Student Struck by Car While Trying to Board School Bus
A 9-year-old girl in Florida was struck by an SUV and suffered minor injuries when the motorist switched into the same lane as the school bus to avoid a stopped vehicle in the other lane, tried to stop, and lost control of her car.
HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — A 9-year-old student suffered minor injuries after she was struck by an SUV while she was trying to board her school bus last week, WFLA reports.
Investigators told the news source that on March 2 at 7:56 a.m., Laura Ann Demers was driving an SUV westbound on the roadway in the outside lane. She moved to the inside lane to avoid a vehicle that had just turned onto the road, and once she was in the inside lane, she saw a stopped vehicle in that lane, and moved back into the outside lane.
Meanwhile, a Hernando County School District bus was in the outside lane, loading students to take them to school. Demers tried to stop and lost control of her vehicle, which traveled onto the north shoulder of the road, hit the girl, and then stopped in a ditch, according to WFLA.
The girl suffered minor injuries and was airlifted to the hospital. Demers was ticketed for careless driving, the news source reports.
To read the full story, go here.
More Safety

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 →
Geotab Expands Fleet Safety Tools With Video Coaching, Risk Insights
New safety and video capabilities aim to help fleet managers assess risk, support drivers, and take targeted action through video coaching, red-light violation detection, and more.
Read More →
How to Build a Better School Bus Driver Training Program
Is it time to strengthen your driver training? Here’s how to pick the right talent and improve recruitment, retention, and safety. This video is brought to you by IC Bus.
Read More →
Recent School Bus Accidents Leave 2 Dead, 2 Injured
Four school bus crashes in Florida, Illinois, and Georgia highlight risks in transportation lots, at bus stops, and during student loading and unloading.
Read More →
When Every Second Matters, Clarity Keeps Routes Moving
From routine delays to urgent incidents, strong communication practices help drivers, dispatchers, schools, and families respond with confidence.
Read More →
What Happens When a School Bus Catches Fire — and What Can Help
School bus fires are rare but can be devastating. Learn how advances in fire suppression and asset protection help fleets detect fires earlier, reduce damage, and improve safety.
Read More →
Geotab Launches Tool to Help Fleets Investigate Road Incidents
Geotab Investigations combines telematics data, video, documents, and other evidence to help fleets reconstruct incidents, resolve claims, and determine what happened.
Read More →
Texas Sixth Grader Wins 2026 National School Bus Safety Poster Contest
Sai Darshana Yekolu of Moseley Middle School in Prosper, Texas, was named the newest winner for her artwork, bringing the theme of “Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes” to life.
Read More →
Doing More With Less: How Transportation Directors Can Prioritize Safety Amid Budget Uncertainty
With diesel prices soaring and nearly one-third of transportation directors expecting budget cuts, maintaining student safety has never been more challenging. Download this guide to learn how leading districts are prioritizing risk, funding critical safety technology, and building stronger budget cases with data.
Read More →

