WINTER HAVEN, FL — Four days, four school bus crashes. Parents are increasingly on edge following another crash Thursday morning involving a Polk County Public Schools bus with 23 students aboard in Winter Haven.
According to Polk County Public Schools, the crash occurred shortly after 7 a.m. on Summerfield Circle near Dundee Road. The bus was transporting students from Jewett Middle Academy when it was rear-ended by a Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck while making a stop. No injuries were reported among the 23 students or the bus driver, and the bus remained operational following the crash.
The recent series of crashes has raised concerns among parents in the community. “I simply can’t believe what has occurred in recent days,” a mother of three told Eye In The Sky News.
The week began Monday morning with a fatal school bus crash in Winter Haven that claimed the innocent lives of two Polk County residents, including a Winter Haven High School student.
On Tuesday morning, a school bus carrying students was involved in a crash in Highlands County.
Another crash followed Wednesday morning in Bartow, where a Polk County Public Schools bus was rear-ended near the railroad tracks at Highway 17 and Spirit Lake Road. No students were aboard Wednesday’s bus.
It remains unclear whether the driver of the Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck was issued a traffic citation. Thursday’s crash marks the fourth school bus accident reported across the area since Monday. Nothing further at this time.
SOURCE: POLK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
