Every schoolbus drivers nightmare

[avalen]

Sorry I've been a little scarce the last couple days, I'm still processing in my mind the
events from Thursday afternoon at the end of the day when a little girl stepped out
in front of my bus as I was pulling in. First off, she's ok, just got a little scratch on
her elbow and she's more than likely doing much better than I am mentally and
emotionally.
Heres the scene, two way access road around the school and right across from
the bus loading zone they built a library, a skateboard park and a new city
swimming pool. It all opened up last school term, in the spring. After school
lots of kids run off across the street to utilize these facilities, and including
parents that park in the parking lots there to pick up their kids after school.
The loading zone is a big horseshoe shape that holds 10 buses (40 ftrs) and
a straight area across the top holds 3 more. There are 14 buses all total, me
always the last to arrive so there is no room for my bus. It was causing a real
traffic nightmare for parents for me to sit out there in the street and wait
til the buses left so I could then go in and get my kids. It was decided I would
wait elsewhere out of the way and then come in at the proper time when the
buses left. This was working well for the last couple weeks until Thursday.
The buses left but the traffic light on the corner was red and there was a
long string of buses waiting for the light to change when I was pulling in on
my side of the road. There is a small crosswalk (actually 4 of them) that the
kids are supposed to use to get to the library and as luck would have it when
the light was red the long string of traffic (buses) covered over the crosswalk.
The two buses that were rearbumper to frontbumper obstructing the crosswalk
had about 4 ft between them and a little girl decided to run across just as I was
driving past. The posted speed limit is 15, I was doing 5. But as soon as she
darted out from between those two buses and into my path and I hit my brakes
I tapped her enough to knock her to the ground. I could not see her behind those
buses and she could not see me approaching either. Never in my career has anything
like this happened to me or anyone I know. I called dispatch of course and they called
rescue of course and I was able to maintain my composure until the rescue got there.
Then I fell apart. They had to take me from the scene and inside the office where
they had an officer sit with me, talking with me about other stuff, idle chitchat to
help calm me down. Lots of my teacher friends stopped in to check on me, give me
a hug and so forth. Everyone kept telling me the little girl was ok and when parents
had arrived they were not even taking her to the doctor. They figured the fire dept
did a good enough job checking her out. All this is good and well but can not shake
the horrible "what ifs". Ironically, my daughter who is a 911 dispatcher had this call
come across her computer and she thought it was the school I worked at. She texted
me on the cell and ask me if it was me and for the first time in my life I texted, and
just typed YES and hit send. Her friend Kerry, fire dept chief was part of the crew
that came to the scene and he was looking for me to check on me but they told
him the police took me inside. All the "stuff" took a couple hours to do and including
my boss had to take me down for drug test which is procedure but of course I never
worry about drug testing. I finally got home from work about 6:30 and my bus driver
friends started callng me, everyone was so kind and concerned and it made me feel
better although I'm still crying today and haven't been sleeping much. My boss said
she didn't want me to loose any time over it and she would just have me be a bus
aid and give directions to the driver for Friday. I had alot of good support that day,
I had no idea I was so well liked at work by 99% of the other drivers. By the end of
they day Friday, the investigation was completed with all the witness reports and
the school officer, who knows me well and also likes me appologized to me that she
had to give me a ticket. It was for failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Its a 2 pt civil ticket. I figured I would get one, and thats ok, I was more concerned
about the little girl and losing my job, and the parents sueing me and the district.
I did go into the "head" boss's office yesterday to have a conversation about possibly
making the bus loading zone bigger so all the buses could be inplace before the bell
rang, even showed him which two planters could be removed to allow the loading
zone to be bigger and also requested that the school place crossing gaurds at those
crosswalks. I told him I never wanted something like that to happen again to me OR
any other busdriver.
As far as I can tell I still have my job and no hint or indication otherwise. I told the
dispatcher I was planning on driving my own run Monday and he said he was too as
he was not told anything different that I couldn't.
Last night, one of the teachers came to my house to check on me and let me talk
about the incident and help me get past it. She is my neighbors daughter (snowbirds
from Colorado) and it was her first year at that school but she recognized me when
she came over to my bus that day. She knew me previously as a teacher at one of
my elementary schools.
I've also kept my Lead Driver status, so I guess thats a good thing too. The whole
thing could have been much worse but that image of that little girl in front of my
bus hitting the pavement will be burned in my retinas for ever. Damn the driver
that was blocking the crosswalk view, I have no idea who it was. I'm so sorry this
is such a long post, I'm still processing the whole scenario. I have no idea how much
the ticket will cost me, probably well over a hundred. Thats the end of September,
and I also have no idea how long the parents have to think about if they are going
to sue the district or not.
Just thought I'd share my misfortune and perhaps it will help me process this whole
thing in my mind.

[Shirlv]

Ava,
I can understand why you are still upset. I hope the man in charge takes your suggestions and looks for even more improvements. Look in the mirror and say "You were doing everything right and kids are so unpredictable." Because you were, nothing worse happened. Sending a hug and pat on the back, good job.

[avalen]

note how I said 99% of the drivers liked me, that 1% person was the one whos front
bumper was at the crosswalk. The talk around the drivers lounge was that her story
was not the same as mine. I had asked the head boss if I could get a copy of her witness
report but he said no because it was school property now. I said oh, ok, but then he
added "but I can tell you, she pretty much said what you did"
I thought, ok, and went on about my day. That particular driver had an accident
a couple years ago and left the scene. Me being a lead driver was directed to take
her for her drug test. That made her mad and she's hated me eversince. I just
ignore her, and don't get caught up in her nonsense. I still wonder what untruth
she perceived in the incident that she came up with. As time goes on, my friends
will eventually tell me what it was that she said. That 1% driver can not keep her
mouth shut in the drivers lounge, so it will come out. I still will remain my pleasant
self and not bring any grief or embarrassment to my position. I am well respected
and intend to keep it that way. God will deal with her in his own way.
Some drivers said she claimed I came flying in there, but I knew I was only doing
5 mph and they pulled my black box and yes, I was only doing 5 mph. Other witnesses
said I was moving very slowly but didn't know how slow. Also, there were no skid marks
from hitting my brakes.

[Cedar518]

Dear Ava,....my internet sister,.... first, you did not do anything wrong,.. you were correct in all actions as far as I can see. I do see the district at fault for not having a crossing guard there if it was a known fact that kids run across to waiting parents and/or to other venues after school. Your suggestions are good ones,... if the school doesn't take the suggestions and improve the loading zone,then the district is chalking up mistake #2 in my book.

I know you will think about this when you take the wheel on Monday,... just know that you are a good driver,... obviously as your reaction time hitting the breaks saved the child's life! Hang onto that fact, ok?

((((Ava))))

[Sparkle]

Ava, you are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. I bet you played that scenario again and again as if it was a loop of tape playing endlessly. It will pass, just remember no permanant damage was done. I'm so glad so many people supported you, it really helps to get those mental and physical hugs.

[Bethers]

Ava, Thank God that little girl is not hurt - and that is what you have to remember when you keep going over this.

Yes, a situation happened that you'll replay over and over - and Sparkle gave the name to what's happening to you. Hold on to yourself and remember you did right, and remember that both you and that little girl are fine.

A big, big hug to you - you need several of them - and they are here.

[avalen]

Friday when they sent a driver to do my route and I was to be the "gps" for him, he was
a brand new driver that just finished training and got his certification number and
was then legal to drive with students on the bus. He had no idea what had happened.
I told him the story, but I also told him he was actually very lucky to be able to do
my run cause my kids were well trained and cooperative. When the kids on my bus
asked about how come I was training somebody I told them I wasn't, he just got
trained and was now "graduated" to haul real students and we let him do us cause
we were so good and we didn't want to scare him from being a bus driver. My kids
were extra proud, it was pretty much the truth, although not the real reason he
was with us, they certainly didn't need to know the other stuff.
I made arrangements ahead of time to come in to the school late, after all the
buses had left and the traffic had cleared. We were in there about 5 minutes
after the traffic had cleared out. I was told the vice principal did crossing gaurd
duty at the crosswalk. Kinda like closing the gate after the cows got out.
Anyway, the new drivers skills were not impressive but its not easy to handle
a 40 ftr and does take practice to get your skills well rehearsed. Those of you
that drive the big class A MHs most likely know what I mean. Although I'm not
a certified trainer it did make me feel good to give him a few hints that were
not stressed upon during training. For example.....your tight right turn, if you
just can't swing wide enough and hog the road and you absolutely have to catch
the curb with your rear duals, do it slowly, roll up very slowly and roll down very
slowly as opposed to bumping it up or dropping if off the curb. Curbing the tires
is really bad on the tires and you could get an unexpected blowout a few miles
down the road but if you must, its better to crawl all the way over than to scrape
or rub the sidewall. I also stressed how rolling up and down very slowly to prevent
any of the students from bumping their ear on the metal strip on the window. It
would really hurt. He listened to me very well. BUT HIS DRIVING STILL MADE ME
NERVEOUS!!!! I thought he was going to scrape the side of the bus on the road
signs, lol. I kept saying "get over, get over, your making me nerveous" and he
would change lanes, go down a little bit and then come back into the right lane.
It was kinda funny and he had a good natured sense of humor with my nagging.
I bet his wife has him well trained, lol

[retiredhappy]

(((((Ava)))) Thank God your and the little girl are okay. It sounds to me like you did everything right. I admire anyone who drives a school bus. I can't imagine anything harder. Take your time and do whatever makes you comfortable.

[mtngal]

Oh Ava, such a scary experience, I hope you are getting some rest and relaxation this week-end! Those replays are so hard to live with. A trick I used to do, think about a tape in an old VCR player and hit rewind when it begins to play. And then remember that the school is lucky to have a driver with experience like you! I'm so sorry you had this scary thing happen, hugs......

[Paulette]

Ava, I'm so sorry it happened but was relieved to hear that the outcome was what it was for both you and the little girl! Hugs and remember that it could have been worse. I think your guardian angel was right there with you!

[avalen]

thank you all for your support, its one of those life events that changes you forever.
In time I'm sure the reruns will stop in my mind, for now I try to stay busy with things
that make me think, like games and such. I tried housework but that was too much
wrong think time, too much reruns and I'm just doing the normal small routine things.
Since I was up so early this morning, laundry is done and now I'm going back to bed.

[oliveoil]

AVA------ finally have a change to read a few posts & get caught up on things--------
You know everything happens for a reason-------& I'm very sorry this happened--- & to you--- BUT----- the changes that are being made are being made now to save lives!!!!!!!
You are saving more lives with the changes that have came about by this accident!!!!!!
The little girl is OK-- & all is well-- & with your intelligence & your experience & your knowledge-you are getting things changed so that lives will be saved!!!!!!!!
Just think about all the positive things that are being changed because of this event!!!
And praise God the little Girl was not hurt---------& this was a real leaning experience for her also----to always be more careful than she had been in the past!!!!!!!!
And it maybe a wake up call to others to also be more careful -------you did the best you could do & your experience really paid off here!!!!!!
You can also be advocate for safer loading zones there!!!!!
Blessings to you-------- OO

[Redetotry]

Just wanted to send you a big hug Ava. I hope you are starting to feel better. I'm so sorry this happened to you.

[Getupngo]

Ava, that would have rattled me to my toenails! I'm glad you're getting such good support from everyone, and thank God you SAW that little flash -- stopped in time -- and the girl was not injured. God bless you.