Massive 6-Bus Crash in Georgia Leaves 51 Injured

Date: May 25, 2012By: Atlanta Bus Accident Lawyers | Car Accident

A chain collision on a Georgia highway caused a crash that involved six buses and a car and also left 51 people injured, including a bus driver that had to be cut from the wreckage. According to Fox News, the accident occurred westbound on Interstate 20 in Newton County, where multiple buses were carrying students from Burke County to a Six Flags amusement park outside of Atlanta. Although one bus driver was seriously injured, the rest of the bus occupants were treated for minor injuries at area hospitals and released.

The accident occurred as traffic slowed as it approached a construction site that left one lane closed around exit 98, just west of the Georgia Highway 11 exit. One bus reportedly struck another from behind, leaving a crash that ended up embroiling six buses and a car. Around 200 Waynesboro, Burke County middle school students were on the buses when the chain reaction happened. The trip to Six Flags was a reward to sixth and seventh graders for scoring well on a state assessment test.

Bus driver Angela Anthony, 44, suffered serious injuries and was flown to Grady Memorial Hospital where she remains in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries. Thankfully, none of the children were seriously injured. "Just a few bruises, scrapes," Burke County school system spokeswoman Amy Nunnally said, "Nothing bad happened to any of our children." The Georgia State Patrol (GSP) says charges are pending in the crash.

School buses are often thought to be safe havens for children, but they sometimes can get into accidents that put a multitude of children in danger. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), from 1994-2004, a total of 71 passengers on school buses died in crashes. Though this is a low number relative to other forms of transportation, school bus crashes are oftentimes the result of the actions or negligence of the driver, the operator of another vehicle, road conditions, or signage.