The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent Federal agency dedicated to promoting highway, aviation, railroad, marine, pipeline, and hazardous materials safety. Established in 1967, the agency is mandated by Congress through the Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 to investigate transportation accidents, determine the probable cause of accidents, issue safety recommendations, study transportation safety issues, and evaluate the safety effectiveness of government agencies involved in transportation. The Safety Board makes public its actions and decisions through accident reports, safety studies, special investigation reports, safety recommendations and statistical reviews.

In the pupil transportation arena, the NTSB focuses on catastrophic school bus accidents and issues various investigatory reports. In this section users will find summaries of all the major school bus accidents that NTSB has investigated dating back to the 1970s, plus key school-bus related studies by the Board. Click here to visit the NTSB website.

Safety Board publications may be purchased, by individual copy or by subscription, from:

National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, Virginia 22161
703/487-4600

In addition, the NTSB posts some of its Highway Accident reports on its website. Click here to visit the NTSB Publications section

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NTSB Highway Accident Reports
about School Bus Accidents:

Memphis, Tennessee: April 4, 2002 a 15-passenger Ford E-350 van, driven by a 27-year-old driver and transporting six children to school, overturned while southbound in the left lane of Interstate 240 in Memphis, Tennessee. The van was owned and operated by a private child care center. The driver and four children sustained fatal injuries. [PDF]

Omaha, Nebraska: February 10, 2003 a 78-passenger school bus veered off an overpass and plunged 49 feet to the ground below. Three students and one adult sustained fatal injuries. [annimations] [pdf]

Mountainburg, Arkansas: May 31, 2001 collision between truck-tractor semitrailer and school bus. Three student fatalities.

Herndon, Kentucky: November 30, 2000 school bus owned by Christian County (Kentucky) school district ran-off-the-road and rolled over, one student fatality. [PDF verion] [HTM version]

Ganado, Arizona: November 3, 2000 A school owned an operated by Chinle School District ran-off-the-road and rolled over. [PDF version][HTM version]. Two serious and 35 minor injuries.

Conasauga, Tennessee: March 28, 2000 collision of a freight train with a school bus near the Georgia-Tennessee border. [NTSB news release] NTSB Final Report
Three fatalities.

Central Bridge, New York: October 21, 1999 collision between a school bus and dump truck in Schoharie County, New York.

Santa Fe, New Mexico: March 2, 1999 motorcoach loss of control returning from student ski trip to Santa Fe Basin Ski Resort, two student fatalities.

Cosmopolis, Washington: November, 1996 school bus tripper fatality involving public transit bus near Cosmopolis, Washington.

Fox River Grove, Illinois: October, 1995 collision of commuter train with school bus near Fox River Grove, Illinois. Click here for the PDF version.

Snyder, Oklahoma: November 10, 1993 collision of small school bus and tractor-semitrailer near Snyder, Oklahoma

Vernon, N.J.: July 26, 1992 charter bus loss of control, overturn and fire near Vernon, New Jersey

Palm Springs, Calif.: July 31, 1991 Mayflower Contract Services tour bus plunge and overturn crash from Tramway Road near Palm Springs, California

Bronson, Fla.: August 28, 1987 collision of Levy County, Florida school bus and Airdrome Tire Centers, Inc. truck near Bronson, Florida

Carrollton, Kentucky: May 14, 1988 head-on collision of pickup truck and church activity bus near Carrollton, Kentucky

Lincolnton, N.C.: February 17, 1986 school bus rollover at Lincolnton, North Carolina

Snow Hill, N.C.: May 31, 1985 multiple vehicle collision and fire, U.S. 13 near Snow Hill, North Carolina

Tuba City, Arizona: April 29, 1985 collision of Tuba City School District school bus and Bell Creek, Inc. tractor-semitrailer on US 160 near Tuba City, Arizona

Jefferson, N.C.: March 13, 1985 school bus rollover on State Route 88 near Jefferson, North Carolina

Miami/Birmingham: September 28, 1983 school bus loss of control accidents in Miami, Florida and Birmingham Alabama April 12, 1984

Jonesboro, Arkansas: March 25, 1983 Jonesboro School District school bus ran off the road and overturned on State Highway 214 at State Highway 18 near Newport, Arkansas

Carrsville, Virginia: April 12, 1984 collision of Isle of Wight County, Virginia school bus with Chesapeake and Ohio Railway freight train on State Route 615 near Carrsville, Virginia

Port St. Lucie, Florida: September 27, 1984 collision of an Indian River Academy school bus with a Florida East Coast Railway Co. freight train at Port St. Lucie, Florida

Devers, Texas: December 23, 1983 collision of activity bus and tractor-cargo tank semitrailer on State Route 61 near Devers, Texas

Willow Creek, Calif.: February 24, 1983 collision of Humboldt County dump truck and Klamath-Trinity Unified District School bus on State Route 96 near Willow Creek, California

Hermanville, Miss.: December 17, 1981 Pattison Head Start Center School van run-off bridge and fire near Hermanville, Mississippi

Waynesboro, Miss.: October 12, 1981 collision of Herman Duvall tractor-pole semitrailer and S.L.& B Academy, Inc. school bus on U.S. Route 45 near Waynesboro, Mississippi

Coachella Valley: April 23, 1980 collision of B&J Trucking Co. truck tractor and Coachella Valley Unified School District school bus on State Route 86 near Coachella, California

Aragon, Ga.: Oct. 23, 1974 collision of Southern Railway Work train with Polk District school bus

Newport, Ak: Mar. 25, 1983 Jonesboro School District school bus run-off and overturn

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NTSB Reports
Involving School Transportation:

Putting Children First: November 2000 report by the NTSB outlining many of the tragic lessons learned from many types of accidents involving children. The report contains a section on School Transportation for Children. Requires Acrobat Reader to view.

NTSB Address Child Seat Safety The National Transportation Safety Board has called upon automakers, the states, and others to establish permanent child safety seat fitting stations so that every parent may have every opportunity to be sure that every child is riding safely in every vehicle.

NTSB Abstract of Bus Crashworthiness Issues. Click here for a PDF version of the final report.

School Bus Accidents and Occupant Protection Systems: Photos and videos are available in either MPEG-1 or RealVideo, and were presented at the Board meeting on 9/21/99 in Washington, D.C., for the Special Investigation Report on Bus Crashworthiness.

Pupil Transportation in Vehicles Not Meeting Federal School Bus Safety Standards: A one-page synopsis of the report.

"Pupil Transportation Vehicles Not Meeting Federal School Bus Safety Standards." June 8, 1999. Special investigation report by NTSB examines 15-passenger vans and other vehicles used for school transportation purposes, that do not meet federal safety standards pertaining to occupant protection.

Emergency Recommendations: NTSB Emergency Safety Recommendations following October, 1995 Fox River Grove commuter train-school bus collision in suburban Chicago

Post-Standard Large Bus Study:This 1987 study examines the crashworthiness of large, poststandard school buses; reviews seatbelt experience

Post-Standard Small Bus Study:This 1989 study examines the crashworthiness of small, poststandard school buses; reviews seat belt experience

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State Accident Reports
Involving School Buses:

Grayline Accident:This accident report examines a motorcoach accident on a school journey in New York

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NTSB Press Releases
Involving School Buses:

Bus Crashworthiness:NTSB press release announcing public hearing on Bus Crashworthiness and Occupant Protection, School Transportation News annual conference