This traffic safety fact sheet contains statistics on 1991-2001 school transportation-related crashes in the USA. A school transportation-related crash is a crash which involves, either directly or indirectly, a school bus-type vehicle, or a vehicle functioning as a school bus, transporting children to or from school or school-related activities. Since 1991 there have been about 406,000 fatal traffic crashes. Of those, 0.33% (1,337) were classified as school transportation-related. Since 1991, 1,479 people have died in school transportation-related crashes, an average of 134 fatalities per year. Most of the people who lost their lives in those crashes (68%) were occupants of other vehicles involved. Nonoccupants (pedestrians, bicyclists, etc.) accounted for 23% of the deaths, and occupants of school transportation vehicles accounted for 9%. Since 1991, 210 school-age pedestrians (less than 19 years old) have died in school transportation-related crashes. Nearly two-thirds (64%) were killed by school buses, 5% by vehicles functioning as school buses, and 30% by other vehicles involved in the crashes. One-half (50%) of all school-age pedestrians killed in school bus-related crashes were between the ages of 5 and 7.
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