According to authorities, four people are dead and at least nine more are injured following a collision between a school bus and a SUV in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana.

About the Fatal School Bus Accident

According to the Advocate, a school bus carrying the Lafayette High School baseball team was involved in a fatal collision after an SUV suffered a blowout and crossed into oncoming traffic along U.S. 90 on Saturday.

The 36-year-old driver of the SUV, Ladonna Cheatham, as well as three of her passengers – 6-year-old Destiny Cheatham, 14-year-old Dwayne Escort and 16-year-old Marcus Cheatham– were all ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities believe all were unrestrained.

The SUV’s fourth passenger, mark Cheatham, 17, was rushed to an area hospital with moderate injuries. He was wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision.

Seven of the students and a 23-year-old man riding in the bus were also transported to area hospitals with moderate injuries. 35 people, including 30 students, were on the bus at the time of the accident.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the tire failure.

Car Crash Fatality Statistics

• According to the national Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2012 saw the first increase in the number of traffic accident fatalities in six years.
• The agency reports that 33,561 people died as a result of traffic collisions in 2012 – up from 32,479 in 2011.
• 2012 also saw an increase in the number of drunk driving fatalities with a 10,322 deaths attributed to intoxicated driving. This marks a 4.6 percent increase from 2011.