Greenville Online reports that 39 school children were hospitalized in the wake of a two-bus school bus accident in Summerville, South Carolina near Charleston. However, no children were seriously injured and all of those involved have already been released from the hospital. The accident was caused when one driver entered an intersection without yielding to an oncoming bus.
According to South Carolina Highway Patrolman Bob Beres, a bus carrying special needs students attending Newington Elementary School was hit by a bus carrying Reeves Elementary School children when the former vehicle was pulling out into a two-lane road in Summerville.
The accident occurred on Friday afternoon at 2:25 PM on December 18, as the children were returning form their school day.
Thirty-nine students as well as the Reeves Elementary School bus driver were transported to a local hospital, although most of the students involved were brought to the hospital as a precaution and no one was seriously injured. All of those involved in the accident were back home by nightfall. About half of the children were taken to Summerville Medical Center while the other half were taken to Trident Medical Center. It seems that many of the students are shaken up by the incident but will not suffer long recovery periods or long-term injuries.
“Everyone is fine,” said Julie Plummer, the spokesperson for Trident Health System. “Bumps and bruises are probably the worst.”
Beres reported that 48-year-old Alzita Miller, the driver of the Newington Elementary bus, has been charged with failure to yield to right-of-way traffic. William Sanders, Jr., of Summerville was the driver of the other bus and was not charged or ticketed for the accident. Miller was not available for comment to any newspapers or stations covering the story.