School bus lot lighting, illegal passing, and loading/unloading safety are in the spotlight after a string of school bus-related accident and fatalities at the start of the new school year. Here’s what we know.

Florida School Bus Driver Killed in Transportation Lot

Last week, on Sept. 9, a school bus driver in Broward County, Florida, was hit and killed by another school bus at the district's Pompano Beach transportation lot.

Reports say that Alfred Desmandes was walking toward the building when he was hit. The driver reportedly told police he didn’t see him. It appears the lights were off in the lot at the time. Neither excessive speed nor impairment are considered contributing factors.

Desmandes’ son told local news that his father had been a driver for 30 years.

Charges have not yet been filed, and the investigation remains open.

6-Year-Old Student Killed in Illinois School Bus Accident

The day before, on Sept. 8, 2026, a 6-year-old girl died after being hit by a Lincoln-Way Transportation school bus in Frankfort, Illinois.

The student was identified as Jenna Menias, who attended Grand Prairie Elementary School. She was hit just before 3:30 p.m. in the 500 block of Aberdeen Road, according to local police, and died in the hospital from injuries sustained in the accident.

A fundraiser has been set up to help the student’s family with funeral expenses.

No other injuries were reported. According to local news, police have not said what led to the collision, and no charges have been announced.

The investigation is ongoing.

12-Year-Old Struck by Car After Exiting Florida School Bus

That same day, a 12-year-old boy in Escambia County, Florida, was struck by a passing vehicle after getting off his school bus.

According to Florida Highway Patrol and local news reports, the bus was stopped while unloading students at the intersection of Muldoon Road. The boy exited the school bus on La Ventana Drive and walked west toward Muldoon Road, when he walked in front of a sedan driven by a 25-year-old Pensacola woman.

He was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Georgia Student Recovering After Being Struck Heading to Bus Stop

Last month, on Aug. 21, a 7-year-old named Aiden (last name not reported) was hit by a truck while trying to get to his school bus in Rome, Georgia.

According to CBS News, a white Ford F-150 was traveling north when the child entered the road while running to his bus stop. Police added that he was not boarding a bus or crossing near a stopped school bus.

He reportedly suffered a traumatic brain injury and was placed in a medically induced coma. His mother has since updated local news that he is now in physical, occupational, and speech therapy, and “is making progress every single day.”