Over 50 injured after Georgia car accident involving 6 school buses

Field trips for students are supposed to be fun and sometimes educational. One recent Saturday trip to a large Georgia amusement park by some 200 Burke County School District students was anything but fun. Students may have been thinking about how much fun they planned to have or which rides they should or shouldn’t go on. However, their day on May 19 was cut short when six buses and a small vehicle were involved in a massive car accident, which resulted in more than 50 people going to area hospitals for treatment of injuries.

About 200 students were on the buses, which traveled in tandem westbound along Interstate 20 in Newton County, near the Georgia Highway 11 Exit. The traffic had slowed due to a lane closure. One of the buses did not decelerate soon enough and hit the bus in front of it, causing a chain reaction accident that included the six school buses and a car as well.

Over 50 people were said to be injured. One bus driver was seriously injured and airlifted to an Atlanta hospital, though further word on the nature and extent of her injuries was not disclosed. At least five different emergency personnel agencies assisted. The specific cause of the crash is currently under investigation, and there was no initial word as to whether the bus driver would be charged criminally.

For the students who went on this trip, they perhaps learned a lot more than they expected to learn. In particular, they hopefully learned that, when driving, it is important to always pay attention to traffic and driving as that may help prevent these kinds of accidents from happening. As those that were injured recover, it is hoped that the investigation will provide more detailed answers as to the cause of this car accident.

Source: ABC News, “School Bus Crash: 50 Injured in Georgia Crash Involving Six School Buses,” Marisa Taylor, May 19, 2012