SBF 70 years logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

January 2024: SBF Accident Report Roundup

A roundup of crashes involving school buses, including: woman facing charges after hitting student unloading school bus, student injured when school bus and car collide, and school bus with students onboard hits home.

Christy Grimes
Christy GrimesFormer Senior Editor
January 8, 2024
January 2024: SBF Accident Report Roundup

SBF's accident report roundup includes details on some of the latest crashes involving school buses.

Photo: Canva/School Bus Fleet

3 min to read


As students return to the classroom to kick off the second half of the 2023-24 school year, several accidents involving school buses have made headlines, including:

  • Massachusetts woman faces drunk driving charge after striking student getting off school bus.

  • Wisconsin student injured when school bus, car collide.

  • School bus with students onboard hits North Carolina home.

Ad Loading...

Massachusetts Woman Faces Drunk Driving Charge After Striking Student Getting Off School Bus

A woman is facing charges after authorities said she hit a student unloading a school bus in Haverhill (Mass.) at an intersection on Jan. 4. The 9-year-old child was critically injured in the crash and was airlifted to an area hospital.

A judge ordered Tiffany Zembower be held on $25,000 bail at her arraignment in Haverhill District Court the following day, according to NBC 10 Boston. A not guilty plea was entered on her behalf. Footage from inside the school bus showed the bus driver honking the horn to warn the pickup truck.

Prosecutors said witnesses believed Zembower was traveling at about 40-50 mph and did not slow for the stopped bus.

The bus had its mechanical stop sign deployed and its red warning lights on, according to the police report. Witnesses described the child being thrown at least six feet in the air.

In a letter to families and staff, Haverhill Public Schools said the student attends Pentucket Lake Elementary School.

Ad Loading...

Family members of the victim, who identified him as Yonis Rodriguez, said he has severe trauma to his head, internal bleeding, and several broken bones.

According to WCVB, Zembower is charged with operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, operating under the influence of liquor with negligent operation and serious injury, failure to stop for a school bus, and possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, second offense.

Prosecutors said Zembower's license was suspended and that she had more than a dozen tickets for speeding and failure to stop or yield. Police said she was convicted of an operating under the influence charge in New Hampshire in August 2022.

Among the conditions of Zembower's release are that she not drive and not drink; she will wear an alcohol monitoring device.

Wisconsin Student Injured When School Bus, Car Collide

Milwaukee (Wis.) Police are investigating a crash that injured a student during the morning route on Jan. 8. Authorities said that the bus was making a left turn when it was struck by a vehicle that was traveling at a high rate of speed.

Ad Loading...

According to Milwaukee Fox6 News, the child was transported to a hospital with non-fatal injuries.

The driver of the car, a 31-year-old, was extricated from the vehicle and taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The crash investigation is ongoing.

School Bus with Students Onboard Hits North Carolina Home

A school bus carrying eight students ran into an Alamance County (N.C.) home after its driver had a medical episode behind the wheel. The crash happened on Jan. 5 during the morning route.

The Alamance-Burlington School System reported to WGHP that when the driver had a medical episode, the bus ran off the road, side-swiped the front porch of a home, and came to a rest in the front yard.

Ad Loading...

The school district said that the bus was an exceptional children's bus and that in addition to the students, an assistant and driver were onboard. Both the assistant and driver were taken to the hospital.

None of the students were injured and they were taken to school or picked up by family members at the scene.

More Safety

Promotional graphic for a new Pro-Vision AI camera system. The image shows a monitor displaying camera views with AI object detection overlays, along with multiple cameras and recording hardware. Text reads "New Product," "Pro-Vision," and "Visibly Better." School Bus Fleet logo appears in the lower-right corner.
SafetyJune 11, 2026

Pro-Vision Launches AI-Powered 360° Camera System

The new Birdseye camera delivers real-time AI-based pedestrian and vehicle detections, full visibility around the bus, and telematics integrations.

Read More →
A New York school bus in the street.
Safetyby Elora HaynesJune 9, 2026

N.Y. & N.J. Coalitions Call for Modernized Transportation for Vulnerable Students

New statewide coalitions in New York and New Jersey are urging lawmakers to expand student transportation options for vulnerable students amid ongoing driver shortages.

Read More →
Graphic for an opinion article on illegal school bus passing. A school bus with its stop arm extended is stopped as children cross the street, while a black SUV drives past. Headline reads, “America’s School Bus Blind Spot.” School Bus Fleet branding appears in the corner.
SafetyJune 8, 2026

America Has a School Bus Passing Problem — and Distraction Is Making It Worse

Illegal school bus passing remains a major safety threat as distracted driving rises. This op-ed explores why awareness, enforcement, and stop-arm cameras matter more than ever.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A black, white, and red graphic with an image of a school bus on a New York street and text reading "Legislative Roundup May 2026."
Safetyby Elora HaynesMay 29, 2026

School Bus Laws to Watch: New York Delays EV Mandate

Plus, federal lawmakers seek new funding for school bus safety as states weigh stop-arm enforcement, disability protections, and education spending.

Read More →
hopskipdrive whitepaper
SponsoredMay 26, 2026

The Essential Handbook for Safe Alternative Student Transportation

Your district's "exception riders" — students with IEPs, those experiencing homelessness, foster care youth — deserve more than a middleman solution. This handbook breaks down exactly what to look for in a supplemental transportation partner: from driver vetting and regulatory compliance to proactive safety technology. Because getting a ride isn't the same as getting a safe one.

Read More →
Emergency response personnel assist participants evacuating through the rear emergency door of a yellow school bus during a hands-on safety training exercise at Prosper ISD. Smoke fills the bus interior as responders demonstrate emergency evacuation procedures.
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseMay 21, 2026

Operation STEER Brings Emergency Response Training to North Texas

Prosper ISD hosted the third annual training for transportation professionals across 67 districts to learn how to respond to emergencies, such as rollovers and evacuations, and proper use of safety equipment.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
BusPatrol cameras on the side of a school bus.
Safetyby Staff and News ReportsMay 6, 2026

Florida District Relaunches BusPatrol School Bus Camera Program With New Safeguards

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 →
A group of people in business attire pose for a photo in front of a school bus, with text reading "Legislative Roundup: May 2026."
Safetyby Elora HaynesMay 6, 2026

School Bus Laws To Watch: Seat Belt Bills, Funding Fights & EV Changes

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 →
Graphic with part of a school bus and text reading "Fatal Accident in Brooklyn."
Safetyby StaffMay 5, 2026

9-Year-Old Boy Killed by School Bus at Busy Brooklyn Intersection

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 →
Ad Loading...
A blue and white graphic with text reading "2026 Safety & Operations Report" with an image of the cover of the report.
Safetyby StaffMay 4, 2026

Does Reliable School Transportation Boost Attendance? EverDriven’s Data Says Yes

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 →