A school bus was involved in a three-vehicle accident in Harlingen on October 3, with no injuries reported. While they are always serious incidents, school bus crashes are some of the least dangerous collisions in Texas based on statistics.
Learn more about the accident and the facts about school bus accidents from the team at The Lopez Law Group Weslaco car accident attorneys.
The Harlingen Car Accident
A school bus from the IDEA school district was involved in an auto accident with two other vehicles in Harlingen on Tuesday, according to authorities with the Harlingen Police Department (HPD). The accident happened near the intersection of Ed Carey Drive and Glasscock Avenue at about 4 p.m. The accident involved the school bus, a Texas Department of Public Safety patrol unit, and a Mustang.
A news release from DPS states that the school bus was stationary at the intersection at the time of the crash. The Mustang driver made an unsafe lane change, colliding with the patrol unit, causing it to strike the school bus. As a result, the bus drove over a curb and hit a tree, as shown in news reports of the scene.
It’s unclear whether the bus, Mustang, and patrol unit were traveling in the same direction or different directions before the crash occurred.
There were 32 students on board the bus when it was struck. No injuries were reported in relation to the crash, but five students and the bus driver were taken to nearby hospitals for examinations.
The Facts About Texas School Bus Accidents
Each school bus accident has the potential to be a tragedy. Thankfully, these accidents are usually not as dangerous as other car accidents.
In 2022, there was one school bus accident in Texas roughly every six hours, for a total of 1,431 accidents. Out of all of those accidents, just one resulted in a fatality. That means that less than one-tenth of one percent of all Texas school bus accidents were fatal last year. For reference, more than half of one percent of all Texas car accidents caused a fatality in 2022. With that in mind, the average Texas car accident is more than ten times deadlier than the average Texas school bus accident.
The vast majority, about 79%, of school bus accidents in Texas last year resulted in no injuries whatsoever.
Still, that doesn’t mean that school bus accidents are nothing to worry about. Each of us needs to do our part to prevent school bus accidents to help keep students safe while on the road. Watch out for school buses while you’re behind the wheel, and always stop for a stopped bus.
If you were injured in a Harlingen auto accident, the Weslaco car accident lawyers at The Lopez Law Group can tell you about your options.
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Source: KRGV5
