School Bus Injuries: What Every Charleston Parent Needs to Know

About 25 million US schoolchildren ride one of the nation’s 500,000 school buses every day. School buses remain the safest form of transportation, with fewer injuries per year than any other ground-based mode of travel. In Greenville County, for example, school buses make 1,900 trips per day, yet they average fewer than one incident per day, according to the Greenville County Schools transportation director.

These statistics comfort many parents. When your child is injured, however, the numbers mean nothing. All that matters is that your child suffered injuries and needs help. 

Here, we provide information for Charleston parents and families about school bus injuries, safety, and what to do if someone you love gets hurt.

School Bus Laws

Section 56-5-2770 of the South Carolina Code requires drivers “meeting or overtaking from either direction a school bus stopped on a highway or private road” to stop when the bus’s flashing red lights are activated. A driver may not move until the red lights turn off or the bus begins moving again. If the bus’s yellow lights are flashing, a driver may not pass a school bus, but should slow to a stop. 

This rule is modified slightly on multi-lane roads and roads with medians. On these roads, only cars following the bus must stop. Cars traveling in the opposite direction may continue, but drivers should exercise caution. Failure to obey this law comes with maximum penalties of a $1,000 fine and six points against the driver’s license. 

South Carolina’s law is not unique. Every state has a law prohibiting drivers from passing a school bus when the bus is stopped with its red lights flashing. However, many drivers choose to ignore this law, as well as a bus’s clear warnings that it has stopped. 

When drivers fail to follow the law, serious injuries can result. South Carolina police have issued over 2,050 citations since 2020 for drivers who failed to stop for a school bus or illegally passed one, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS).

Over one in four of these citations (522, or 25.4 percent) were issued in Horry County – yet only 6.1 percent of the state’s K-12 students attend one of Horry County’s 58 public schools or ride one of Horry County’s 395 school buses. Charleston County came second, with 274, followed by Lexington (168), York (165), Greenville (153), and Richland (146). 

SCDPS acknowledges that it focuses on school bus safety in Horry County. Yet these numbers show just how many drivers are willing to ignore both traffic laws and a school bus’s flashing red lights and visible red STOP sign.  

The state’s highway patrol received 3,901 reports of drivers passing school buses in the 2024-25 school year alone. The 2025 calendar year set a record for school bus citations, with 473. 

Common Injuries on School Buses

Deaths in school bus collisions are relatively rare. About two-thirds of all school bus-related deaths occur outside the bus, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). Most injuries occur while students are waiting for a bus, crossing the road near a bus, or getting on or off their school bus. Here are the most common injury locations and how to help children practice safety. 

Bus Stop Injuries

Children can face risks at the bus stop. Walking to a bus stop or standing near the road can increase the risk of a pedestrian collision, especially when drivers are not paying attention or controlling their speed. Children may be injured by horseplay or other activities at a bus stop as well. 

To reduce the risk of injuries at the bus stop:

• Arrive at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. Rushing at a bus stop can increase the risk of injuries. For example, children hurrying to reach the bus stop may dart into the road. 
• Stand at least six feet away from the curb while waiting for the bus. Teach children to take “three giant steps away” from the curb to create distance.
• Supervise young children at the bus stop. 

Boarding and Exiting Injuries

School buses typically have steps with a handrail. Navigating these steps can lead to injury, especially if either the stairs or handrail is broken. Children can also be injured if the bus moves too quickly after they have boarded or exited. Sudden stops, jerks, and lurches can cause injuries at any point in a bus ride. Children may also be injured if they dart into traffic to cross the road in front of a bus, if other drivers aren’t paying attention around a stopped bus, or if they cross behind the bus or out of the bus driver’s sight. 

Getting on and off a bus feels routine for many children, yet it involves skills children must develop with practice. Young children especially may need to be shown how to get on and off a school bus safely. 

To help children practice safety while getting on and off the bus:

• When crossing the road in front of the bus, teach children to make eye contact with the driver and wait for the driver to signal to them before crossing. Bus drivers can see oncoming traffic more easily than children on the ground, and they can gesture to children when it is safe to cross. 
• Tell children never to walk behind the bus. Remind them that if the driver cannot see them, the driver won’t know where they are. 
• If a child drops something while crossing near the bus, warn them not to pick it up. Instead, go to the door of the bus and tell the driver what happened. 
• When the bus reaches a destination, wait for it to come to a full stop before approaching or standing up from a bus seat. 
• Use the handrail when going up or down the bus steps. 
• Tuck in backpack straps, drawstrings, and other loose objects so they don’t snag while walking through bus aisles.

Injuries During a School Bus Ride

School bus seats are designed with energy-absorbing steel structures surrounded by protective padding. According to the NTSB, the seats work to protect children in a crash much the way that an egg carton protects eggs during transport. 

Also like egg cartons, school bus seats can’t prevent every injury in a bus crash. Sprains, soft tissue injuries, broken bones, facial injuries, and other harm can also occur in a bus collision. 

Other injuries may occur on a school bus even during a regular trip. Defective or broken seats and flooring can lead to injuries. Children may trip on debris in the aisle, be injured by broken windows or mechanisms, fall while navigating bus stairs, or suffer injuries inflicted by other bus passengers. 

To stay safe during a bus ride, teach children to: 

• Buckle up if their bus has seat belts.
• Stay seated, with head, hands, arms, and belongings inside the bus. 
• Talk quietly to neighbors, so you can hear the bus driver if needed. 
• Keep your books, bags, and other belongings in your lap or on the floor at your feet – never in the aisle. 

Not all school buses are equipped with seat belts. In 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) formally voiced its support for adding seat belts to the nation’s school buses. Other safety organizations, including the NSC, have backed this recommendation. 

Who is Liable for a School Bus Injury?

Some injuries are pure accidents. Others, however, can be prevented. When someone fails to use the care necessary to prevent harm, an injured person may seek compensation for the resulting injury. 

Every school bus injury is unique. The facts of a specific incident identify where to look for responsible parties. Common parties liable in school bus injuries include other drivers on the road, school districts and drivers, and manufacturers of school bus equipment and parts. 

School districts have a responsibility to screen, hire, and train bus drivers appropriately. Often, districts are also responsible for maintaining their bus fleet. When a school district fails in these responsibilities and harm results, the district may be liable. 

When another driver on the road causes harm, that driver may often be held liable. A driver who collides with a school bus or hits a student may be responsible if the driver’s failure to use reasonable care caused the crash. 

Drivers who receive tickets for failing to stop for a school bus use different explanations to describe their behavior, according to SCDPS. The most common is that the driver wasn’t paying attention to the road. Distracted driving, drunk driving, and failure to follow road rules are common causes of preventable crashes.

What If My Child is Partly at Fault for a School Bus Injury?

After an injury, you or your child may wonder what you could have done differently. Could the crash have been prevented if your child had stopped to look both ways before darting into the road? If your child hadn’t been standing up on the bus, would they have been injured? 

Section 15-38-15 of the South Carolina Code addresses situations in which an injured person is partly at fault for the injuries caused. Generally, an injured person can recover some compensation, as long as they are 50 percent or less at fault for their injuries. Compensation is reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to the injured person. If the injured person is 51 percent at fault or more, however, they cannot recover compensation. 

This rule applies differently to some cases involving children. When your child is the one injured in a school bus incident or collision, talk to an attorney. A lawyer can help you understand how these rules might apply – and what effect they may have on your child’s case.

How Long Do I Have to File a Claim After a School Bus Injury?

Your time limits after a school bus injury depend on the nature of the case and who is involved. For instance, if another driver hits your child and causes injury, South Carolina’s statute of limitations for general personal injury may apply. Under SC Code 15-3-530, an injured person has three years to file a claim. However, this time period may change if the injured person is a minor. 

The South Carolina Tort Claims Act governs claims against public governmental entities, like public school districts. You may have less than three years to file a claim under the Tort Claims Act. Speak with an attorney who can help you determine the applicable deadlines in your case.

Contact a Charleston School Bus Injury Attorney Today

If your child suffers injuries while riding the school bus in Charleston, North Charleston, Summerville, or Myrtle Beach this year, you have options. Contact Steinberg Law Firm at 843-720-2800 for a free consultation.