Teen seriously injured after jumping from bus, later dies
Jessie Herr is hospitalized in life-threatening condition after he opens the rear emergency exit door of the moving bus and jumps out. He passes away on Monday after being taken off of life support.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A high school student was hospitalized last week in life-threatening condition after he apparently jumped from the back of his moving school bus, The Florida Times-Union reports.
A preliminary investigation found that the student walked to the back of the bus, opened the rear emergency door and jumped out shortly before 6:30 a.m. on Friday. The bus was headed for alternative schools in Jacksonville that are attended by students who have primarily been suspended from their neighborhood schools.
To read the full story, click here.
UPDATE: On Monday,police identified the student as 16-year-old Jessie Herr,The Florida Times-Union Reports. The accident report indicates that after jumping out of the bus' rear emergency exit door, Herr tumbled onto the roadway and struck the back of his head. He was unresponsive and bleeding heavily before being flown to a hospital.
Herr was brain dead following the accident, and was pronounced dead on Monday morning after being taken off of life support. Anne-Marie Herr, the teen's mother, told the newspaper that she's unsure why her son jumped from the bus, although she said he had told her about previously being picked on while on the bus.
More Safety

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 →
Walton County Schools Adds Gatekeeper Stop-Arm Enforcement System
The Florida district will deploy Gatekeeper’s updated Student Protector technology, which now incorporates AI to improve video evidence.
Read More →
How To Build a More Secure School Bus Yard During and After Hours
As thefts and overnight security threats continue, school transportation leaders are combining stronger operational practices with AI-enabled surveillance to better protect buses, facilities, and staff.
Read More →
FMCSA Names New Chief Safety Officer: What School Bus Operators Should Know
Steve Dowling is set to lead the federal agency's efforts to advance commercial motor vehicle safety and reduce crashes, fatalities, and injuries on the nation's roadways.
Read More →
New Study Finds School Zone Speed Safety Cameras Cut Speeding Violations 97%
A Florida university's research demonstrates that Verra Mobility's automated enforcement changes driver behavior and significantly improves school zone safety.
Read More →
What Changed in DOT’s New National Roadway Safety Strategy?
The federal agency's new plan shifts its focus to safer people, roads and vehicles, with a new three-pronged approach instead of five. One outlined action even addresses a key industry concern around illegal school bus passing.
Read More →

