On a chilly Wednesday morning, two individuals received pressing medical attention, post a catastrophic collision between a school bus and a gravel truck in the vicinity of Warren, Man. The incident, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m. on the intersection of Provincial Road 227 and Road 5 W.
The sequence of events per the police narration reveals that the school bus, progressing with a southward route on Road 5 W, had just entered the highway when the calamity ensued. A devastating blow from a westbound gravel truck turned a regular school route into a disaster scene.
The driver of the bus bore the brunt of the impact, sustaining severe injuries necessitating an emergency airlift. STARS Air Ambulance arrived promptly at the accident site, ensuring the injured driver would receive the necessary immediate medical care at the hospital.
Further noting, RCMP reported that the school bus wasn’t empty at the time of the accident; it transported students whose morning took a frightening turn. Among the young passengers, one Grade 11 student ended up in the hospital with injuries, thankfully non-life-threatening. Quelling the panic of anxious parents, the remaining students were safely returned to their families.
This incident paints a grim picture as it is the second school bus crash in a single week in Manitoba. A similar occurrence on Monday saw a six-year-old child involved in an unfortunate collision involving a school bus right outside of Steinbach Regional Secondary School. The young one, too, was moved to the hospital post the incident.
The records maintained by Manitoba Public Insurance reveal that school bus accidents are not as uncommon as one might hope. On average, the region sees around 60 school bus accidents annually, with approximately 14 injuries resulting from these mishaps. MPI issued a statement highlighting that while trends don’t depict a surge in such accidents, these recent incidents are stern reminders of the critical need for increased school bus safety measures.
Josh Watt, the executive director of the Manitoba School Board Association, conversing with CTV News Winnipeg, echoed deep concern about the recent accidents. He revealed that the school boards would diligently review the crash assessments documented by MPI and RCMP. In his words, “This week’s accidents have touched all of us deeply, and our sympathies are with all those involved”.
