Safety First: Iowa to Require Seat Belts on All New School Buses
Parents Claim Driver in Fatal Iowa School Bus Fire Was Unfit
Glen and Natalie Klindt say in a newspaper interview that Donald Hendricks was physically unfit to drive the bus that caught fire on Dec. 12, killing him and their daughter, Megan Klindt.
The parents of a student who died in a school bus fire in December are claiming that the driver of the bus was unfit for the job, the Des Moines Register reports.
Glen and Natalie Klindt said in an interview with the newspaper on Monday that Donald Hendricks, 74, was physically unfit to drive a school bus. Hendricks and the Klindts' daughter, Megan, died in the Dec. 12 fire. Although Hendricks had reportedly passed a bus driver physical, the Klindts contend that he couldn't walk without a walker and wasn't able to unbuckle his seat belt during the fire, the Des Moines Register reports.
Riverside Community School District Superintendent Timothy Mitchell did not immediately respond to the Des Moines Register's request for an interview Monday. On March 2, the school district reportedly declined a request from the newspaper for records of complaints against Hendricks, stating that those records are exempt from Iowa's public records law.
More Safety

HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud Warns Motorists of Stopped School Buses
Through a transponder or Samsara connection, the product lets school bus fleets send advance warnings to approaching drivers through in-vehicle alerts.
Read More →
HopSkipDrive Reports Progress on Safety Advisory Council
More than a year after forming the council, independent safety experts have helped shape new rider-safety features and policy progress, with a new goal to address rider behavior.
Read More →
What the 2026 National School Bus Safety Month Resolution Means for Student Transportation
The bipartisan resolution highlights illegal school bus passing, student safety during loading and unloading, and the need for driver training and public education.
Read More →
School Bus Stop-Arm Violations Decline 53% Across Verra Mobility Programs
Verra Mobility shares how school bus stop-arm cameras and school zone safety programs are changing driver behavior, reducing violations, and protecting students.
Read More →
Most Bus Crashes Aren’t Your Fault. Here’s How to Prove It.
A guide for what to do in between a school bus crash and a claim: what to preserve, who to notify, and how to keep the facts available when they matter.
Read More →
National School Bus Safety Week 2026: Tips, Toolkits & Resources to Keep Students Safe
School bus safety takes more than awareness. Explore expert tips, enforcement strategies, and free resources to help protect students on every ride.
Read More →
2 Killed, Dozens Injured in Florida School Bus Crash
A multi-vehicle collision caused a Polk County school bus carrying 37 students to overturn on its way to Winter Haven High School.
Read More →
Illegal School Bus Passing Drops 24% in New York Districts
With fewer than 5% of citations involving repeat offenders, Westchester County officials said enforcement, education, and community partnerships are helping change driver behavior.
Read More →
School's Back. Here's What Happened to Traffic, Speeding & Distraction
What happens to traffic when school resumes? New data analysis examines changes in distracted driving, congestion, and speeding around schools.
Read More →
Geotab Expands Fleet Safety Tools With Video Coaching, Risk Insights
New safety and video capabilities aim to help fleet managers assess risk, support drivers, and take targeted action through video coaching, red-light violation detection, and more.
Read More →
