A student in Texas was able to save a school bus full of his classmates when the bus driver suffered from a medical emergency, and he says that part of the credit for the save goes to a truck driver uncle who taught him how to drive an 18 wheeler.
School Bus Driver Swerves Into Ditches, Drives In Circles
On February 1 in La Grange, Texas, seventh grader Karson Vega and six other students were riding the bus on the way home from school when Vega noticed that there was something wrong with the way that the bus driver was operating.
Said Vega, “He missed a turn and went into a ditch. Then he had to back up, that’s when I started thinking. Then he started making circles and stuff. He was going off into a ditch on almost every turn.”
Seventh Grader Swings Into Action
After telling another student to watch over the terrified younger kids on the bus and calling 911, Vega went into action. He sat on the incapacitated school bus driver’s lap, and started to take control of the bus. Vega told WFLA, “He wouldn’t take his feet off [the pedal] so I kicked them over a little, so I could get the brake and stuff and turn the flashers on and everything.”
The bus was heading down state Highway 71. Vega said that he couldn’t find a good place to stop, so he drove the bus for about two miles before bringing the vehicle to a stop near a bridge close to the Colorado river.
None of the students were hurt. The bus driver was taken to the hospital and is expected to be okay.
Student Says Practice Driving Semi Truck Helped Him Stop School Bus
When asked whether he was frightened by having to take control of the school bus, Vega told WFLA, “My uncle let me drive his 18-wheeler, so it’s pretty much the same thing.” He also says that he practices driving on back roads with family members.
Vega said that he believes the bus ride could have ended in tragedy if he hadn’t acted quickly. “We would’ve all died. Because he was swerving off pretty much into the river and off that hill too.”
WMC Action News 5 – Memphis, Tennessee