Crashes involving school buses claimed the lives of 120 individuals throughout the United States in 2014, down 10 from the previous year, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
NHTSA defines a school-transportation-related crash as one “that involves, either directly or indirectly, a school bus body vehicle or a non-school bus functioning as a school bus, transporting children to or from school or school-related activities.”
According to the data, there were a total of 331,730 fatal motor vehicle crashes from 2005 to 2014. Out of these, 1,191 were school transportation-related, resulting in 1,332 total deaths over that time period. School bus occupants made up 8 percent of these fatalities, while “nonoccupants,” such as pedestrians and bicyclists, accounted for 21 percent. The majority, or 71 percent of fatalities, were occupants of other vehicles.
In the 10-year period, 111 school-aged pedestrians (18 and under) lost their lives in school-transportation-related crashes. Of these, 61 percent were struck by school buses, 3 percent by other vehicles functioning as school buses and 36 percent by other vehicles, such as passenger vehicles, trucks and motorcycles.
Of the 110 total school bus occupant fatalities, 46 were drivers and 64 were passengers.
From 2005 to 2014, three drivers and three passengers died in school buses being used for purposes other than student transportation, such as for churches and civic organizations.
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