School Bus Runs Over 10-Year-Old’s Leg After He Slipped and Fell on Ice in the Parking Lot
Most bus accidents occur while the bus is traveling en route to pick or drop off students or at a bus stop. But one accident that was reported by SUN This Week involved a bus accident that transpired within the middle school parking lot. The Apple Valley Police were called to the Scott Highlands Middle School parking lot when they received a call notifying them that a child had been struck by a school bus.
A 10-year-old student had exited the school bus when he slipped on some ice and fell down in the parking lot. He landed next to a bus that happened to be moving at a slow speed, but it didn’t stop. Instead, it ran over the student’s leg. The boy reportedly only sustained minor injuries but was taken to a local hospital where physicians could assess his condition. While many incidents involving school buses are caused by the negligent actions of the bus driver or another motorist, both the Apple Valley Police Department and the District 196 Communications Director agreed that negligence was not the cause of the particular incident.
It seems like it was just a case of a slip and fall accident, and the students happened to have fallen too close to a bus that was already in motion. Capt. Nick Francis working for Apple Valley said, “It was just a very unfortunate incident where a student fell in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Although both departments believe the driver was cleared from being found at-fault for causing the accident, it is standard procedure that anytime an accident occurs involving a school bus that the driver is taken for drug and alcohol testing.
While this particular school district is responsible for transporting nearly 22,000 students to school and back home each day, they rarely see any accidents transpiring. However, because the entire state of Minnesota is expected to experience chilly weather that might leave trails of ice behind, it is important that parents caution their children who walk in parking lots as this type of incident could happen anywhere, and to anyone.
Parking Lot Safety Tips
Because most school parking lots are rather busy, especially at the beginning and end of the school day, students are encouraged to always practice proper school parking lot safety. How can they do this? Below we share with you some tips they can begin implementing tomorrow.
- Children should always keep a safe distance from the bus line and only enter or exit when the bus is at a complete stop. While most children in middle and high school are capable of getting on and off the bus without adult assistance, students in lower grades may need some help to encourage them to wait for an adult who is available to assist them.
- Students should always wait in the designated areas until it is time to board their bus. This applies in the morning when they are waiting for the arrival of their bus and at the end of the day when they are waiting for it to depart and take them home.
- Students should never horseplay, run, or goof off when they are waiting in or near a parking lot for their bus.
In the event your child ever sustains an injury in an accident involving a bus in Ramsey, MN consider contacting a local bus crash lawyer in Ramsey who can help you. Sometimes, your child might be entitled to compensation that can help them through the recovery process and it is best that you receive information regarding this from a professional who is looking out for your child’s best interest.
