One Bus Driver Fatality Reported
TEA Releases 2019-20 Bus Accident Data
The TEA’s just-released annual Bus Accident Reporting System (BARS) survey for School Year 2019-20 (available here) reflects that 780 ISDs and charters reported 2,210 bus-related accidents and one school bus-related fatality. See graphic:
Far from Complete
For 2019-20, 35 percent of the state’s 1,209 ISDs and charters didn’t respond. In prior years, about 10 percent typically failed to respond.
The completed surveys were due to be returned, electronically, to the TEA by Aug. 31, 2020 — a time when schools were in the midst of dealing with numerous pandemic-related issues.
Although districts and charters are required by state law to complete the survey, there’s no penalty for failing to do so.
The vast majority of the accidents (1,176) occurred on district owned buses, and 43 were on contractor owned buses. No charter bus accidents were reported.
Fatality
The one school bus fatality reported for 2019-20 was the death of a school bus driver in Leon ISD, a 705-student district about halfway between Dallas and Houston. The district also reported nonfatal injuries to 17 student bus passengers on buses that were not equipped with seat belts, and that two school bus accidents were reported during the school year. No further information was available.
The responding ISDs and charters also reported: 1) 164 student bus passengers were injured (two seriously), 2) 10 adult passengers were injured (one seriously), 3) 39 school bus drivers sustained nonfatal injuries and 4) four pedestrians received nonfatal injuries.
The survey also contains data on accidents occurring on buses that were either equipped — or not equipped — with passenger seat belts.