Thirty-nine students were taken to area hospitals after a pickup truck disobeyed a stop sign and struck a school bus in Marseilles, Illinois. The bus accident happened just after 8 a.m. Monday morning, approximately two miles from Milton Pope School where the children attend. The accident is currently under investigation by La Salle County officials.
A Dodge Dakota pickup driven by a 44-year-old Seneca resident was going south when it entered an intersection and struck the eastbound bus. The bus, driven by a 70-year-old Marseilles woman, was carrying approximately 60 students to school. Of the 39 students taken to area hospitals, 22 had been released as of 3:30 p.m. The school closed for the day and a crisis team was expected to be on hand today.
Earlier today, we posted a blog about safe drive practices and the laws concerning school buses on Illinois roads. The accident is an unfortunate reminder of what happens when buses are involved in collisions with other vehicles. Fortunately, the drivers and all the children involved are expected to survive this encounter. Early reports from accident reconstruction experts state that the bus rolled 1 ¼ times after being struck, coming to rest on its side.
Source: Morris Daily Herald, “Bus accident sends dozens to hospitals,” by Jessica Cohea, 11 September 2012
