A 4-year-old girl died on Nov. 17 after she was struck by a Panama Central School District bus in front of Milton J. Fletcher Elementary School.

Police and emergency crews were called to the intersection near the school at approximately 8:08 a.m. for reports of a child hit by a vehicle. Officers immediately administered first aid before the child was transported to UPMC Chautauqua, where she later succumbed to her injuries.

The Panama Central School District confirmed the bus was transporting one student to an out-of-district placement at the time of the incident. Neither the student nor the bus driver was injured. The student, Leanna Herrera, attended Jamestown Public Schools.

In a statement, Jamestown Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Whitaker expressed deep sorrow over the child’s death. “We are heartbroken by this devastating news, and our thoughts are with the student’s family and friends,” Whitaker said. “This is an unimaginable loss for the Fletcher community and for all of Jamestown Public Schools.”

The area around Fletcher Elementary is reportedly busy during morning drop-off hours as students walk to school or wait for buses. It remains unclear at this time exactly how the incident occurred, including whether the child was in a crosswalk or what circumstances led to the crash.

The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office Accident Reconstruction Team and New York State Police are assisting Jamestown Police in the investigation. No charges have been filed, and authorities noted that determining contributing factors will take time.

The Panama Central School District also released a message to families expressing condolences and acknowledging the ongoing investigation, calling the crash a “truly tragic accident.”

At Fletcher Elementary, the district has activated its Crisis Intervention Team to support students, staff and families affected by the tragedy. Counseling services will remain available throughout the week.

Community members have already begun placing flowers and stuffed animals near the school as a memorial grows. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has relevant information has been asked to contact the Jamestown Police Department. The investigation is ongoing.

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An 11-year-old student was injured after being struck by a school bus while crossing a roadway in Hurricane City, Utah, reported 2 KUTV.

First responders were dispatched Wednesday to a local intersection following reports of an auto–pedestrian collision, the Hurricane City Police Department said . Upon arrival, emergency crews located the injured child and immediately began medical treatment.

The student, whose name was not disclosed at this writing, was transported to St. George Regional Medical Center and is reportedly in stable condition. Police said  the child may have sustained a head injury during the incident.

Witnesses told investigators that the student, who attends Hurricane Intermediate School, was running across 700 West when they were struck by a Washington County School District bus. Officials confirmed that several students were aboard the bus at the time, but no passengers or the bus driver were injured.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and police noted no additional details are available at this time.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the injured student and family at this time,” the Hurricane City Police Department said in a statement.

More information will be released as the investigation develops.

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A 5-year-old Louisiana boy was killed after being run over in his family’s driveway by his grandmother, who police allege was drunk and under the influence of depressants at the time of the accident.

During a press conference last Tuesday following the incident, Slidell Police Department announced the arrest of 55-year-old Kristen Anders, who was charged with vehicular homicide. The St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office formally identified her grandson as Carson Lawson the following day.

Police Chief Daniel Seuzeneau said officers were called to the family’s home at around 7 a.m. Tuesday, following reports that a child had been struck by a vehicle. Carson was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to investigators, Carson was standing in the driveway waiting for his school bus when Anders left the house to drive to work. Police allege she entered her SUV, which had been backed into the driveway, and began pulling forward, unaware the boy was directly in front of the vehicle. Because of the size of the SUV, Seuzeneau said, Carson was not visible to her. The child died instantly, according to police.

A drug recognition expert evaluated Anders at the scene. Seuzeneau said the expert determined she was impaired and under the influence of alcohol and central nervous system depressants, though police did not specify the specific substances involved. She was taken into custody shortly thereafter and later booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail. Her bond was set at $50,000.

Seuzeneau spoke about the impact on first responders.

“This is any parent’s worst nightmare,” he said. “I was at the scene this morning as well as several of our officers. This affects everyone. This hits home hard for all of us and all of the first responders who were at that scene.”

The police chief added that he had spoken several times with Carson’s mother on Tuesday.

“There isn’t anything that I can say that can make her feel better or make this situation better,” he said.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is doubling down on increased seatbelt usage in school buses following the Leander Independent School District school bus crash Aug. 13.

As School Transportation News previously reported, a 2025 Blue Bird school bus was traveling south on a two-lane divided road the first day of school for the Austin, Texas-area district. The school bus was occupied by the 78-year-old driver and 46 student passengers.

Related: Texas School District Updates Seatbelt Policy Following School Bus Rollover
Related: NTSB Investigating Texas School Bus Crash

The NTSB stated in its preliminary investigation that a forward-facing video from the vehicle showed the school bus drifting left across the centerline and then to the right, causing it to leave the road while navigating a left-hand curve. After leaving the roadway, the bus crossed an embankment, overturned and came to rest adjacent to the roadway. At the time of the crash the road was wet from light rain.

The investigation found that many students were not restrained in the available lap/shoulder seatbelts, which are required in each new school bus by state law, and were therefore displaced from their seats during the roadway departure and rollover event. Sixteen students were injured, ranging from serious to minor, and the school bus driver sustained minor injuries.

The crash remains under investigation to determine probable cause. However, NTSB has issued three recommendations as a result of the preliminary investigation. To the state of Texas and Leander ISD, NTSB recommends establishing, distributing and requiring the implementation of enforceable policies and procedures for seatbelt use, with routine audits, to ensure that every student is restrained on every trip.

At a minimum, the NTSB said policies and procedures should include: “Mandatory pre-departure driver instruction to students to properly belt and periodic pre-departure inspection by drivers or other staff to ensure that each student is properly belted; periodic review of onboard video camera footage, when equipped, to verify seatbelt use; and

increased training and education of school administrators and staff, bus drivers, parents, and students about proper seat belt use and adjustment, seat belt policies and procedures, the safety benefits of seat belt use, and the importance of being properly belted.”

The state currently requires model-year 2018 or newer school buses to be equipped with three-point seatbelts. School districts can opt out if the school board determines that the cost exceeds the district’s budget and passes a vote during a public meeting.

Bagdad Elementary School Principal Monica de la Garza-Conness and Director of Transportation Tracie Franco shared in a letter to the community in late August that the district remains committed to reviewing its practices and strengthening reminders regarding seatbelt use.

“While state law does not hold districts legally responsible for seatbelt use, we expect students to buckle up whenever seatbelts are available,” the letter states. “To strengthen this standard, drivers will now check seatbelt use before departure. These expectations for our staff members will be added to our transportation and district handbooks.”

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Meanwhile, the NTSB called on the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT), the National School Transportation Association, and the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services to inform its members of the Leander ISD crash, the lack of seatbelt use, and the need for school districts to establish enforceable policies and procedures for seatbelt use on school buses.

In a letter to members on Oct. 28, the same day NTSB released its recommendations, NAPT informed its members of “the nature of the crash and the importance of using the belts when they are in place.” The organization pointed to its policy statement on the issue of lap/shoulder seatbelts, which encourages members to determine the use of the three-point restraints based on their local needs.

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A family in Forward Township, Pennsylvania, has been displaced after a school bus crashed through the front of their home, causing significant damage, reported CBS News.

The crash reportedly occurred around 3:30 p.m. Oct. 6. Authorities say a school bus operated by Rittenhouse Bus Lines struck a parked pickup truck in front of the home. The impact pushed the truck through the front porch and into the corner of the house, causing extensive structural damage.

Joe Ferson, who was inside the home with his daughter at the time, recalled the terrifying moment.

“I hear this commotion like a freight train and the next thing I know, the walls of my house are lifting off the ground,” Ferson said via the article. “My truck is in my living room, water spraying everywhere and I come outside to a bus into my truck into my house.”

There were no children on board the bus at the time of the crash. The driver was taken to the hospital for evaluation, but no other injuries were reported.

Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene, and the Red Cross was called in to assist the family. Forward Township’s building inspector is currently assessing the damage to determine whether the home is safe to reenter. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

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A school bus carrying members of a high school softball team overturned after striking a deer. Seven people were injured, including one adult in critical condition, reported AP News.

The crash reportedly occurred around 9 p.m. Sept. 8 on State Highway 152, roughly 40 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. The bus was on route back from a scheduled game at Riverside Indian School in Anadarko when it hit a deer and flipped, ejecting some passengers.

A total of 17 people were on board at the time of the crash. Among the injured, four students were listed in stable condition as of Tuesday morning. One adult passenger, who was ejected during the rollover, remained in critical condition, Oklahoma Highway Patrol spokesperson Sarah Stewart confirmed via the article.

Initial reports stated eight people were injured, but the Ohio Highway Patrol revised the number to seven. “Some students were taken from the scene by their parents before emergency responders arrived,” said Lt. Mark Southall.

“The scene was cleared around midnight,” Southall noted, adding that an investigation into the crash is ongoing. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is working alongside the National Transportation Safety Board to determine the exact cause.

Minco School District Superintendent Kevin Sims said only the school bus driver’s seat with a seatbelt. He also announced that classes were canceled Tuesday in response to the incident.

According to the news report, the crash has shaken the small town of Minco, population about 1,500. Minco First Baptist Church opened its sanctuary the evening the crash, offering a space for prayer and support. U.S. Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma expressed his condolences in a social media post, saying he and his wife, Cindy, “join all of Oklahoma in praying for our neighbors in Minco tonight.”

The softball team had reportedly been scheduled to play at Anadarko, about 35 miles southwest of Minco. Authorities continue to investigate the incident and have not released the names of those injured.

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A 19-year-old man has been arrested after authorities say he illegally passed a stopped school bus and struck a child in a St. Tammany Parish neighborhood, reported Fox 8.

The incident reportedly occurred Aug. 25 in the Tall Timbers subdivision of Mandeville, Louisiana, located on the northern bank of Lake Pontchartrain. The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office said via the article the school bus was stopped with its lights flashing and stop sign extended as children were being dropped off.

As one child crossed the street, a pickup truck driver allegedly ignored the stopped bus and struck the girl. She suffered minor injuries to her arm, authorities said.

Following a public appeal for help identifying the driver, the Sheriff’s office noted via the news report it received several tips after releasing surveillance images of the truck on social media. On Aug. 26, deputies arrested Mario Avila, 19, in connection with the incident.

According to the news report, Avila was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center on multiple charges, including hit-and-run, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, driving under suspension with a prior DWI, and unlawfully overtaking a stopped school bus.

Sheriff Randy Smith reportedly issued a warning to motorists, emphasizing the dangers of passing school buses when children are present.

“This is a reminder to all drivers, stop means stop,” Smith said. “Passing a stopped school bus is not only illegal, it puts children’s lives at risk.” The child involved in the incident is expected to make a full recovery.

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Leander Independent School District in Texas is updating its seatbelt policy to require its school bus drivers to check for students buckled up before departure in response to a school bus rollover crash last month.

Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services confirmed a school bus rollover involving Leander Independent School District occurred Aug. 13 at 3:15 p.m. The school bus, which primarily transports students to and from Bagdad Elementary School, was transporting 42 children home from the first day of classes. Eleven students and the school bus driver were transported to the hospital with injuries.

The National Transportation Safety Board announced the day following the crash that it is coordinating with the Texas Department of Public Safety on a safety investigation.

Monica de la Garza-Conness, Bagdad Elementary principal and Tracie Franco, the district’s transportation services director, shared in an Aug. 26 letter to parents that while DPS found no criminal wrongdoing by school bus driver Tim Gall, he was “cited for failure to drive in a single lane and improper use of a seatbelt.”

According to the letter, he is no longer employed by the district. Leander ISD Superintendent Bruce Gearing said Gall was a “seasoned veteran bus driver.”

Texas Senate Bill 546 introduced in 2024 and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025, went into effect Sept. 1. The law states that by the end of the current school year, the board of trustees at  school districts must submit a report to the Texas Education Agency (TEA).that includes the number of school buses operated by or contracted for us by the school district that are not equipped with seatbelts. The report must also list the buses equipped with lap belts and equipped with lap/shoulder belts. School boards must also provide the estimated cost to equip three-point belts in each school bus used by the district.

By Jan. 1, 2027, TEA will collect the information and calculate the total amount of financial assistance needed for all school districts to equip with their school buses with lap/shoulder belts. TEA will make that information available and a school district mau accept “gifts, grants and donations from any public or private source to implement” lap/shoulder seatbelts.

The 2024 Blue Bird school bus was equipped with lap/shoulder seatbelts, per state law. The state requires model-year 2018 or newer school buses to be equipped with the three-point seatbelts. School districts can opt out if the school board determines that the cost exceeds the district’s budget and passes a vote during a public meeting.

Local news reports noted the DPS concluded some but not all students were wearing the safety restraints. State law says students are required to wear the lap/shoulder seatbelts if the school bus is equipped with them.

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Garza-Conness and Franco addressed safety items from the DPS. They noted that voter approval of a 2023 bond resulted in every school bus running daily routes, including for students with individualized education programs, are equipped with seatbelts. An additional 44 school buses used for field trips and substitute buses are also equipped with seatbelts.

“Only if all of these are in use would an older bus without seatbelts be assigned,” the letter states.

“The report also reinforced the importance of consistent seatbelt use, a point of emphasis for us,” the letter continues. “We remain committed to reviewing our practices and strengthening reminders about seatbelt use to ensure the well-being of every child we transport. While state law does not hold districts legally responsible for seatbelt use, we expect students to buckle up whenever seatbelts are available. To strengthen this standard, drivers will now check seatbelt use before departure. These expectations for our staff members will be added to our transportation and district handbooks.”

The letter addressed a comment from DPS on tire tread depth, which was reportedly within acceptable safety standards.

Garza-Conness and Franco asked parents to help share the message and importance of wearing a seatbelt. “Please remind your child to buckle up every time they ride the bus—it’s one of the simplest ways to stay safe,” the joint letter notes. “Your partnership reinforces the same message our drivers and schools are sharing daily, helping us build strong habits together.”

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A 13-year-old boy is recovering in the hospital with serious injuries after being struck by a car in a hit-and-run crash moments after stepping off a school bus in the south Las Vegas Valley, reported Fox 5.

The incident happened Aug. 20 just before 4:30 p.m. Las Vegas Metro Police said the article that the teen had just exited a school bus and was crossing the street when he was hit by a vehicle driven by 27-year-old Yarla Valeriano-Perez.

Police added Valeriano-Perez initially fled the scene, abandoning her vehicle nearby. She later returned and cooperated with investigators. Impairment was not believed to be a factor in the crash.

Authorities reportedly confirmed that the school bus had its lights flashing at the time, signaling that children were being dropped off. Witnesses reported seeing the teen thrown approximately eight feet into the air upon impact.

Valeriano-Perez was reportedly taken into custody and now faces multiple charges, including felony hit-and-run and reckless driving, along with a misdemeanor count for illegally passing a school bus displaying active signals.

According to the news report, she appeared in court last Thursday, where prosecutors emphasized the severity of the incident, noting that she failed to stop despite visible school bus warnings. Her defense attorneys asked the court for leniency as she has no prior criminal record.

The judge reportedly set bail at $300,000 with a condition that she be prohibited from driving. Valeriano-Perez was scheduled to appear in court again on Tuesday.

The teen’s current condition has not been publicly disclosed, but police described his injuries as “substantial.” The investigation is ongoing.

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The first day of the new school year near Austin, Texas, started in a way no transportation professional or school official would ever want. Thankfully, everyone involved in the rollover crash on their way home have since been released from the hospital.

Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services confirmed a school bus rollover involving Leander Independent School District occurred Aug. 13 at 3:15 p.m. The school bus, which primarily transports students to and from Bagdad Elementary School, was transporting 42 children, leaving 12 needing transport to the hospital, including the school bus driver.

At the time of the crash, most students had not yet been dropped off.

The National Transportation Safety Board announced the day following the crash it is coordinating with the Texas Department of Public Safety on a safety investigation.

Sgt. Billy Ray, the public information officer for Texas DPS, noted the preliminary crash investigation indicates the school bus was traveling south on Nameless Road, which includes a slight curve. For an unknown reason as of this report, the school bus left the right side of the roadway and rolled over.

Medical services noted that one passenger suffered life-threatening injuries, two had potentially life-threatening injuries. However, everyone has since been released from the hospital.

The 2024 Blue Bird school bus was equipped with lap/shoulder seatbelts, per state law. The state requires model-year 2018 or newer school buses to be equipped with the three-point seatbelts. School districts can opt out if the board determines that the cost exceeds the district’s budget and votes on it during a public meeting.

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Information on whether students were wearing their lap/shoulder seatbelts was unknown at this time. But state law says students are required to wear the occupant restraints if the school bus is equipped with them.

Leander ISD Superintendent Bruce Gearing noted that information on the school bus driver was limited, but they are a “seasoned veteran bus driver.”

Gearing added that in addition to the deadly Central Texas floods last month, the Leander ISD family has been through a lot. “This tragedy is breaking our hearts,” he said. “We want each of the students and their families to know that our prayers are with them. Our thoughts are with them. And we will do everything in our power to support them.”

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A teen girl was struck by a school bus in Bergen County, New Jersey, reported ABC 7.

The incident reportedly occurred last Wednesday at an intersection just before 9 a.m.

According to the news report, the driver of the school bus operated by First Student, Inc., remained on the scene after the crash and cooperated with the investigation.

Police stated child was seriously injured and taken by medevac helicopter to an area hospital. It was unclear at this report how the incident took place. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing, but a preliminary information indicated it not appear a crime occurred.

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Related: Texas Student Struck and Killed by School Bus

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