A school bus carrying 30 children was hit by a pickup truck at an intersection on U.S. 17 in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). The Virginian-Pilot is reporting one of the vehicles ran a traffic light at the intersection leading to the truck-bus wreck.
The crash was so severe that the bus flipped over while the driver of the pickup truck had to be cut from the vehicle and airlifted to a hospital. Reports indicate at least 11 injuries including a 15-year-old who needed to be airlifted to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital due to potential head injuries, according to WVEC.com.
This terrible accident inadvertently led to another accident as a grandmother rushed to the scene. She wound up getting into a car crash less than a mile away.
We dont know yet which driver the bus driver or the pickup truck driver – ran the traffic light or why (was the at-fault driver potentially distracted?). Well have to wait and see what the accident report reveals.
This wreck illustrates the importance of being focused and vigilant at intersections. Approximately one-third of all car accidents take place at an intersection and over 40 percent of all car wreck fatalities involved drivers failing to yield the right of way, driving through a stop sign or ignoring a traffic light, according to the Driving Institute of America.
All drivers need to possess a thorough understanding of intersection regulations. For example, yield to an oncoming vehicle if you plan to make a left turn at a regular green light. Another example is making a right turn at the red light look for signs indicating if this is allowed at that particular intersection. Though, the most important guideline is to be cautious. Dont approach an intersection in a hurry with the intent to dodge other vehicles. Taking the time to properly assess the intersection is critical and could prevent a major accident from occurring.