At Least 2 Dead, Dozens Injured After School Bus and Concrete Truck Crash in Bastrop County
CBS Austin reports that first responders were called to a fatal crash involving a school bus and a concrete truck in Bastrop County on Friday afternoon. The collision has resulted in at least two deaths and dozens of injuries.
Details of the Bastrop County School Bus Crash
The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office stated that the collision occurred on Highway 21 near the Caldwell-Bastrop County line. The highway was closed as crews responded.
Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services confirmed their response, adding that EMS helicopters airlifted four patients to the hospital. Multiple victims were transported to the hospital by other vehicles.
In a statement to CBS Austin, the Hays CISD confirmed that the school bus was carrying 44 pre-K students and 11 adults from Tom Green Elementary School. The bus was returning from a field trip to the Bastrop Zoo.
Additional details on how the accident occurred and the conditions of those involved were not immediately available.
School Transportation Accident Statistics
- According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 1,344 people killed in school-transportation-related crashes recorded between 2004 and 2013. This averages to 134 fatalities per year.
- Of the 1,344 fatalities, only 8 percent were occupants of school transportation vehicles.
- Most (71%) of the people who lost their lives in these crashes were occupants of other vehicles involved in the crashes.
- Nonoccupants, including pedestrians, bicyclists, etc., accounted for 21 percent of the fatalities.
- Among the 106 occupants killed in school transportation vehicles between 2004 and 2013, 45 were drivers and 61 were passengers.
Speak with a Texas Injury Attorney
If your child has been injured in a school bus accident, contact Thomas J. Henry Law. Our bus accident lawyer is available 24/7 to help you and provide you with a free consultation. We will start work on your case right away, offering sound legal advice, speaking to the insurance companies on your behalf, gathering evidence for your case, and even helping with medical bills on qualified cases.
We handle all negotiations, depositions, mediations, litigation, settlements, court appearances, and everything in between to ensure you get a fair settlement or outcome for your family. Contact Thomas J. Henry Law today for more information about the services we provide to clients across Texas.