News 18 Investigates: Keeping kids safe on the school bus

TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - We've seen a number of major school bus crashes this year. Just a few weeks ago a Clinton Prairie School Bus overturned with nearly 30 students on board.

In February, A Tippecanoe School Corporation (TSC) bus crashed on County Road 300 North. The investigation shows the driver fell asleep at the wheel. Eight students suffered injuries.

In April a West Lafayette school bus overcorrected and his a backhoe along Salisbury Street. None of the children on board were hurt.

In September two students, a brother and sister, were hit by an SUV received minor injures while boarding their bus. The driver was never caught.

"We are up this year with regard to our numbers. I think we're up about six to eight hundred students compared to what we were transporting this time last year so that's always a challenge," commented Brian Baker, Transportation Operations Manager for Lafayette School Corporation.

The district finds its enrollment numbers on the rise, which he says could factor into the rising number of incidents we've seen across Greater Lafayette.

News 18 learned school bus drivers endure months of background checks, medical inquires and investigations of their driving records.

Cameras roll and provide evidence of good or even bad behind the wheel behavior.

"It demonstrates what's going on on the bus, helps with discipline issues and it's a good oversight," adds Baker.

He hopes in showing the effort and care put into transporting students to class, parents can breathe easy.

"They want safe and timely transportation for their children," Baker commented.

State Police believe motorists are the biggest danger to our children on the roads.

"Driver inattention is the biggest problem we have right now," commented Sgt. Kim Riley with Indiana State Police.

"People are too busy doing too many things and not paying attention to their driving. They're not focusing on the biggest thing they're supposed to be doing and that is driving that vehicle down the roadway," Riley said.