On June 17 just after 1:15 p.m, a school bus was involved in a collision on Blackwood-Clementon Road in Lindenwold. Dashboard camera video shows the bus driving down the wrong side of the road as other vehicles swerved out of the way. The video then shows the bus collide with a Honda Civic. The driver of the Civic lost control of the vehicle, and both vehicles spun into a pedestrian on the other side of the street. A 9-year-old witness to the car stated that the front end of both vehicles was smashed in the car accident.
There were no children on the bus at the time of the accident. The driver of the Civic, a 38-year-old teacher from Pine Hill, had to be extracted from the vehicle and transported via helicopter to Cooper Memorial Hospital. She was reported to be in critical condition. The pedestrian, an unidentified church deacon, was reported as able to walk after being hit. He was treated at a local hospital for unspecified injuries and expected to be released the following day. It was not stated whether the bus driver was injured.
Police are still investigating what caused the bus driver to lose control of the vehicle. Officers took blood and urine samples from the driver. He will not be charged with a crime until investigators are able to review the results from the toxicology tests.
A person who causes injury while driving may be liable to any parties that are harmed. When the person was driving within the scope of employment, the employer may be liable to the victims. A personal injury attorney may be able to help negotiate a settlement to provide compensation for property damage, medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.
Source: ABC Local, “Scary moments in Lindenwold school bus crash caught on camera”, Wendy Saltman, June 17, 2013