A tragic incident occurred this week when a school bus driver lost his life, and four students sustained minor injuries following a crash off the westbound lanes of Highway 401 in London, Ontario. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) provided details about the collision, which took place on Sunday, saying that the crash involved a single vehicle, and it led to a temporary closure of the highway’s westbound lanes between Veteran’s Memorial Parkway and Highbury Avenue. The area was reopened around 4:30 p.m. after hours of investigation.
The crash occurred around 9:40 a.m. when the bus, which was carrying 42 students, veered off the highway before tipping over and coming to a stop. OPP Constable Steven Duguay confirmed that four of the children were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Tragically, the school bus driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of his death, stating that it’s still too early to draw conclusions.
The driver, a 52-year-old man from the Waterloo region, has not been publicly named by the police, who are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident. The bus was transporting a Grade 9 class from Kitchener Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School (KCI) to Point Pelee National Park as part of a multi-day educational trip.
In the aftermath of the crash, a command center was set up by police at the East Lions Community Centre in southeast London, where families were reunited with their children. The emotional scene was filled with parents rushing to embrace their children, many of whom were visibly shaken by the traumatic experience.
Charlotte Weldon, a 13-year-old student on board, recounted the terrifying moment to CBC News. “Something hit it. The whole bus just kept going right, and then it ended up sideways in a ditch,” she recalled. “We opened the emergency hatch and everyone was helping people get out.” Weldon, who had mud on her clothes from escaping the wreckage, said she could not fully explain the crash, but others have suggested that the bus may have struck an object before rolling over and sliding into the ditch.
Linnea Knight, whose twin daughters Maddie and Lily were on the bus, described her frantic reaction upon hearing from her daughters. “It was not the morning we expected. Maddie was freaking out and everyone was freaking out,” she said. “I ran upstairs, grabbed a sweater and my keys, and said, ‘Where am I going?’” Her daughters, who were at the back of the bus, described the chaotic moments during and after the crash. “We were at the back of the bus, we saw wood flying, and then after that we swerved down into the ditch,” said Maddie, adding, “Everyone fell on me because I was on the side that hit the ground.”
The sisters believe the bus may have hit a sign before rolling over and sliding down into the ditch, and police found a destroyed temporary construction sign at the crash site. While the exact cause of the crash remains unclear, several students and parents mentioned that the driver appeared to have suffered some kind of medical emergency.
OPP Constable Duguay confirmed that the cause of the crash has not yet been determined. “We don’t know if it was mechanical, medical, or something else that caused the bus to leave the road,” he said. As of now, police have not been able to confirm if the driver experienced a medical episode at the time of the crash.
For Linnea Knight, the accident has sparked a larger conversation about school bus safety. “We just need to really be looking at the safe ways that we can get our kids to these educational experiences,” she said, expressing her gratitude that her daughters came out of the crash with only minor injuries.
In response to the incident, the Waterloo Region District School Board has been in contact with the families of the affected students and is coordinating next steps to ensure the students return home safely. The school board also confirmed that a second bus, which was not involved in the crash, was rerouted to return students to the school.
Support will be provided to the students and families involved as they navigate the emotional and psychological impact of the situation.