Last Updated: 9:46 a.m.
Joseph McKierman, 29, was driving east–into the sun–on Whiteview Parkway at 7:30 this morning when the combination of his windshield’s condensation and the sun shining right above the traffic light at Belle Terre Parkway caused him not to see a school bus stopped at the light until the last instant. McKierman swerved his Mitsubishi Galant, but it was too late: the car’s left side rammed into, and under, the right rear side of the bus, startling its 34 young passengers.
Neither McKierman nor the students on the bus were hurt.
The school bus, an 84-passenger Bluebird, a 2000 model–Bus 20606, called the Lobster Bus–was on a run to drop off students at Pathways Academy, Flagler Palm Coast High School and Buddy Taylor Middle School, School Transportation Director Bruce Preece said.
“I did interview every student,” Preece said, “there were no reports of injuries, no trauma. They were excited. They’d have a lot to talk about today.” Preece said no students were sitting in the rear seats of the bus at the time of the collision. The students were quickly transferred to another bus, and their normal routes and routines resumed. The bus itself was driven to the transportation department’s main bus depot behind Flagler Palm Coast High School swiftly after the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office was at the scene, and before the Florida Highway Patrol got to the scene.
The bus sustained very minor damage to its rear bumper, which may or may not be replaced. “We have a good metal worker in our shop who’ll be able to replace the bumper,” Preece said, if that proves necessary. Mechanically, the bus appeared to have been spared, Preece said.
The school district was calling parents with children on that bus early Friday morning to inform them of the incident.
The 2001 Galant, on the other hand, appeared totaled to the Florida Highway Patrol investigator at the scene.
“When I came around that corner, the sun was right above the stoplight,” McKierman said. He’d left his windows cracked earlier, he said, likely causing the condensation and amplifying the sun’s glare. The FHP investigator said McKierman would be cited with negligent or careless driving.
Jennifer says
I guess it’s a good thing that my daughter missed the bus this morning because that is the bus she rides to school and back, although there were no injuries, which is definitely a good thing!
Kadee Taylor Humphrey says
Youch! His car is a mess, glad no one was hurt though, small car vs. bus incidents usually don’t turn out well.
Cornelius-Alyssa Jones says
The Sun Was In There Eyes At That Time In The Morning It’s Extremrly Hard To See !!! THAT bus Was Just A Shadow To Them I’m Sure Until They Got Real Close To Where They Couldn’t Stop!! Thank God No One Was Hurt There’s Been More Accudents N Palm Coast In Past Month Then No Other Seems Like !
fcfyrwyf09 says
Pretty sad that Flagler Live had this posted before any of the parents were notified of the accident!!!!! I am happy that no one was hurt, but in the same regards the school dropped the ball on this one!!!!
Sarr38682 says
Ppl should be watching where there going cause thats my moms bus and now she has some back problems! Careless ppl in pc!!!
Lasongia Mckay says
Wow!! I just love how people make things out to be a bigger DEAL than it really is. UGH! ITS NOT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS FAULT THAT FLAGLER LIVE PUBLISHED THE STORY WHEN THEY DID & ITS NOT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS FAULT NOR IS THE DRIVER OF THE SCHOOL BUS AT FAULT FOR THE ACCIDENT. (lets not make a mountain outta a mole heel) As long as the parents were contacted, are aware of the situation & the fact that nobody was hurt is much more important than THE TIME THE STORY WAS PUBLISHED.
ric says
I’m glad the kids were Ok. The driver should be ticketed for inattentive driving. So many of these situations go unpunished..
Geezer says
A decent pair of sunglasses can help prevent glare from blinding you.
They don’t come cheap though.
I won’t drive my vehicle without my Ray-Bans handy.
Don’t drive if your windows are not clear.
palmcoaster says
@Lasongia. How is Flagler Live to know if school called the parents or not..? Thank you Flagler Live for the prompt and unique visual way to inform us all.
someone says
I think you can still see a huge yellow bus in front of you with a black bumper with the sun in the way. And he had a small car, the bus would be blocking the sun.
Jen says
Back problems from THAT ?? If so, explain how.
gator says
sounds like to me he was driving to fast,the big yellow bues is not that had to see light on at night,any way you know the road ,slow down would help.thank god no one was hurt,maybe it will be a wark up call to him.
Barb says
None of the children were injured at all and yet Sarr’s mom who I assume is the driver now has some back problems??? Uh oh…..I smell a lawsuit…..
ANONYMOUSAY says
YOUNGER GENERATION WHILE DRIVING: Turn down your music, pull your up your seat, get off the phone stop texting while driving, drive at a safe speed with the flow of traffic, stop trying to be cool or cute and concentrate on the road.
OLDER GENERATION WHILE DRIVING: Extra slow is not safe, repeated braking is not safe, sight seeing and snailing along is not safe. Darting directly out into oncoming traffic without accelerating is not safe, explaining the history of Flagler County and pointing out landmarks to visiting relatives while accelerating and decelerating is not safe. Not buying stamps so you physically have to go out and travel during tropical storm weather clutching the steering wheel for dear life is not safe.
DRIVE HAPPLY and SAFELY (smile)
Iva Hadit says
Couldn’t have said it better! :)
Anonymous says
Bus Driver, There is no lawsuit!!! But i know when i have pain!! My daughter was upset. I am a hard working single mom!! I have to make sure to take care of my body!!! So i can work, please put yourself in my spot!! Ty.
please get your eyes checked!! says
OK…someone explain how you don’t see a big yellow bus..not to mention that you should have been slowing down for that intersection, especially if the sun was in your eyes.
tallyrally says
You must have had back problems before this accident then because I don’t believe there is any way that this particular accident would cause a back injury, especially sitting in the very front of the bus. Looking at the photos, it seems to me the car slide under the bus’ bumper.
Reality Check says
Nothing is ever the School districts fault! lady give me a break this is not what this story is even about so why are you defending the FCSD!! is it because you jknow how poorly it is run? this story was nothing more than a a person with poor driving habits. If you are approaching a 4 way intersection that you know is controled by a traffic device you should be slowing down prior. If the bus was not there he would have ran thru the light onto Belle Terr and who knows how many people would have been hurt.