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.
After being suspended over due process concerns, Miami-Dade schools and law enforcement are restarting the AI-powered stop-arm camera program with new oversight.
Read More →
From national bills on seat belts and driver oversight to driver awareness campaigns referencing “Finn’s Rule” and ongoing transportation funding debates in Alaska, here’s the latest in school bus legislation across the U.S.
Read More →
A Williamsburg community is mourning after a child was fatally struck by a private yeshiva bus, prompting calls for urgent safety improvements at the high-traffic crossing.
Read More →
The new data shows 99.99% incident-free trips and strong on-time performance, reinforcing how dependable transportation, especially for vulnerable student populations, can help districts combat chronic absenteeism.
Read More →
Driver shortages, safety expectations, and staffing limits define student transportation in 2026. New survey data shows how fleet leaders are responding.
Read More →
The federal agency's report asks NHTSA to require all new school buses to be equipped with vehicle-integrated alcohol detection systems and passenger lap-shoulder belts.
Read More →
Student transportation teams are being asked to do more with less, facing driver shortages, rising costs, and increasing safety expectations. This report uncovers how fleets are adapting, where technology is making the biggest impact, and why student ridership tracking is emerging as a top priority. Download the report to explore the key trends shaping 2026 and what they mean for your operation.
Read More →
A Carroll County accident claimed the lives of two students and injured over a dozen others on a March 27 field trip for eighth graders at Clarksville-Montgomery County. A preliminary report adds new information to the story.
Read More →
From driver shortage solutions in Tennessee and rural connectivity debates in Utah to new safety laws in Wisconsin and ongoing electric bus mandate discussions in New York and Connecticut, here’s the latest in school bus legislation across the U.S.
Read More →
Waymo’s self-driving vehicles are under fire again after repeated school bus passing violations, raising questions about safety, remote operators, and regulation.
Read More →
