New Jersey school bus driver drunk at time of accident

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A school bus driver involved in a recent crash in New Jersey was also accused of being under the influence at the time that the bus accident occurred. Fortunately, no school children were on the bus at the time the accident occurred, but the accident did occur at 1:45 in the afternoon. This same bus driver may have been transporting children later that afternoon. One parent described the situation as frightening. "You put your kids on the bus in the morning and you say goodbye to them, and you think they're in safe hands." Letting someone else take care of the transportation of our children provides parents with a sense of security. Unfortunately, as the above incident demonstrates, even drivers of school buses can be at fault for accidents. Those in charge of operating the buses must abide by the same traffic laws as everyone else. These drivers have a heightened duty since they are in charge of transporting our children back and forth. School officials should be taking all necessary precautions to make certain that accidents involving the transportation of our children do not occur. The school district must monitor the behavior of individuals operating the bus and make certain that only the highest quality drivers are hired for the job. The above accident could have turned tragic. A school bus driver intoxicated during the middle of the afternoon might have been transporting a bus load of school children rather than driving an unoccupied bus. This follows another New Jersey incident where a school bus driver was reported operating a bus while being drunk. These types of incidents cannot be allowed to occur. Source: NBC New York, "NJ School Bus Driver Charged with DWI After Crash," Nov. 15, 2011