Jefferson City Public Schools need to take Tuesday’s school bus wreck seriously.
No student or anyone on the bus was injured in the wreck. But if we don’t learn from this incident and make any needed adjustments, we might not be as fortunate next time.
The wreck occurred about 4 p.m. Tuesday in the 1300 block of Satinwood Drive. As we reported Wednesday, the investigation showed the 2013 First Student bus, driven by Estelle Kerns, 29, of Jefferson City, was northbound on Satinwood, taking a curve at Inglenook Drive when it slid into the southbound lane due to wet pavement.
Police said Kerns was “attempting to slow down in the curve.”
The bus struck a 2016 Ford F-150, driven by Edward Kinter, 77, of Jefferson City, that was southbound on Satinwood.
Kinter, who was wearing a seat belt, was transported to a local hospital for treatment. His injuries were listed as minor.
Both the school bus and the Ford sustained extensive damage.
The bus was taking a curve while traveling downhill in the rain. Was the driver at fault for taking the curve too fast in those conditions? Were there mechanical issues with the bus that contributed to the wreck?
JCPS, in conjunction with First Student, the bus company providing the service, need to ask these questions and others to determine why the wreck happened. Determining the exact cause will lead to the end goal: Addressing any issues and taking any needed action to minimize the chance of this happening again.
Parents entrust the public schools to get their children to and from school. For parents, this is a leap of faith, especially when we first trust someone else to care for our children.
These types of incidents can cause parents to lose trust, and lose the peace of mind in knowing that their children are safe.
That’s why, when such an incident occurs, it’s so important for the schools and bus company to fully investigate and then to let the public know steps that are taken so that similar incidents, hopefully, won’t occur.
News Tribune