A student suffered minor injuries when his school bus was side-swiped by an oncoming vehicle Monday afternoon on Old Shelbyville Road.
The 15-year-old bus rider was taken to Saint Thomas River Park Hospital by ambulance and treated for minor neck injuries. A second student was picked up at the scene by parents. There were only two passengers left on the bus when the accident happened around 4 p.m.
According to Highway Patrolman Wade Myers, a 2004 Chevy Suburban driven by Tiffany McCoig, 33, rounded a curve too fast and lost control. Her vehicle crossed the center line and side-swiped the eastbound school bus driven by Wendy Merriman, 31.
The wreck happened on Old Shelbyville Road between the Crisp Springs Road and Airport Lake Road intersections. The trooper said it is fortunate it was only a minor crash.
“If she’d been just a foot or so more over the center line it could have been a really serious accident,” Myers said, noting the side swipe left only minimal damage to the bus and it ripped the side-view mirror off the SUV.
McCoig was cited at the scene for failure to maintain lane and violation of child restraint for her child passenger.
Myers said the bus driver was not at fault and was very professional in taking care of the students until help arrived.