Sarasota bus crashes could hit all time high

A school bus crash in Sarasota injured several people Tuesday morning.

The bus was carrying several special needs kids and many of them were taken to local hospitals. The bus driver and aide were also taken. The driver of the car involved is expected to be okay, too. Officials say the crash could have been much worse.

Dan Donohue, a retired special needs teacher who worked in Pinellas County says these buses are generally safe for kids in wheel chairs.

Typically there are normal seats on the front of the bus with seat belts but as you make your way to the middle and back of the bus you'll start seeing openings where there are straps and handles for wheelchairs.

"They're strapped to the floor and strapped to the wall, so it's very, very rigid. It's not going to tip over," said Donohue. "Now if the bus tips over, the student will never fall out of the chair if they are properly hooked up in place."

If the bus were to enter water or catch fire, Donohue believes those straps could be extremely dangerous.

"It's a matter of seconds that they would need to get to those students in order to save them," said Donohue.

But for kids in wheelchairs that may not be possible. He says it takes about two to fifteen minutes to get them out of the bus. In an emergency that could be deadly.

In 2016, the county saw 43 crashes. If the trend this year continues, that number could jump to 54 crashes. That is why officials say drivers need to use caution around buses.