Near-miss captured on video as driver bypasses Henry County school bus
Minivan nearly strikes student after stepping off bus
A Henry County mother is calling for more cameras on school buses after a minivan nearly struck her son on his second day of school
HENRY COUNTY, Ga. - A Henry County mother is calling for exterior cameras on school buses after her son was nearly struck by a passing vehicle on the second day of school.
What we know:
Video recorded outside the family's home captures the moment a boy steps off a school bus as a minivan attempts to bypass the vehicle, almost hitting the child. The driver of the bus laid on the horn to alert the motorist, who then came to a stop.
Elysha Strickland, the boy's mother, said the bus driver's quick thinking prevented a potential tragedy, but she remains frustrated that the driver was not stopped sooner.
"(The driver is) not considering slowing down, not stopping," Strickland said. "Then I hear the bus honking, and that’s when he finally hits the brakes."
What they're saying:
Law enforcement officials reminded motorists that passing a stopped school bus is both dangerous and illegal. By law, drivers in both directions must come to a complete stop when a bus extends its stop sign arm and turns on its red flashing lights. Drivers caught violating the law face fines of up to $1,000.
"Once you see that stop sign come out, you want to slow down and stop and treat it like a stop-way," said Joshua Gairy of the Henry County Police Department. "Allow kids to get off the bus and across the street if they need to."
What we don't know:
Strickland said she reported the incident to school officials, but they informed her that the bus's dashcam was the only camera installed and was unable to capture the vehicle's license plate or the encounter.
"The school told me unfortunately they weren’t able to see anything," Strickland said. "The dashcam was the only camera on the bus and they didn’t catch it."
What's next:
Now, Strickland wants to see exterior cameras placed on all school buses to ensure reckless drivers are held accountable.
"I want him to be held accountable. It was a dangerous situation," Strickland said. "At the end of the day, last thing you want to do is take an innocent child’s life."
What you can do:
She urged motorists to exercise caution and remain vigilant in neighborhoods and school zones.
"You have to look out for these kids. If you are driving in this day and age, you’ve known for years you don’t pass a school bus," Strickland said. "You can’t trust a child getting off on the right side of the bus. You have to be aware—these are our children, our babies, our future."
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Elysha Strickland, who explained her son's near-miss experience and shared details from school officials, as well as Joshua Gairy of the Henry County Police Department.