Calgary children in hospital after school bus crash

[urban.one]

You can see the minivan on the right side of the yard.

Calgary children in hospital after school bus crash
Last Updated: Thursday, November 12, 2009 | 10:05 AM MT

A school bus crash on Thursday morning sent more than 30 students to hospital with minor injuries. (Erin Collins/CBC)Dozens of Calgary children are in hospital with minor injuries following a collision between a school bus and a mini-van.

The crash happened at about 8 a.m. Thursday at 7904 9th Street N.W. The collision sent the school bus into the side of a home, while the minivan landed upside down in the yard.

More than 30 children were taken to hospital with very minor injuries. The driver of the bus and the minivan also had minor injuries.

Police are investigating.

[n1zm0]

man, is there any explanation why city and schoolbuses dont have seat belts (convenience or for quick escapes?), how many times have you seen that video in the school bus where the thing runs over a hump or w/e and the kids in the back smash the roof.

[ChappedLips]

Those buses seem like they are from the 60's. It's like a huge metal tube with wheels, when I was a kid I thought that if we ever got in a crash we would all die. No seat belts, no head rests, solid piece of steel. I think I could design a safer school bus. Oh and if you survive the crash you have to climb over all your school mates in order to get out from the burning wreckage because everyone is piled in a corner of the bus lol

[Kritafo]

Can't wait to hear the details to hear what made a school bus ram into a house.

Hope everyone of those kids are safe!

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by n1zm0
man, is there any explanation why city and schoolbuses dont have seat belts (convenience or for quick escapes?), how many times have you seen that video in the school bus where the thing runs over a hump or w/e and the kids in the back smash the roof.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration argues that seat belts aren't the most effective way to protect passengers on school buses. Instead the big yellow beasts employ something called "compartmentalization."

Think back to your days on the good ol' school bus. Remember how those rigid green seats were wedged closer together than on even the cheapest no-frills airline? That's compartmentalization in action. Sitting in "strong, closely-spaced seats that have energy-absorbing high seat backs," passengers are effectively protected from crashes. Of course, the method can't prevent all injuries, but the NHTSA argues it's the best possible solution. Several studies have shown seat belts would provide "little, if any, added protection."

School districts are permitted to add seat belts to buses, but they also must make sure the seat belts are used properly. And as anyone who's ever ridden on a bus full of elementary school children knows, that's no easy task.

[ICEBERG]

And this is why i drive my kids to school and pick them up.

[Kritafo]

I know a few drivers of the little buses..
lots of those little buses have seat belts installed and lots of the drivers make the children use them. No belt no driving. It's a lot easier to enforce on the little buses that is for sure.

The big buses...nightmare. I wouldn't even want to be a driver. How could they stand having that many kids yelling and screaming not sitting down. Talk about distracted driving. You have to block them all out. Let alone trying to get 70 kids into seat belts.

[Disoblige]

Originally posted by Kritafo

The big buses...nightmare. I wouldn't even want to be a driver. How could they stand having that many kids yelling and screaming not sitting down. Talk about distracted driving. You have to block them all out. Let alone trying to get 70 kids into seat belts.

If I was a bus driver, I'd kick them off the bus and let the parents drive them home since they're not cooperating on the bus. I wouldn't try physically to get them into belts haha; I'd probably get sued from the parents from 'excessive' force.

[Thaco]

Originally posted by n1zm0
man, is there any explanation why city and schoolbuses dont have seat belts (convenience or for quick escapes?), how many times have you seen that video in the school bus where the thing runs over a hump or w/e and the kids in the back smash the roof.

how do you expect a bus driver to unbelt 50 kids if the bus flips or catches fire or whatever? and if the driver is unconscious, the kids are all fucked, 4-5-6 yar olds have a hard enough time getting a belt off, try it when all their weight is working against them, then if they do get it undone, they land on their head...

[cherpintow]

Originally posted by ICEBERG
And this is why i drive my kids to school and pick them up.

I'm pretty sure taking a school bus is much safer statistically than going in a regular vehicle to school. Accidents, although rare, are highly publicized so we are more likely to hear about it.

[Masked Bandit]

Originally posted by cherpintow


I'm pretty sure taking a school bus is much safer statistically than going in a regular vehicle to school. Accidents, although rare, are highly publicized so we are more likely to hear about it.

Exactly. The last bus accident I can think of was on Crowchild Trail where the bus hit that parked commercial vehicle (maybe a grader???). How many kids have gone to school safely in the meantime? How many accidents do you think parents have had on their way to school during the same time frame?

[UndrgroundRider]

Originally posted by n1zm0
man, is there any explanation why city and schoolbuses dont have seat belts (convenience or for quick escapes?), how many times have you seen that video in the school bus where the thing runs over a hump or w/e and the kids in the back smash the roof.

Two reasons. A bus has a lot of mass (and momentum). Only very serious accidents cause rapid deceleration. This accident is a prime example, that's a pretty serious collision, but all the passengers are fine with only minor injuries. Busses have a proven track record in this regard.

Second, the seats are too close together. A lap belt would cause a passenger's upper body to pivot forward, resulting in the head hitting the seat infront of them and potentially causing a broken neck.

[urban.one]

Charges laid in recent bus crash
Kelly Turner, Laura Knop and Aaron Burnett | Thursday, November 19th, 2009 11:22 am

Two Calgarians have been charged in connection with a crash between a school bus and a minivan that sent 36 children to hospital with minor injuries.

Last Thursday at about 8:15 a.m., the bus collided with a minivan near 9th Street and 78th Avenue N.W.

The impact sent the van onto the driveway of a home where it came to rest on its roof.

The bus went off the road and struck a tree on the same front lawn.

The students on the bus were rescued through the back exit door with assistance from fire, EMS and police.

The driver of the school bus, 38-year-old Krista Donovan is charged with driving carelessly, driving left of the centre line and operating a commercial vehicle that did not meet inspection requirements.

The driver of the mini van, 33-year-old Katherine Gamble is charged with being a learner driver without having proper supervision by a qualified person.

[Disoblige]

Yeah just watched this on Global just now.. Driver fault, not mechanical error.

[Xtrema]

The driver of the school bus, 38-year-old Krista Donovan is charged with driving carelessly, driving left of the centre line and operating a commercial vehicle that did not meet inspection requirements.

The driver of the mini van, 33-year-old Katherine Gamble is charged with being a learner driver without having proper supervision by a qualified person.

But the bus isn't fit for service?