West Virginia Officials Promote School Bus Safety Week

On the same day West Virginia officials unveiled plans for a statewide safety awareness campaign, a young girl suffered a broken leg and foot when she was struck by a motorist while crossing the street after getting off a school bus.

According to the state Department of Education, the accident happened Friday in Summersville. The 8-year-old is a student at Summersville Elementary.

Witnesses said a driver failed to stop when the bus flashed its red lights and its stop arm was extended at a bus stop. Education officials estimate such violations occur hundreds of times each school day.

In an effort to crack down on those incidents, education and law enforcement officials announced that police will board buses statewide this week as part of National School Bus Safety Week.