Missouri Injury Lawyers Blog

The Missouri Department of Transportation maintains an interactive map to keep people informed about roadway conditions throughout the state. This is particularly helpful when winter weather hits and you need to know the condition of the roads you plan to travel. Visit the MODOT Traveler Information Map and stay safe.

A 6 year old boy of Williamsburg, MO was pronounced dead at the scene of an accident involving a school bus at 3:54PM on January 18th. The accident occurred on County Road 182 near the North outer road of I-70. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F, after the boy exited the school bus he was somehow run over. The driver of the school bus was Willie Leonberger, 77, of Auxvasse, MO. The incident is still under investigation.

On October 8th at 3:40PM on MO-5, 300 feet north of MO- 7 junction in Camden County, an accident occured involving five vehicles, including a school bus and a 1998 Peterbilt Truck. According to the report of the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F, the accident occured as a 1998 Pontiac driven by Robert Shirley, 32, of Stoutland, MO, a 2004 Mazda, driven by Jerry Southard, 64, of Lebanon, MO, and a 1998 Mitsubishi, driven by Erika Groves, 16, of Camdenton, MO were all stopped in traffic waiting to make a left hand turn. The 2008 International School Bus, driven by Shawn Danuser, 42, of LInn Creek was slowing behind the other vehicles when it was struck in the rear by a 1998 Peterbilt Truck that was driven by Patrick Wortman, 54, of Rosendale, MO. This caused a chain reaction and the bus hit the Pontiac, which hit the Mazda, which smashed into the rear of the Mitsubishi.

Sixteen occupants of the bus were injured. The sixteen injured were; Michael Alderman, Nathanial Bellew, Kelsey Bryant, Trever Bryant, Dylan Fleming, Jerry Frey, Ryan Ginsberg, Dylan Hooper, Nichole Howel, Kyle Mills, David Prather, Cooper Smith, Dakota Smith, Zachary Taylor, Stormy Wise, and Marissa Wood all of Camden County. All of the children sustained only minor injuries, except Nicole Howel who sustained moderate injuries. Howel was transported to St. Johns Hospital in Springfeild by St. John's helicopter service. The other injured children were transported to Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach by St. John's EMS. The bus driver, Shawn Danuser also sustained moderate injuries and was transported to Lake Regional Hospital by private vehicle. Robert Shirley, the driver of the 1998 Pontiac sustained minor injuries and was transported by St. John's EMS to Lake Regional Hospital.

The accident was investigated by Sergeant Buttram, Corporal Gisselbeck, Trooper Atkinson, and Trooper Mistler. They were assisted by the Camden County Sheriff's Department, Camdenton Police and Fire Department, Mid County Fire Department, and by St. John's EMS.

In the U.S., approximately 23 million children ride a school bus to and from school every day. Contrary to what you might think, most injuries related to school busses do not occur when the children are on the busses. Most injuries happen while children are getting to and from the bus.

Drivers can help keep children and other pedestrians safe by implementing some of these safety tips:

• Always check behind your vehicle before backing out of a driveway. Watch for children who may be walking or bicycling to school.
• Watch out for children and parents who may be distracted and are thinking about school or work instead of getting there safely.
• Slow down and watch for children walking in the street, especially in areas where there aren't any sidewalks.
• Take extra care when driving near bus stops. Watch out for children who are playing near the roadway and may dart into the street without looking for traffic.
• Be alert when you meet a school bus on the road. Pay attention to onboard stop signs and flashing signal lights intended to alert you to the presence of children on or near the roadway.
• Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is beginning to slow to a stop to load or unload children.
• Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate that the bus has stopped, and that children are getting on or off. Wait until all flashing lights and onboard stop signs have been turned off before you begin moving again.

FOR YOUR CHILDREN:

• Make sure children have plenty of time to get to the bus stop so they aren't rushing to beat the bus there.
• Children should stand at least six feet away from the curb at all times.
• Children should wait until the bus is fully stopped, the door opens and the driver says it's okay to come onto the bus before entering.
• Children who have to cross the street in front of the bus should stay at least ten feet in front of the bus as they cross so they bus driver can always see them.
• Children should be instructed to never walk behind the bus.

Continue reading "Take Caution as Children Return to School This Fall" »

The Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop B reported that this morning at 7:45 a.m. a 2001 Bluebird school bus operated by Doris Twyman,62, of the Westran School District was stopped in the roadway loading students on Route BB 7 miles northwest of Higbee in Randolph County, Missouri. A 2006 Chevrolet driven by Becky Griffin, 49 of Huntsville, Missouri was waiting behind the school bus when she saw a vehicle coming up behind her and realized it wasn't going to stop in time. Griffin attempted to maneuver her vehicle out of the way, but her vehicle was struck by a 1998 Buick, driven by Donna Inglis, 62 also of Huntsville, Missouri. Inglis's vehicle also struck the school bus in the rear before coming to a stop.

Stephanie Birdsong, 17 of Clifton Hill, Missouri sustained minor injuries and was taken by private car to Moberly Regional Medical Center in Moberly, Missouri. Both Griffin and Inglis sustained moderate injuries and were transported by Randolph County Ambulance to Moberly Regional.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has completed their investigation regarding a 2005 school bus crash in Liberty, Missouri that killed two. The Kansas City Star reports that according to the NTSB, "pedal misapplication caused the Liberty school bus crash."

The National Transportation Safety Board concluded that the driver's "pedal misapplication" caused Liberty school bus No. 80 to blast through an intersection in May 2005, killing two motorists and injuring 48 students. The bus was driven by Irma Thomas, who said that she had tried to brake, but nothing happened. There were no defects in the braking, electrical or acceleration systems. However, on that bus the brake and accelerator pedals are similar in size and only two inches apart. They are both bottom-hinged and they feel the same when depressed.

The NTSB is now calling for a redesign of bus pedals so that similar crashes don't happen when drivers mistake one pedal for another. The NTSB has also recommended that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to establish guidelines for designers and manufacturers on the design and placement of pedals.