total on record.
The report is described as an effort to alert individuals and organizations of the dangers involved in loading and unloading schoolchildren.
“Fatalities continue to occur at the bus stop, caused by a variety of circumstances and errors on the part of the school bus driver or passing motorist,” the report says. “It points out the continuing need for forceful, advanced instruction to school bus drivers and students, as well as the need to increase our efforts to thoroughly inform the driving public about the requirements of the school bus stop law.”
To view the full 2009-10 report, click here. An archive of the reports from past years is available here.
Driverless cars may feel the future, but student transportation requires more than navigation. Here’s why it demands human judgment, empathy, and oversight.
Read More →
An 11-year-old in Brooklyn was killed crossing the street. Meanwhile, the school bus driver faces misdemeanor charges after he left the scene.
Read More →
The 2026 Disaster Response Guide is officially underway, and we’re now opening a Call for Insights and Experts.
Read More →
Ongoing driver shortages nationwide are forcing tough transportation decisions. See how districts are using supplemental transportation to maintain coverage for high-needs students.
Read More →
A Rockland County child was struck by their school bus late last week. Here's what we know so far about this and other fatalities and injuries in the area over the years.
Read More →
As Maine becomes one of the first states to require anti-pinch door sensors on new school buses, manufacturers like Mayser offer a look at how the technology works and why it's a critical fail-safe.
Read More →
What if your fleet technology actually worked together? Learn eight practical strategies to integrate multiple systems into one platform, unlocking clearer insights, stronger safety standards, and smoother daily operations.
Read More →
A recent Verra Mobility survey reports that 82% of parents support safety cameras to penalize stop-arm violators and 70% favor automated enforcement in school zones.
Read More →
$10 million in state grants will fund safety upgrades and new features on school buses serving students across the Buckeye State.
Read More →
After complications in multiple cities when self-driving taxis failed to stop for school buses, the NTSB joins NHTSA in a probe to determine what's behind the tech and related safety concerns.
Read More →
