Report: Oklahoma School Bus Traveling too Fast for Conditions

An Oklahoma school bus that hydroplaned on a wet road and crashed in Central Texas last month, injuring nearly everyone onboard, was traveling at an unsafe speed for the conditions, according to a Texas Department of Transportation report.

The bus crossed into the wrong lane on Sept. 29 as it was making a left hand curve on U.S. 281 near Lampasas, 60 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of Austin, the report said. Cleveland Elementary School principal Ty Bell, who was driving the bus, took “faulty evasive action” and overcorrected, which caused him to lose control of the vehicle, the report said.

Officials said the bus rolled over and struck a fence .

The unsafe speed made it difficult for Bell to maintain control of the bus. The citation doesn’t necessarily mean Bell was speeding, officials said.

Bell was up to date on his training and had a valid license to drive the bus, records show.

The bus was carrying 27 people from Cleveland Elementary School and was heading to Sea World in San Antonio for a field trip.

Lampasas Police Department Assistant Chief Jody Cummings said students and staff were taken to local hospitals to treat bruises, scrapes and some broken bones. Bell was the only one not injured. There were no fatalities.