Terrible school bus accident in TN. 6 dead. (1 Viewer)

[Saint_Ward]

Chattanooga, Tennessee, school bus crash leaves 6 dead - CNN.com

Awful story. Tipped over and looks split by a tree. Poor babies didn't have a chance.

 

[nolaspe]

Bus driver was arrested... terrible story...

Bus driver being charged in deadly Tenn. bus crash

 

[saintmdterps]

Speeding looks like the major factor. How fast was that guy going?? I can't imagine being a parent and having a child on that bus

 

[billinms]

According to some of the kids right before the wreck the driver something to the effect of "Israel everybody ready to die?".

 

[WhoDatPhan78]

I have a feeling the toxicology report on the driver is going to tell us everything we need to know.

 

[Saint_Ward]

Speeding looks like the major factor. How fast was that guy going?? I can't imagine being a parent and having a child on that bus

Based on that image of the bus and tree.. pretty fast. I mean, it looks like the tree cleaved the bus.

 

[rajncajn]

Judging by the pictures he's either been crying A LOT or he's on something.

 

[JimEverett]

School bus contracted out to a private company.

 

[SharonT]

Other people's children. Look at the ones pushing privatization and "creating wealth" by weakening the regulations and you'll find people who take inordinate measures to protect their own children. Look at the food service and janitorial contracts, too, and the measures not taken to vet employees. We're selling out our public institutions and safety nets in the name of profit (for the few.)

Horrible accident, but one that might have been prevented, if we had our priorities straight.

 

[billinms]

School bus contracted out to a private company.

According to WWL the same company has some contracts in thr New Orleans area.

Durham School Services

Their website says 400+ school districts in 32 states.

 

[nolaspe]

According to WWL the same company has some contracts in thr New Orleans area.

Durham School Services

Their website says 400+ school districts in 32 states.

LA is one of only 6 states that require 3 point seatbelts in school buses, hopefully this tragedy will make that number rise to 50, but it probably won't happen...

Do seat belts make school buses safer? - CNN.com

 

[DaveXA]

I don't understand why adding seat belts to buses is so expensive. The article says adding seat belts to each bus would cost $7k-$10k. That seems awful high for a set of seat belts on a bus. I never understood why seat belts are not mandatory on all school buses.

 

[Gump]

I remember being a kid in middle school and we took a trip to these mountains in Tenneessee and once we arrived, we took this bus to go white water rafting and the bus was booking it! around the corners and it so much fun! Granted, the driver wasn't yelling "You ready to die!" but, it was still to fun to ride on.

I'm surprised there isn't seatbelts on school buses to be honest. The only problem I see is that if they are in a wreck, it would be very dangerous to have to unlock all of those seatbelts...Especially if it caught on fire! Plus the kids would likely hit each other with them or not put them on. Tough decision.

 

[2fya]

Even if seat belts were installed in school buses, how many kids would wear them?

Let's be real... when we were in school, it would be considered "uncool" to wear them. You know the cool "rebel" kids would always take them off.

How would this be enforced? The bus driver would have to stop the bus every time a kid unbuckled?

 

[SharonT]

LA is one of only 6 states that require 3 point seatbelts in school buses,

This is not the case, because of this: subject to appropriation of funds.

Guess who doesn't think we need to appropriate funds? The people we send to Baton Rouge.

"Restraint Systems" does not always mean seatbelts. The extra-high cushioned seats most newer buses have qualify as well.

Here's the latest I could find on LA SB204:

Fiscal Note:

Current law requires that every bus used primarily for transportation of students to be equipped with occupant restraint
systems no later than June 2004, subject to appropriation of funds.

Proposed legislation makes the current law applicable to
any bus manufactured and purchased for use after January 1 2017 and repeals the law that implementation is subject to
appropriation of funds.

Also from that Fiscal Note:

Private carriers that contract with local school systems are also subject to the proposed requirements. Local school districts
will be required to monitor contractors to ensure compliance and may experience increased contract costs due to the use of
more expensive buses.

Now contrast that with the statement from Hamilton County School District spokeswoman Amy Kutcher:

She referred all questions about his performance and that of other Durham drivers to the company. "Legally, there is no way that we could discipline someone who is not our employee," Kutcher said.

A logistical nightmare that would require hiring district monitors to check contracted employees? Hire dedicated, career bus drivers and pay them accordingly. Give them the funds to upkeep their buses, and listen to their suggestions. They know the neighborhoods, the families, the routine.