GIRARD, Kan. — Why did the turkey cross the road? Probably because it didn’t see the school bus coming.
That was the unfortunate setup for an incident in southeastern Kansas on Thursday.
School Bus Collides With Turkey
A bus carrying 13 students is traveling along a highway when a large turkey flies across the roadway from a ditch, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.
March 17, 2017
A school bus carrying 13 students was traveling along a highway when it hit a large turkey that flew across the roadway. Stock photo by Grendelkhan via Wikimedia Commons
1 min to read
According to a crash report from the Kansas Highway Patrol, a school bus was traveling westbound on a highway at about 1:30 p.m. when it struck a large turkey that flew across the roadway from the north ditch.
The bus was described as a 2000 Freightliner operated by Unified School District 250.
There were 13 students ranging in age from 15 to 17 on the bus at the time, according to the crash report. One of the students, a 15-year-old girl, was listed as having a possible injury. The other students were not injured.
School bus driver Edward Eichenberger, 49, was treated at the scene for a possible injury. He was not transported to a hospital.
Another adult on the bus, Shea McLaughlin, 36, was not injured.
The Kansas Highway Patrol report noted that Eichenberger was wearing a safety restraint, but the school bus was not equipped with seat belts for passengers.
The crash report did not indicate the outcome for the turkey.
More Safety
New York Girl Killed by School Bus Hit & Run
An 11-year-old in Brooklyn was killed crossing the street. Meanwhile, the school bus driver faces misdemeanor charges after he left the scene.
Read More →
Disaster Readiness Starts Before the Storm [Call for Experts]
The 2026 Disaster Response Guide is officially underway, and we’re now opening a Call for Insights and Experts.
Read More →
Sponsored•February 9, 2026
How Supplemental Transportation Helps Close Driver Gaps
Ongoing driver shortages nationwide are forcing tough transportation decisions. See how districts are using supplemental transportation to maintain coverage for high-needs students.
Read More →
New York 5-Year-Old Killed by School Bus, Investigation Ongoing
A Rockland County child was struck by their school bus late last week. Here's what we know so far about this and other fatalities and injuries in the area over the years.
Read More →
Prevent School Bus Dragging Incidents: Anti-Pinch Door Sensors and Maine’s New Mandate
As Maine becomes one of the first states to require anti-pinch door sensors on new school buses, manufacturers like Mayser offer a look at how the technology works and why it's a critical fail-safe.
Read More →
Sponsored•January 29, 2026
8 Ways To Simplify and Streamline School Bus Fleet Operations
What if your fleet technology actually worked together? Learn eight practical strategies to integrate multiple systems into one platform, unlocking clearer insights, stronger safety standards, and smoother daily operations.
Read More →
Survey: Most Parents Want Automated Enforcement on School Buses
A recent Verra Mobility survey reports that 82% of parents support safety cameras to penalize stop-arm violators and 70% favor automated enforcement in school zones.
Read More →
State Grant Program Advances School Bus Safety Upgrades Across Ohio
$10 million in state grants will fund safety upgrades and new features on school buses serving students across the Buckeye State.
Read More →
Waymo Scrutiny Intensifies as NTSB Launches Investigation
After complications in multiple cities when self-driving taxis failed to stop for school buses, the NTSB joins NHTSA in a probe to determine what's behind the tech and related safety concerns.
Read More →
Transportant Debuts First Full-Color Stop Arm Camera for School Buses
Transportant introduced a next-generation stop arm camera designed to improve image quality and reliability for documenting illegal school bus passings.
Read More →