CVUSD credits bus driver’s training for preventing a much worse tragedy in Rancho Mirage crash
The Coachella Valley Unified school District says its safety protocols and training helped prevent tragedy on Tuesday afternoon, after a district bus carrying 17 Desert Mirage High School students was involved in a three car crash.
It happened just before 1:00 p.m. in Rancho Mirage, along Bob Hope Drive and Ramon Road. Six students were shaken up and taken to the hospital for minor injuries. Authorities at the scene says the bus driver was not at fault.
Frankee Becerra, the Interim Fleet Supervisor for CVUSD, says if it weren't for the driver's quick thinking, the situation could have turned deadly.
"It could have ended up in a tragedy," said Becerra. "She was just, you know, on top of everything, she was calm. The kids were calm."
The District also says its strict protocols and screenings for its employees helped prepare the driver for an emergency situation.
"Bus drivers get trained every month," said Becerra. "We also have to have a minimum of 10 hours per year. And then also the trainings that we have for the for the buses when they come in and get CHP certified, that's every 13 months."
Becerra says improved safety features on buses have helped save lives. Thanks to California's Assembly Bill 1798, signed into law in 2018, all school buses will be required to have seatbelts by July 1, 2025. Becerra says most of the district buses are already equipped with seatbelts, including the one involved in the crash.
Cameras are also installed in buses, and the district has already pulled the tape to review it.
Although Becerra says some factors in crashes are out of the driver's control, he says parents can be rest assured the district is prioritizing student safety above all else.
"You can never have enough training, you know," said Becerra. "Carrying this precious cargo that we carry on the busses, that's our next generation. We have a lot of liability on us, and the last thing we want is for something major or even a fatality to happen. And like I said, thank God that the driver did handle this very well."
The crash is currently under investigation.
To see Jeff Stahl's previous investigative piece on bus safety, click here.
