Report: Indiana School Bus Driver Speeding Before Crash With Garbage Truck

The bus driver was driving too fast and experienced a glare from the sun before the collision, according to the crash report. Twenty-one people were injured.

Staff Writer・Editorial

Read Staff's Posts

March 22, 2019

Report: Indiana School Bus Driver Speeding Before Crash With Garbage Truck — The driver was driving too fast and experienced a glare from the sun before the bus collided with the garbage truck, according to the crash report. Photo courtesy Indiana State Police

2 min to read

The driver was driving too fast and experienced a glare from the sun before the bus collided with the garbage truck, according to the crash report. Photo courtesy Indiana State Police

DEARBORN COUNTY, Ind. — The crash report released by police on the March 6 crash between a school bus and garbage truck that injured 21 people finds that the bus driver was speeding and experienced a glare from the sun, WLWT reports.

As previously reported, 21 people, including 19 students, were injured after a school bus collided with a Rumpke garbage truck that was stopped on State Road 350.

Investigators said the bus driver told them he couldn’t see the garbage truck because of the sun and that when he tried to go around it, another vehicle was in the oncoming lane, according to WLWT. A motorist driving behind the bus said in the report that he was going about 50 mph before the crash, the news source reports.

Police said in the report that the bus should have been traveling slower because “speed shall be restricted as necessary to avoid colliding,” according to WLWT. The report also shows that as the bus approached the garbage truck, the road curved, and as the bus hit the truck, it pushed the truck forward 40 feet, the news source reports. The report said troopers retrieved cellphone information from both drivers and found no activity at the time of the crash, and that the garbage truck recorded video of two different viewpoints before and after the impact, according to WLWT.

Topics:Indiana school bus crash Safety

More Safety

A close up detail of the back of a school bus with text reading "Insight From 10 Years of NHTSA Data."

Safety•by Elora Haynes•July 22, 2026

NHTSA Releases 10-Year Review of Fatal School Bus Crashes

The latest federal analysis reinforces the safety of school buses while identifying where school-age pedestrians and other motorists remain most at risk.

Safety•by Amanda Huggett•July 21, 2026

2026 NASDPTS Survey: Data Shows Further Reduction of Illegal Passing

New data is in! School bus stop-arm passings are down to 38.4 million violations per year, about a 2.3% decrease from last school year — but passings on the right side of the bus are higher than ever.

Safety•by Staff and News Reports•July 9, 2026

Another School Bus Fatality Reported in Monsey, New York

A 7-year-old girl died after being struck by a school bus in Rockland County, New York while crossing the street. Here's what we know.

School buses at NSTA's SBDISC Roadeo with text reading "School Bus Drivers Put Their Skills to the Test."

Safety•by Staff and News Reports•June 30, 2026

NSTA Announces 2026 School Bus Driver International Safety Competition Winners

Drivers from across the U.S. and Canada showcased their safety and driving skills, with two defending champions successfully retaining their titles.

The Driver Shortage Playbook

Driver shortages are still a major challenge for student transportation fleets, but the real issue has shifted. It’s no longer just about filling seats quickly. It’s about finding safe, reliable drivers who meet performance expectations and want to stay. The Driver Shortage Playbook covers why traditional recruitment tactics are falling short and how school fleets are adapting with smarter hiring, stronger retention strategies and a greater focus on driver quality.