Under normal circumstances, people are happy to see an ice cream truck approaching. Upbeat music and sweet treats can put a smile on anyone’s face. But on April 4, 2012, a school bus driver and the children on her bus were probably not very excited to see an ice cream truck coming at them in their lane on their way home from school. The accident occurred on Charter Colony Parkway in Midlothian, Virginia.
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According to a statement by the ice cream truck driver given to NBC12, he saw traffic stopped in front of him and thought it was too late for him to stop, so he swerved to the left, right into the path of the Chesterfield school bus. The bus driver was seriously injured in the bus crash and seven children from Midlothian High School were taken to the hospital. While it does not appear that any of the kids were seriously injured, it was important to have them checked out after the accident, and it would be a good idea to continue monitoring them for any soft-tissue injuries that may appear in the future. Anyone who was injured in the bus wreck should contact an experience Virginia car accident attorney if they need help in filing a claim or wish to take legal action. This information from a trusted Virginia personal injury firm provides information regarding truck accidents involving commercial vehicles, which may be handled differently than a wreck with two or more cars.
The ice cream truck driver was charged with reckless driving. Why he did not see the stopped traffic ahead of him in time is not known, but it highlights the importance of paying constant attention to the road and your surroundings when you are behind the wheel of a car, a bus, or even an ice cream truck.
MH