Adopted: January 1990
Revised: August 2010
Download 707.2.3P - School Bus Accidents
1. Transportation Department Responsibilities
1.1 Dispatcher – When notified that an accident has occurred, the dispatcher will call the police and maintain radio contact with the vehicle involved.
1.2 Other Transportation Staff
1.2.1 Transportation staff will notify the Transportation Training Specialist, Coordinator of Transportation, Director of Finance and Operations, and the office of the principal or administrator of the school the students attend.
1.2.2 Routers will print a roster of students and give it to the dispatcher.
1.2.3 Transportation staff will work cooperatively with the school to notify parents/guardians of students as described in 2.1.3 below.
1.3 The Transportation Training Specialist or designee will take the following actions:
1.3.1 Proceed to the accident site immediately;
1.3.2 Take charge of the accident site, in cooperation with the investigating police officer;
1.3.3 See that all injured persons (if any) receive proper care;
1.3.4 Determine facts pertaining to the accident;
1.3.5 Release the bus and students, after consulting with the investigating police officer;
1.3.6 When appropriate or required, transport the school bus driver to the district-designated medical facility for drug or alcohol testing;
1.3.7 At the earliest possible opportunity, meet with the principal or administrator or designee about the accident;
1.3.8 Transmit facts about the accident to the Coordinator of Transportation, Director of Finance and Operations and principal or administrator;
1.3.9 Submit all required reports to the insurance company and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety;
1.3.10 Submit accident facts to the district Accident Review Committee, and
1.3.11 Conduct follow-up programs, as needed, with drivers.
2. School Staff Responsibilities
2.1 The principal or administrator or designee will take the following actions:
2.1.1 Go to the accident scene, if necessary, and work with the Transportation Training Specialist or designee and/or investigating police officer;
2.1.2 Determine whether it is necessary for the school nurse to go to the accident scene to check students or to check students as they arrive at school, and
2.1.3 Communicate with Transportation staff to determine the most appropriate and timely notification of the accident to parents and guardians. In general, school staff will notify parents and guardians of accidents that occur on the way to school or on field trips and Transportation staff will notify parents and guardians of accidents that occur on the way home from school.
3. Bus Driver Responsibilities
If a bus driver is involved in a traffic accident, at the scene of the accident he or she will:
3.1 Stop immediately (shut off engine and set brakes);
3.2 Notify the Transportation Department of the accident by radio. (If unable to use the radio, the driver will write down the location and assistance needed, and ask a student or bystander to make the telephone call);
3.3 Assist any injured person (NOTE: never move an injured person unless they are in imminent danger);
3.4 Protect the area by properly placing emergency warning triangles;
3.5 Record seat placement of students on passenger roster (located in yellow folder in the bus);
3.6 Provide his or her name, driver’s license number and insurance information to those involved;
3.7 Not discuss the accident with anyone except the Transportation Training Specialist, other school district designee and the police;
3.8 Record the date, time, location and description of the accident, and any of the following information, as appropriate, on the accident report (located in blue folder in the bus):
3.8.1 Other driver(s) – name, address, telephone number, driver’s license number and state, and insurance information;
3.8.2 If driver is not the vehicle owner, vehicle owner – name, address, telephone number and insurance information;
3.8.3 Passenger – name, address and telephone number;
3.8.4 Damage to property of others;
3.8.5 Other vehicle(s) – license number and state, vehicle type, make and year, and insurance information;
3.8.6 Injured person(s) – name, address and telephone number, and description of injury;
3.8.7 Witness(es) – names, addresses and telephone numbers, and
3.8.8 Investigating police officer – name and badge number.
3.9 Return to the bus garage, complete the appropriate accident report forms, meet with the Transportation Training Specialist and sign the state accident report form.