According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Mondon Hill Road in Brooksville was closed down the morning of Tuesday, September 27, after a school bus accident resulted in injuries to another driver.
Reporters at the accident site said that a two-door Saturn was stuck underneath the back end of the bus. It took some time to clean up the accident site — the road was not reopened for a few hours afterward. The driver of the Saturn coupe was reportedly in critical condition at a nearby hospital.
The school bus had just picked up its first student when the accident occurred, so only the bus driver and that student were on board. Neither of them were injured in the crash. The driver of the Saturn was reportedly attempting to pass the school bus, but ran into the rear of the bus instead. Further information was yet to be released pending the results of an investigation.
Drivers must be careful when near buses
All motorists are expected to be attentive while behind the wheel of a vehicle, but there are additional issues at play when school buses are present. Buses have limited visibility, which means they have larger blind spots that drivers can be caught in if they are not careful. Additionally, buses make frequent stops. It is illegal to make right turns in front of buses that have come to a stop and, depending on the layout of the road, it may also be illegal to pass a stopped bus.
The circumstances surrounding this particular crash are not yet public, but it is a reminder to all drivers that they must exercise caution at all times — particularly when driving near city and school buses.
For more information on how you should proceed after a bus or car accident in Florida, meet with a skilled Bradenton personal injury attorney at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh.