MENU
SEARCHFour students were killed in school bus danger zone incidents in the 2014-15 school year, according to newly released data.
In the 2014-15 school year, three students were killed by vehicles passing their school bus. One student was fatally struck by his own bus.
Four students were killed in school bus danger zone incidents in the U.S. during the 2014-15 school year, according to newly released data.
That total is the lowest in the 45 years on record. The national loading and unloading fatality statistics are collected annually by the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDOE’s) School Bus Safety Unit.
Previously, the lowest total on record was five fatalities, in the 2007-08 school year. Over the past 10 years, there has been an annual average of about 10 student deaths in the school bus danger zone.
In the 2014-15 school year, three students were killed by vehicles passing their school bus. One student was fatally struck by his own bus.
Here are details on those four danger zone incidents from the KSDOE report:
• In Pennsylvania, a 16-year-old female was crossing the roadway to load onto her bus. The bus had the stop arm and eight-way lights activated. An oncoming vehicle did not stop. The vehicle struck and killed the student.
• In Kentucky, a 10-year-old male had unloaded from his bus and proceeded to walk down the embankment beside the roadway. The student then walked back onto the road and was struck by the right rear dual wheels of the bus as it pulled forward.
• In New Mexico, a 7-year-old male had unloaded from his bus. The bus stop is off the traveled portion of the roadway, and the bus did not have its stop arm and eight-way lights activated. The student ran across the roadway in front of the bus and was struck by a passing vehicle.
• In Arkansas, a 12-year-old female had unloaded from her bus and was crossing the roadway. The bus had the stop arm and eight-way lights activated. An oncoming vehicle did not stop. The vehicle struck and killed the student.
The KSDOE school bus loading/unloading report is a collection of fatality accident records provided by the state agencies responsible for school transportation safety and/or accident records. On-board fatalities are not included.
To view the full report for 2014-15 and previous school years, go to the KSDOE website.
Driverless cars may feel the future, but student transportation requires more than navigation. Here’s why it demands human judgment, empathy, and oversight.
Read More →
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 →
The 2026 Disaster Response Guide is officially underway, and we’re now opening a Call for Insights and Experts.
Read More →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
$10 million in state grants will fund safety upgrades and new features on school buses serving students across the Buckeye State.
Read More →
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 →
