An 18-wheeler struck a Texas school bus shortly after it picked up a student on October 14.
The truck hit the left rear of a Madisonville CISD bus on Highway 90 near Bedias at approximately 6:10 a.m., KBTX reported, citing the Texas Department of Public Safety. The bus had switched off its red warning lights before the collision. The student and both drivers underwent evaluations for minor injuries at the scene.
DPS issued its warning Monday for National School Bus Safety Week, October 19-23, citing a national death toll that included dozens of people killed in crashes involving motorists illegally passing stopped school buses.
Thousands of Texas crashes
Texas recorded 2,358 crashes involving school buses in 2025, with seven deaths and 85 serious injuries, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Speeding and distracted driving ranked as the leading contributing factors.
Nationwide, crashes involving drivers illegally passing stopped school buses killed 63 people from 2000 through 2024, including 27 pedestrians age 18 or younger, according to federal data.
In the separate 2015-2024 period, 962 fatal school-bus-related crashes claimed 1,069 lives, averaging 107 deaths annually. Those totals include people outside buses; 70% of those killed occupied other vehicles.
Among the 204 school-age children who died during that decade, 77 were pedestrians and 39 occupied school buses.
“A few seconds of patience can make the difference between a safe trip home and a tragedy,” Texas Highway Patrol Chief Bryan Rippee said in the DPS release.
When Texas drivers must stop
Under Section 545.066 of the Texas Transportation Code, drivers approaching from either direction must stop before reaching a school bus that has stopped to load or unload students and is operating its required warning signals.
Drivers may proceed when the bus resumes moving, the bus driver signals them to proceed or the warning signal stops. Drivers on the opposite roadway of a divided highway do not have to stop when a qualifying median or physical barrier separates the roadways. A center turn lane alone does not qualify.
A first offense generally carries a $500 to $1,250 fine. Repeat violations and cases involving serious bodily injury carry higher penalties under the statute.
The Dallas Express previously covered those stopping requirements as part of DPS’ back-to-school safety guidance.
DPS also urged motorists to obey school-zone speed limits, put away phones and watch for children near bus stops. The department encouraged families to review safe waiting and crossing practices with children.
Provided by Dallas Express
