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.
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