Runaway Big Rig Narrowly Avoids Clobbering School Bus Full of Kids Thanks to Fast Thinking

In a scene that could easily be mistaken for a Hollywood action sequence, a near-disaster unfolded on an Ohio school bus route as a tractor trailer came dangerously close to colliding with the bus, avoiding a catastrophe by mere feet.

It was a seemingly routine day during the school year when a school bus driver was in the process of training a new driver. The bus was stopped on the road, its red lights flashing, as students were being unloaded. In an instant, everything changed when an 80,000-pound tractor trailer, barreling down a hill at 45 mph, was unable to stop, heading straight for the stationary bus.

The truck’s driver blared the horn, alerting everyone to the impending danger, which appeared to be the result of a brake failure. Cameras captured the dramatic event from various angles, including dashcam footage from the truck and interior shots from inside the bus.

Thankfully, quick thinking by everyone involved averted what could have been a tragic accident on that day.

As the out-of-control tractor trailer descended the hill, a pickup truck driver on the opposite side of the road, facing the opposite direction, noticed the perilous situation unfolding while waiting for the bus to move. Acting swiftly, he put his truck in reverse, creating just enough space for the runaway big rig to navigate around the bus and return to its proper lane without a collision. The tractor-trailer was eventually brought to a halt about a quarter of a mile down the road, as the downhill slope transitioned into an uphill grade.

Thanks to the rapid response of those at the scene, the extra space created proved to be just enough to ensure the safety of all parties involved, turning what could have been a tragedy into a close call that ended with no injuries.