School bus full of students crashes when driver reaches for water, Florida troopers say
A school bus full of students crashed and overturned on a north Florida roadway when the driver turned to reach for a water bottle, state troopers say.
The single-car crash occurred Wednesday, May 25, just after 6:45 a.m. on County Road 65C in Quincy, according to Florida Highway Patrol. At least 16 students were on board, six of whom were sent to the hospital, Master Cpl. Patricia Jefferson Shaw told McClatchy News.
The bus was traveling westbound when the 63-year-old driver reached to grab her water as the bus approached a curve, according to an incident report. She veered into the eastbound lane and overcorrected, causing the bus to slide sideways and spin before landing on its left side.
The overturned bus ended up blocking the roadway in both directions, troopers said.
The students on board ranged from 5 to 18 years old, and all were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, the report shows. A 68-year-old was also riding the bus.
Authorities have not said if the bus driver will face charges.
Quincy is about 20 miles northwest of Tallahassee.
This story was originally published May 26, 2022 at 2:13 PM with the headline "School bus full of students crashes when driver reaches for water, Florida troopers say."