More on Pendleton County School Bus Fatality

1 Dead, 12 Injured In Pendleton Co. School Bus Crash
Dozen People Sent To Hospital

FALMOUTH, Ky. -- One student was killed and a dozen more people were injured in a northern Kentucky school bus crash.

The crash happened Thursday morning shortly after 7 a.m. when the Pendleton County Schools bus and a dump truck passed each other on state Route 22 near Ballinger Road.

Authorities confirmed that 15-year-old Danny Wood was killed in the crash...

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This from the KyPost.com:

Parent: Crash "A Tragic Ordeal"

Ricky Maxwell was sitting at the kitchen table of his Pendleton County home Thursday morning when he received a call that no parent ever wants to get.

On the line was his 15-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, who his wife had just dropped off to take the bus to Pendleton County High School.Over the phone, Elizabeth said the bus had been in an accident.

Maxwell, wearing only pajamas and a bathrobe, jumped into his car and headed to the scene.

He's been a paramedic for 14 years and thought he could help.When he arrived on the scene, he saw a triple-axle dump truck on its side. Down the road was the school bus with the rear portion of the driver's side of the vehicle heavily damaged.Ten injured students were in a nearby house and police were evaluating their conditions as life squads were heading to the scene...

This from KyPost.com:

State To Investigate Crash

The fatal school bus crash in Pendleton County will be examined by state education officials to ensure there are no shortcomings in state transportation safety standards.

Kentucky Department of Education transportation safety officials were en route to Pendleton County Thursday to talk with the driver of the bus involved in the fatal crash and school officials, according to department spokeswoman Lisa Gross.

She said such reviews are routine after a serious school bus accident and that they helps the department know if standards for buses need to be reexamined, [o]r if there are problems with bus routes or other concerns to be dealt with at the state level.She said the department does not keep a central database on bus accidents around the state but that the state’s bus safety record is good.

She said the last death stemming from a school bus accident occurred some four or five years ago in western Kentucky in a crash in which the school bus rolled over and a student was ejected...

...Gross said the Pendleton County accident could prompt calls for seat belts on school buses -- something not required in Kentucky. She said the commonwealth follows the federal recommendation on seat belts, which is to not equip school buses with them...

Hat Tip to Brad @ KSBA: