Ghana is Experiencing a Rise in School Bus Accidents
School buses are widely recognized as a secure, effective, economical, and dependable means of transportation for students in numerous developed nations, but School bus accidents are numerous for the past 4 years. For parents with busy schedules or those without personal vehicles, school buses serve as the most practical option for young travelers.
Nevertheless, the escalating number of school buses involved in traffic accidents, which contributes to the already concerning statistics, has emerged as a significant issue.
This worrisome pattern has reverberated throughout communities, prompting urgent inquiries regarding safety measures in place and the state of school transportation.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) characterizes a school bus-related collision as any incident in which a vehicle, regardless of its design, utilized as a school bus is directly or indirectly implicated.
Based on data compiled by the National Safety Council (NSC) from the NHTSA, school bus-related accidents claimed the lives of 108 individuals nationwide in 2021.
The statistics indicate that between 2012 and 2021, approximately 70% of fatalities in school bus-related accidents were occupants of vehicles other than the school bus, while 16% were pedestrians.
Around 5% were school bus riders, 5% were school bus drivers, and 3% were cyclists.
Of those injured in school bus-related accidents from 2012 to 2021, roughly 30% were school bus passengers, 9% were school bus drivers, and 53% were occupants of other vehicles.
The root causes of these incidents are complex, with some attributing them to driver error and others to the inadequate condition of the buses.
Concerns have been raised regarding the lack of proper upkeep and compliance with safety regulations, heightening the dangers for passengers.
In response to public outcry, the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) collaborated with the National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NASIA) in January 2023 to launch an initiative aimed at enhancing the roadworthiness of school vehicles.
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This program is designed to tackle public concerns and ensure that school buses comply with stringent safety regulations.
In an effort to shed light on some of the school bus accidents, The Ghana Report news desk has reported incidents ranging from buses catching fire to tragic crashes resulting in injuries and fatalities.
Not in any specific order, School Bus Engulfed in Flames at Akatsi Agbedrafor Junction
In October 2023, a bus transporting athletes from Akatsi Senior High Technical School caught fire completely at Akatsi in the Volta Region.
Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries during the incident that occurred on Saturday, October 7, 2023.
The students had participated in the 47th inter-zonal festival at Sogakope and were on their way back to campus when their bus experienced a mechanical issue at Akatsi Agbedrafor junction. Thankfully, all passengers were able to evacuate before the fire consumed the bus.
30 Students Injured as School Bus Plunges Into River at Atwima-Kwanwoma.
In June 2023, approximately 30 students were transported to the hospital following a school bus accident in Atwima Boko, located in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region. The incident took place on Monday, June 5, 2023, as the bus was carrying students from Divine Charisma International School. Parents reported that the bus veered off a deteriorated bridge along its usual route and landed in a river beneath.
READ: 4 dead, others injured in gory school bus accident at Nkawkaw
A parent of two affected students shared with the press that the children were quickly taken to Akoma Specialist Hospital for medical attention.
In November 2022, a tragic bus accidents on the Terchire-Adrobaa stretch in the Tano North District of Bono Region resulted in the untimely deaths of four school children.
Three of the pupils lost their lives immediately at the scene, while another passed away shortly after arriving at the hospital. The deceased consisted of two males and two females.
Additionally, several school bus accidents suffered critical injuries in the incident, which involved an old Benz school bus with the registration number AW 6345-11.
The bus was carrying approximately 42 pupils from the DS Elite Academy when it skidded off the newly constructed Adrobaa road.
According to eyewitnesses, the driver lost control of the vehicle on the slippery road while navigating a sharp curve, causing the bus to flip over.
STC Bus Carrying Students Somersaults At Gomoa Buduatta.
In April 2023, an STC bus with the registration number GT-1079-20, transporting Senior High School (SHS) students from Kasoa to Cape Coast, was involved in a crash at the Gomoa Buduatta junction in the Central Region.
It is reported that the bus driver lost control of the steering and collided with a speeding tipper truck from Winneba, resulting in the bus somersaulting.
The students onboard the bus hailed from various schools in the Central Region. The incident occurred on Monday morning, April 17, 2023.
Some of the victims were successfully rescued, while others remained trapped in the severely damaged bus during the early hours of the accident.
Six individuals, including the bus driver and some students, sustained injuries of varying degrees. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported.
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In November 2022, a road accident involving a school bus resulted in injuries to 14 students from the Great Faith Rockery School in Kumasi. Out of the injured, four were taken to a private hospital in Ahodwo, while the remaining 10 were transferred to the Asokwa Children’s Hospital. The accident occurred when the driver lost control of the steering wheel, causing the bus to somersault and land in a ditch near the Subin River on the Asokwa-Ahodwo road.
Three School Children Burnt To Death With One Injured As Car Bursts Into Flames At Huu
In June 2023, a tragic incident occurred in Huu, Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region, where three children lost their lives in a bus fire. The accident involved a commercial vehicle carrying fuel for sale, which caught fire. The victims were aged 5, 6, and 7 years old. The 207 Mercedes Benz bus was transporting diesel and petrol to Edwenase, with passengers on board.
The children were among twelve pupils being transported home after their school bus experienced a mechanical issue. Despite their teacher’s plea for assistance from the bus driver, the vehicle caught fire during the journey, resulting in the tragic deaths of the three children.
In August 2016, a group of school children from the St Lious Rainbow Complex in Mango Lane, off the Accra-Kasoa road, narrowly escaped a fatal accident.
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The bus carrying approximately 50 children, aged between seven to 14 years, somersaulted, trapping them inside and causing them to call for help. The incident occurred near the first traffic light on the way to the Weija dam and Oblogo township in Accra. The incident brought the road to a standstill as residents and passengers rushed to assist the trapped children.