LEE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — In a heart-stopping reminder of the urgent need for school bus safety, a newly released video captures the moment a 14-year-old girl was struck by a car while boarding her bus in Florida, sparking a passionate plea for drivers to heed the law.
The footage released by the School District of Lee County shows the near-tragic moment when a 14-year-old girl, Abby Masters, was struck by a car while getting on her school bus in Florida, per our news partners at WINK News.
Fortunately, Abby is recovering well, but her story has sparked a powerful call to action for drivers.
According to WINK News, just seven weeks after losing her father, the Masters family faced another heart-stopping moment when they learned their granddaughter had been hit. As Abby heals, her grandparents are determined to raise awareness about the importance of stopping for school buses.
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“It doesn’t take a tragedy for drivers to understand how dangerous passing a bus can be,” Lori Masters, Abby’s grandmother, said passionately.
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, in the United States, drivers illegally pass school buses between 39 and 43 million times a year. In just five months, over 25,000 drivers have been caught violating this crucial law in Lee County alone.
Lori added, “No one is more important than that innocent student trying to get to school.”