Sounds like we need better seat belts on school busses.

Or better drivers that don't tailgate. Nobody whether school bus or personal vehicals should caravan.
Glad to hear no serious injuries. Lots of emotional trauma for those kids

Please they got in a fender bender... oh the trauma why are we all so fragile these days?

I am outraged that so many kids went to the hospital. I would hope there are seatbelts on these busses, years ago there weren't. 39 children going to the hospital tells me those kids did not have them on. If this was a day camp bus, the counselors should have made sure all were buckled in. Yup still outraged here.

Most school buses have cameras in them.If they weren't wearing seat belts it will be easy to tell .I bet the lawyers are lining up at the hospital door!

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/rpt/2010-R-0055.htm
@Marie Intili- this article states,"It is a law in nj"
What state was that school bus in that the bus monitor was being bullied by the students? Those kids weren't wearing seat belts .

@Marie- A law to have seat belts , but the bus driver is not responsible if a child gets hurt!

I try my hardest to make sure that the kids on my bus put their seatbelts on. I only drive a 24 passenger and I can't get them to keep it on, so I can imagine the problem of making sure 52 students put their seatbelts on and keep them on. I'm not sure how they expect a bus driver to make sure the children are wearing their seatbelt. Again, tell your kids it's the law and they can get hurt and in trouble if they don't.

You got that right.....the driver of a 54 passenger should be driving and paying attention to loading and unloading.....how can he/she possibly watch 54 kids seat belts....but its all different on 24 passengers vehicles.....most of the time those are special needs students and require a monitor where it can be more closely watched.....but you know how that goes to........

@ Marie + small town girl - I give you both so much credit ! Its not an easy job driving a huge bus with kids not listening ! Keep up the good work!

maybe if the buses were traveling the speed limit and not tailgating each other this wouldnt have happened at all....i was on 80 east last friday and yellow buses were passing me going 80mph!!! one after another---full of kids......the drivers are a disgrace!

At Donna......Im a bus driver also and couple weeks ago I reported a bus on 287 that was speeding with kids on the bus too....I have no tolerance for that myself! You are taking 54 lives into your hands when u get behind the wheel of a bus!!! Whether you are responsible or not....in my mind I AM! I see something not right....I report it!

You need to report these things to the bus company @ Donna and anyone else....who sees crazy driving on the road....cars and especially buses!

Marie and lorri you two are rediculous with your comments !! First of all the buses are small ,and the seat in front of each other is hardly much leg room it is still traumatic any way you look at it and the kids could have gotten injured by the child seated next to them or the seat in front !! I have children ok and the teachers do make sure all the kids are strapped before they move the bus !! Or the counselers.....and wow your outraged ?? And a lawyer waiting at the hospital lined up ?? Why is that what u would do !! Have a heart if it were your child you would be reacting different !! Thank god noone was seriously injured !! And everyone bus driver ,car,truck ,motorcycyle no one obeys the rules and Marie & lorri you both probably text and drive or use your cell so don't talk so much crap like you two are perfect !! Sending prayers out to the bus driver and the kids !!

@ Barbara- you sound so religious -" sending prayers out to the bus driver and kids!" wow what a good kind hearted hypocrite !Do you make sure you sit in the front row at your religious venue while your looking back at everyone pointing your finger at them?

Excuse me Barbara! It was not right tailgaiting as I said....so what is your problem! I agree with Barbara's comment to you! These buses were 54 passenger buses....the largest bus there is!!!! They were not the small buses as you said! There is ALOT of leg room and the seats are designed to take brunts of rear end crashes...cushioned high seats! Yes any accident is tramatic...never said it wasnt! I didnt make the comment about the lawyers lined up...someone else did...I commented to it. Both my children rode buses and therefore you have no right saying if it were my child i would react different! You speak for yourself! You are the one that is texting while driving or talking on the phone or smoking a cigg or even eating in the car!!! I obey THE LAWS and am AND ALWAYS WAS EXTRA CAREFUL WHILE DRIVING A BUS!!! I have a completely clean driving record and have been driving a bus for over 25 years! So maybe you should think before u point fingers!

Also worth noting that if the kids have as much as scratch and there is no parent present there is often little choice about them going to the hospital

WOW, Ed you are the first male to post something on this topic.Sounds like all the mommy's are PMSing.The claws are out!!!!

i was a driver in the caravan and none of our busses have seal belts.i was not involved in the accident as i was in the front of the caravan.

they were all 48 passenger busses at 2 per seat.

in the state of Pennsylvania where the buses are from they are not required to have seat belts in them. They are 72 passenger buses not small ones. Most people that use this company only put 2 in a seat which makes it 48 people in the seats but some do put 3 to a seat.

You are right Steve.....As a driver of a commercial vehicle we all should know to keep a safe following distance ESPECIALLY since the stopping distance is not the same as a car! Glad to hear you care as they were your own....thats the way it should be as I feel the same way! I cannot believe some of the comments here!

@ Paul Brown......I used to do the same thing.....you can only do so much being the only adult on a regular 54 passenger by telling everyone to buckle up.....Small children u can be sure before u take off everyone is belted.....if students got up....THEN this must mean they are not properly buckeled....I would say something first....then pull over! Of course you tell the principal and the principal takes care of it....if it continues....they loose their privilege to ride. These values I thought as my kids know are instilled at home first.....and should continue in any vehicle ridden! But they all have tricks!

SAme here Paul. If you dont estabkish a giod rapore w your students from the beginning they will step all over you! I too drove all grades. Never in my 15 years had any problems with my kids nor any accidents. Knock knock! Proud if that too!