A crash between an SUV and a high school bus carrying a football team killed the SUV driver and injured three others, according to the Pennsylvania Highway Patrol. 

The SUV going westbound near Allentown, Pennsylvania crossed the median at 1 AM on Oct. 28 and slammed into the eastbound bus head-on. The bus was carrying a local high school football team back from a game in Martinsburg.

While none of the teens were hurt, two coaches and the bus driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the SUV was a 23-year-old female who died upon impact.

According to one of the students, the SUV flipped over the median before slamming into the bus. The players had to jump through the side windows to get out because the front of the bus was severely damaged.

Our View

Our Virginia and North Carolina bus accident attorneys have seen many personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits stemming from these types of tragic accidents. Unfortunately,l it is very common for drivers in America today to be either distracted or to fall asleep behind the wheel.

We do not know for certain what caused this young woman to cross the median and hit the bus, but the crash happened at 1 am. It is certainly possible that she fell asleep, or she was distracted for another reason.

The National Sleep Foundation found in 2005 that 60% of drivers admitted that they had driven a car or truck in the previous year when they were drowsy. The same poll also found that 1/3 of those who responded said they had fallen asleep while driving.

The NHTSA also reports that 100,000 crashes every year are a direct result of driver fatigue. This leads to an estimated 1550 deaths and 71,000 injuries each year.

Our bus accident and personal injury attorneys in Virginia would like to urge all drivers to be certain they have had enough sleep before they drive. It is not worth getting into a serious or fatal accident. Getting there alive is what really matters.

It is fortunate that no one on the bus suffered life-threatening injuries in this case. However, the deceased SUV’s actions likely led to injuries to two coaches and the bus driver. Even though the SUV driver is deceased, these injured men still could receive compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. Even minor injuries can be debilitating and affect one’s ability to work and to enjoy life. A personal injury lawsuit could result in a settlement with the deceased driver’s insurance company, which could net the injured parties a substantial settlement.