No one was injured when a school bus was rear-ended near Wood River High school on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Hailey Police Chief Jeff Gunter said the accident occurred at the intersection of Fox Acres Road and Woodside Boulevard when a female juvenile driving a blue 2004 Jeep ran into the bus. Gunter said the driver reported that she had looked down and did not see that the bus had stopped. The driver was cited for the accident and is set to attend traffic school.
"She simply wasn't paying attention," Gunter said.
There were 13 school students on the bus. Gunter said the bus sustained little to no damage, but the Jeep suffered extensive damage, which he estimated at about $10,000.
While school bus accidents in Blaine County are rare, the accident came in the wake of an announcement that school zones will receive more law enforcement attention. In particular, the Idaho Transportation Department announced that law enforcement officers throughout Idaho will be watching for speed limit violations in school zones Oct. 15-26.
As a result of legislation passed in July, drivers in violation of the speed limit in school zones throughout the state will be fined at least $116.50.
The increased surveillance in school zones is in conjunction with the national Teen Driver Safety Week, which runs Oct. 20-24.
Research by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia shows that when 16- to 19-year-old drivers add just one passenger, the risk of a fatal crash doubles; with the addition of two passengers the risk quadruples. Drivers younger than 18 can also expect a fine of $51.50 if they or any passenger under 18 are not wearing seatbelts.
