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.

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

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, WLWTreports.
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.
More Safety

From Reactive to Proactive: Making Every Ride Visible
Smart technology only delivers its full value when it works together. See how Catalyst connects proven industry platforms to move student transportation from reactive to proactive.
Read More →
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 →

