School Superintendent Thanks Trucker For Taking Ditch To Avoid School Bus

A truck driver made a selfless decision to swerve into a ditch to avoid a direct hit on school bus full of children in Michigan on Monday.

The incident happened just before 7 a.m. in Freeman Township.

According to the Clare County Sheriff’s Office, a school bus driver heading north stopped at an stop sign at an intersection for a car heading east. When that car had passed, the bus driver pulled out into the intersection, not seeing the semi that was following the car.

Trucker Ben Fiorenza had only seconds to make a decision. He didn’t want to hit the side of the bus, so he slammed on his brakes and steered hard. He wound up clipping the back of the school bus.

Fiorenza said, “Cranked the wheel hard and held it to the right. And she went down in the ditch, hit, then popped back up.”

Fifteen students were on the bus at the time of the crash. Three suffered minor injuries. Fiorenza also sustained a few minor injuries in the crash.

Fiorenza, a father of three, said, “I was just trying to not hurt any of those kids on the bus.”

The Farwell’s superintendent published an emotional Facebook post praising Fiorenza and calling him a hero:

“The Northern Logistics driver is a hero as far as I am concerned…. his decision to risk his own life and take the truck into the ditch is what saved the lives of many….. Thank you Ben Fiorenza! A father of three kids made a split second decision without hesitation…..this action is what saved the kids… although he is sore, Ben is fine. Ben deserves the highest amount of praise and thanks from all of us. Our bus driver and Ben are really having a difficult time. I want them to know that both are in my prayers…..”