A 7-year-old boy from London, Ontario, was struck and fatally injured in a collision as he was getting off his school bus, reported CBC News.

The incident reportedly occurred on Monday afternoon, when the boy identified as Dante Caranci, was exiting his school bus and a passing vehicle struck him.

According to the news report, Caranci was rushed to London’s Victoria Hospital following the crash and was pronounced dead on Tuesday. London Police have not released many details of the crash.

A GoFundMe launched to help cover funeral costs and any other expenses had reportedly raised more than $91,000 as of Wednesday.

Police have not stated if charges are pending in the collision, and few details have been made public. Judy Madzia, the boy’s grandmother, told local news reporters that she had not seen any police report and was still unsure exactly what had happened.

Authorities have reportedly asked anyone with a dash cam who may have been traveling through the area between 3:45 p.m. and 4:05 p.m. to contact them.

Related: Wisconsin Child Fatally Struck by Car While Waiting for School Bus
Related: Teen Struck, Killed by Kentucky School Bus
Related: 9-year-old Boy Struck by SUV While Waiting for School Bus
Related: Ohio Child Struck by Vehicle While Getting Off School Bus

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School bus crashes are a concerning issue that requires close attention. Statistics show that these types of incidents occur more often than one might expect, with thousands of crashes reported each year across the United States.

Recent statistics compiled from various sources reveal an alarming trend of school bus crashes and school transportation-related traffic incidents over the last decade.

According to an analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety (NHTSA) data, Brumley Law Firm found that approximately 976 fatal school bus crashes led to over 1,000 deaths and around 132,000 injuries, spanning the years 2013 through 2022. States like Texas and Florida emerged as hotspots for these fatalities. Texas reported 75 school transportation-related crashes and 87 resulting fatalities, while Florida reported 74 crashes and 76 fatalities. The top five was rounded out be Georgia, which experienced 65 deaths in 60 crashes, New York with 59 deaths in as many crashes, and Pennsylvania with 59 deaths in 53 crashes.

Harris County, Texas and Kings County, New York experienced the most school-transportation related crashes between 2013-2022 with 11 each. Cook County, Illinois, Los Angeles County, California, and Maricopa County, Arizona each had nine crashes.

Approximately 111 people are killed and 13,200 people are injured in school bus incidents each year, according to NHTSA. However, statistics reveal that occupants of other vehicles are more likely to become fatally injured in a school bus crash, rather than the occupants of the school bus. Only 11 fatalities on average occur on the school bus, to students or their driver, compared to about 76 occupants in other vehicles. Of the 111 fatalities in the school bus, the NHTSA data indicates 61 were student passengers and 50 were school bus drivers.

Though the school bus itself provides a reliable, secure way for transporting students, NHTSA says it remains concerned about the lingering problem of illegal school bus passing by motorists, which undermines this safety net and demands concerted efforts.

Last month, NHTSA released its review of state laws on illegal passing. It also offers an online best-practices guide designed to help reduce the number of incidents. The National Association for State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services estimates that 45.2 million illegal passings occurred nationwide last school year.

Related: Florida School Bus Crashes After Motorist Runs Stop Sign
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Related: North Carolina School Bus Crashes into Home

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A child was fatally struck by a car while waiting for a school bus in River Hills, Wisconsin, in a Thursday incident that was deemed unintentional.

River Hills Police Department Chief Michael Gaynor told STN in a statement that the 8-year-old child was waiting for the bus and crossed in front of the vehicle without its driver knowing. The driver of the vehicle was related to the child and in no way was the incident believed to be intentional.

The River Hills Police Department and North Shore Fire Department arrived at the scene. NSFD reportedly attempted lifesaving measures; however, the child sadly succumbed to his injuries en route to the children’s hospital.

The identity of the child and names of those involved are being withheld at the time, pending parental request and privacy request during this time.

Related: 9-year-old Boy Struck by SUV While Waiting for School Bus
Related: Georgia Student Struck and Killed by Passing Vehicle
Related: New York Child and Mother Struck by School Bus
Related: 6-Year-Old Struck, Killed by Vehicle While Walking to School Bus Stop

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Three students were struck and killed by their own school bus and another three were similarly killed by illegal passing motorists during the 2023-2024 school year, according to a national survey of states.

The National School Bus Loading and Unloading Survey results were shared on Sunday by Keith Dreiling, the state director of the school bus safety unit at the Kansas State Department of Education, during the annual meeting of the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services in Arlington, Virginia. The six fatalities are double the amount reported by states for the 2022-2023 school year.

Two of last year’s fatalities occurred in New York. Both students there were killed by their school bus. An 8-year-old boy was struck on Jan. 29 by his school bus and killed by the right rear wheel after he reportedly ran in front of the vehicle as it was pulling into its loading zone at school. A 5-year-old girl was killed nearly three weeks later on Feb. 16, after she unloaded from her school bus and crossed in front of it. The school bus driver reportedly did not see her and began to accelerate, striking the girl and knocking her to the pavement. The bus continued forward and the left rear wheels killed the girl.

The other fatality caused by the school bus occurred on Jan. 17 in Florida, where a boy exited the vehicle and then dropped a football. He crawled beneath the school bus to retrieve it and in the process was struck and killed by the right rear dual wheels.

The three illegal passing fatalities occurred in Alabama, Georgia and Texas. The Alabama and Texas incidents involved 15-year-old students, the former a subject of a high-profile investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. A 15-year-old girl was in her front yard on Oct. 23, 2023, and about to board her morning school bus, when a truck following the school bus failed to stop, swerved to the right, and continued into the girl’s path, striking her and then her house.

The Texas fatality occurred on Dec. 7 last year, when an 18-wheel, tractor-trailer truck struck a vehicle in front of it that was properly stopped for the school bus. The truck driver then swerved to the right and struck the 15-year-old boy after he exited his bus.

An 8-year-old Georgia girl died on Feb. 4, three days after being hit by an illegally passing oncoming motorist as she was attempting to board her school bus. The incident resulted in Addy’s Law, signed by Gov. Brian Kemp in April, to increase the fine for illegal school bus passers and add a prison term.

The school buses in the Alabama, Georgia and Texas incidents all had their red lights flashing and stop arms activated at the time of the collisions.

All U.S. states and the District of Columbia responded to the Kansas State Department of Education survey except New Jersey and Rhode Island, which refused to participate. The six recorded fatalities equal the amount reported for the 2021-2022 school year. The incidents all occurred in dry road conditions, with three occurring in daylight, two at dusk and one at dawn. Five of the fatalities occurred in clear weather conditions while one occurred in cloudy conditions.

The survey began in 1970 and has been conducted every year since. About 73 percent of the 1,273 total student fatalities recorded over the 54-year survey were students 9 years of age or younger. School buses have accounted for 717 of the total fatalities compared to 502 by illegally passing motorists and 54 categorized as “other information.” Sixty-four percent of all fatalities occurred during the morning commute to school.

Related: Louisiana 7-Year-Old Hit, Killed by School Bus
Related: Georgia Student Struck and Killed by Passing Vehicle
Related: Alabama High School Student Killed While Waiting for School Bus

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A 64-year-old school bus driver from Michigan has been charged with allegedly fatally striking a 3-year-old girl in Hamtramck.

The Charter County of Wayne Michigan released a statement confirming that Marvin Lee Flentroy, a school bus driver for Hamtramck Public Schools, has been charged in connection with a car crash that killed a 3-year-old girl.

The incident reportedly occurred on July 16, when Flentroy was turning onto Burger Street and struck the child while she was crossing the street. First responders were called to scene and transported the child to a local hospital, where she later died.

Flentroy was arraigned on Oct. 10 and given a $10,000 personal bond. He was also ordered not to drive and has been since then charged with Reckless Driving Causing Death.

The case remains under investigation.

Related: School Bus Crash Leaves 2 Children Hospitalized, Bus Driver Dead
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Related: Girl, 8, Killed by School Bus in Mississippi
Related: Louisiana 7-Year-Old Hit, Killed by School Bus

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A 10-year-old girl was struck by a school bus in O’Fallon, Missouri and died from her injuries.

The O’Fallon Police Department released a statement on Nov. 8 saying that they had responded to the scene near Lupine Court and Snowbird Lane, where a school bus had struck a child and resulting in fatal injuries.

Police said that the school bus driver is cooperating with investigators and that an accident reconstruction team is working to determine the cause of the accident.

“Tonight, our community is grieving. A family lost a child, a school lost a student, and our entire community feels this tremendous loss,” said Fort Zumwalt School District Superintendent Dr. Paul Meyers in a statement. “At a time like this, there is no way to express the grief we all are feeling. Right now, our priorities are to respect the privacy of the student’s family and to take care of our students, families, staff and community.”

The district added that counselors, mental health professionals, and administrators are providing support and resources for students, their families and staff.

“As a district and as a community, we are supporting the student’s family by respecting their privacy at this incredibly difficult time,” it stated. “We are cooperating with the O’Fallon Police Department’s ongoing investigation and appreciate their partnership.”

A GoFundMe page for the child’s family raised over $22,000 at this report.

To date, STN has reported on five student fatalities involving school buses since the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year.

Related: Girl, 8, Killed by School Bus in Mississippi
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Related: Teen Struck, Killed by Kentucky School Bus

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The parents of an 11-year-old boy who was involved in a fatal school bus crash in Springfield, Ohio, in August 2023, are speaking out about their son’s death, reported WLWT 5.

Aidan Clark was killed when he was ejected from his school bus as he and 51 other students were on their way to the first day of school on Aug. 23, 2023. A minivan traveling in the opposite direction crossed over the center line and caused the crash, which broke the school bus rear axle and caused it to overturn. It was the first on-board school bus fatality in Ohio since 2010.

Following the incident, Gov. Mike DeWine called for the Ohio Department of Public Safety to form a school bus safety working group to debate the topic of school bus seatbelts and other safety topics. After meeting several times last fall and hearing from a range of safety experts and school bus operators, the working group issued 17 recommendations on school bus safety, the majority of them focused on school bus drivers and training available to them, maintenance professionals and the community.

The van that crashed into the school bus was driven by Hermanio Joseph, a 36-year-old Haitian immigrant, who was found guilty on counts of felony involuntary manslaughter and vehicular homicide by a Clark County jury in May. He was sentenced to 9 to 13.5 years in prison with credit for time already served.

Nathan Clark, Aiden’s father, alleges politicians are using his son’s name and death for political gain this election season.

Mr. Clark said Aiden, who was 11 at the time, was not murdered but was accidentally killed. He also emphasized that the last thing his family wants is to continuously relive the worst day of their lives.

Joseph was found by investigators to only have a state ID card and a Mexico driver’s license at the time of the crash. He said that because he lives in the U.S. under temporary protected status for Haitians he did not have the proper documents to get his Ohio driver’s license. He also claimed the sun was in his eyes, causing him to drift into the opposite lane and strike the school bus.

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A Madison County School District bus struck and ultimately killed a student riding her bicycle through an intersection.

The incident occurred Wednesday at approximately 4:20 p.m. during the afternoon commute about 13 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi. First responders immediately began providing medical assistance.

The Madison City Police Department declined to identify the girl, but local news reports said she was Jeanelle Fredericks, 8. She was transported to a local hospital in critical condition but died Wednesday evening.

Other students were on board the school bus at the time of the incident, but no other physical injuries were reported.

A police statement said the incident remained under investigation at this report, with results to be forwarded to the Madison/Rankin County District Attorney’s Office.

Meanwhile, the Madison County School District issued a statement about being “heartbroken at the loss of a precious student in a tragic accident.”

Counselors were available to students and staff at Madison Avenue Elementary School tarting Thursday and would be available “for days to come,” the district added.

Related: 15-year-old Shot and Killed While Getting Off School Bus in Georgia
Related: Teen Struck, Killed by Kentucky School Bus
Related: Ohio School Bus Fatality Prompts Latest Legislation Pushing Seatbelt Requirement
Related: NTSB Investigating Wisconsin Middle School Student Fatality at Bus Stop
Related: Florida Woman Convicted of 2021 Death of Girl at School Bus Stop

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A Kendrick High School student was shot and killed as he exited his school bus, reported WTVM News.

The incident reportedly occurred Thursday, Sept. 19 at approximately 4:30 p.m., when the teen identified as Earkavion Lee was getting off his school bus and was fatally shot.

Authorities said via the article that the shooting took place in the 2300 block of Watkin Drive. They also confirmed that Lee died of his injuries at around 5:15 p.m. at Piedmont Columbus Regional hospital.

According to local news report, Lee is the brother of another Columbus teen, Earkus Porter, who was fatally shot at Belvedere Park in February. At this time, it is unclear if the two incidents are related.

Police added via the article that 20-year-old Roannil Clanton was taken into custody and is being charged with the murder of Lee. Clanton had his first court appearance on Sept 24, where he pleaded not guilty.

On Sept. 24 three more suspects were reportedly arrested in connection to the teen’s death. Demetrius Miles, Gregory Nelson and Marquis Roberts were each charged with murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of the crime. Additional details are yet to be released, and the case remains under investigation.

According to local news report, Lee is the brother of another Columbus teen, Earkus Porter, who was fatally shot at Belvedere Park in February. No details of this incident were known, and it was not reported if the incidents were related.

Related: Two Students Killed in Georgia School Shooting
Related: 15-year-old Shot, Killed at Virginia School Bus Stop
Related: North Carolina Student Arrested for Shooting Gun on School Bus
Related: Round Up: Separate School Bus Stop Shootings Leave Students Injured

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A Menchville High School Student was shot and killed while at his school bus stop on Tuesday.

The Newport News Police Department said officers responded at 6:18 a.m. to a “ShotSpotter activation” — a program that traces soundwaves to detect gun shots — near the 1200 block of 16th Street near Garden Drive in Newport News, Virginia. According to the Newport News Public Schools Website, there is a school bus stop near 16th Street and Garden Drive. School buses are scheduled to pick up students there at 6:17 a.m.

Police officers arrived at the scene and found a juvenile male suffering from at least one gunshot wound, which appeared to be life-threatening. Local media reported the Juvenile was 15 years old. NNPD said the boy was transported to an area hospital, where he died.

The investigation was ongoing at this report. There was also no confirmation of the school bus being at the scene when the shooting occurred. However, local media outlets reported a school bus left the scene at 7:15 a.m., and students who remained on the bus were safe. Photos of the scene show a school bus is present.

Newport News School Board and Newport News Public Schools released the following statement.

“The Newport News Public Schools family extends our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the Menchville High School student who tragically lost his life today. The school board, superintendent and administrative team will continue to support the family and our students and staff through the difficult days ahead.”

The statement adds that “members of the school division’s support and response team will be available to meet and talk with Menchville High students and staff for as long as they are needed. Support services are available at all schools.”

Related: Two Students Killed in Georgia School Shooting
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Related: Louisiana 7-Year-Old Hit, Killed by School Bus

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The reportedly second school shooting this calendar year and first of the new school year resulted in two students and two teachers killed and at least another nine injured.

The shooting at Apalachee High School, located near Winder, Georgia, occurred a little over a month after the first day of school, with the motive still unknown. Mason Schermerhom, 14, and Christian Angulo, 14, were identified as the students killed. Teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, were also killed.

Nine additional people, eight students and one teacher, were injured and taken to various hospitals. Media reports indicated they are expected to recover.

School Transportation News reached out to the district for more information such as transportation’s involvement in student evacuation and reunification but had not heard back at this writing.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) stated that Barrow County authorities were notified on Wednesday at around 10:20 a.m. of an active shooter at Apalachee High School. Within minutes, law enforcement was on scene. The 14-year-old shooter surrendered immediately and was taken into custody. The teen allegedly made threats online, which included photos of guns.

GBI said the boy has been charged with four counts of felony murder, with more charges expected. He was taken to the Gainsville Regional Youth Detention Center but GBI said during a press conference on scene that he will be charged as an adult.

Related: Student Transportation Adds Perspective to Uvalde Mass Shooting
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GBI added there is no evidence to suggest there were multiple shooters or that more schools are being targeted. All Barrow County Schools are closed Thursday and Friday. The district is offering counselors at the central office.

The first school shooting of 2024 took place in Perry, Iowa, where one student and one principal were killed. Max Christensen, father of two students who were at the school during the shooting and the recently retired state director of student transportation at the Iowa Department of Education, spoke about his experience and lessons learned for student transporters in June at STN EXPO East in Indianapolis, Indiana.

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A 15-year-old high school freshman in Kentucky was killed after being hit by a school bus.

Clark County Schools Superintendent Dustin Howard released a statement Tuesday announcing that one of their buses was involved in a crash resulting in the death of a pedestrian. School started for the district on Aug. 14.

According to the statement, the pedestrian was a George Rogers Clark High School student. The student’s name has not been released by the authorities.

Local news reports stated the teen girl was trying to cross the road when she was hit by the bus. The incident remains under investigation.

Related: Louisiana 7-Year-Old Hit, Killed by School Bus
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Related: 8-Year-Old Pedestrian Hit by School Bus Near San Antonio, Texas
Related: Kansas Student Fatally Hit by School Bus

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With schools starting up across the country, the National Transportation Safety Board brought together four panelists to discuss key safety considerations.

During a webinar on Aug. 21, NTSB staff highlighted pertinent safety recommendations and addressed crash investigations with the aim to educate listeners on safe transportation.

Topics emphasized during the webinar included occupant protection, school bus safety, equity, safety routes to school, pedestrian, bicyclist and e-scooter safety.

“Nearly 550,000 school buses are in operation in the U.S and every school today these buses transport more than 20 million students to and from school,” said Meg Sweeney, an NTSB project manager and accident investigator.

In 2021, she noted there were 42,939 total fatalities on our roadways, 108 of those occurring in school transportation related fatalities. Most of the fatalities were the occupants of other vehicles, while only eight occupants of school transportation vehicles such as large school buses were fatally injured in 2021.

This data supports the assertion that school buses are the safest mode of transportation for students during their school commute. This is due to bus driver training and federal vehicle  construction standards. Despite this, there are always ways in which safety can be improved, stated Sweeney.

Sweeny also shared how over the years NTSB investigated several crash investigations and issued several recommendations to improve school bus safety in various ways. These recommendations include vehicle design and technology, such as lane departure warning and prevention systems. Another recommendation is occupant protection, namely lap/shoulder seatbelts, and ways to use passenger safety restraint systems to keep children within the compartmentalization of high-back, cushioned seats on school buses.

Kristin Poland, NTSB’s deputy director of highway, also discussed occupant protection. She added that for students to maintain consciousness during a crash and be able to self-evacuate, they need to be belted so they better protect their heads.

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Another topic the panelists discussed was safety outside the bus.

“Children are more vulnerable when waiting at bus stops, loading or unloading,” said Brittany Rawlinson, a statistician and data and policy analyst for NTSB, adding that nearly all school-age pedestrian fatalities occurred during the hours when children would be transiting to and from school. NHTSA reported that nearly all school-age pedestrian fatalities from 2013 to 2022 occurred from 3 p.m. to 3:59 p.m. more than any other time.

NTHSA reported 198 school-age child fatalities in school transportation related crashes occurring from 2013 to 2022. About 1.5 times more of those fatalities occurred with pedestrians than occupants of school transportation vehicles, explained Rawlinson.

NTSB recommendations to government agencies and states include reducing speed limits that can increase the time available to motorists for reacting to hazards. Carpooling also  reduce the number of vehicles in the school zone, always crossing students in crosswalks when available, utilizing designated off-street drop off and pick up locations, and enforcing laws that require all vehicles to stop when red school bus lights are flashing or when stop sign is extended.

The webinar ended with statistics, explaining how emergency departments have reported 13,557 injuries related to e-scooters from 2020 and 2021 with 67 percent of the injuries being in the head due to not wearing a helmet. Analysis on how over half of the 55 percent of school age pedestrians killed in school transportation related traffic crashes from 2013 to 2022 were five to ten year olds. Lastly, case reporting on different crashes in which there has been fatalities, as well as the belief that there is an urgent need for better safety measures beyond the bus.

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Jeremiah Falgout, 7, is the first confirmed student fatality of the new school year after he was hit and killed by his school bus.

Louisiana State Police stated that the incident occurred on Aug. 22 at around 4 p.m. A 2019 Freightliner B2 school bus was traveling south on Highway 665, when it approached Falgout’s stop. After the school bus driver activated the flashing warning lights, the bus stopped and students including Falgout proceeded to exit.

For reasons still unknown at this report, Louisiana State Police said that as the bus started moving again, it struck Falgout and caused critical injuries. He was transported to the hospital, where he died.

“The Terrebonne Parish School District Community suffered a devastating school bus accident on Thursday resulting in the loss of one of our Montegut Elementary students,” Terrebonne Parish School District posted via Facebook. “Our deepest condolences go out to the student’s family, friends, and loved ones in this difficult time. No words can truly express the sorrow and heartbreak felt in a moment like this. Please pray for the Montegut and Point-Aux-Chenes communities affected by this unimaginable loss.”

The school bus driver, who was not identified, voluntarily submitted to a breath test and impairment was not suspected as a cause. The test showed no alcohol detected. The school bus driver as well as other student passengers were not injured.

The crash remains under investigation.

Related: Louisiana Child Left Alone in School Bus for 5 Hours
Related: 8-Year-Old Pedestrian Hit by School Bus Near San Antonio, Texas
Related: Addy’s Law in Georgia, Targets Illegal Passers of School Buses

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