Duson, LA — March 13, 2025, one person was injured in a school bus accident at about 12:45 p.m. at Fieldspan Road and Ridge Road.

Authorities said the Lafayette Parish School System bus lost control after its brakes failed and crashed into another vehicle.

One of the students on the bus was taken to a local hospital after complaining of neck pain, according to authorities. There were eight other students on the bus at the time of the crash.

No other injuries were reported.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Lafayette Parish crash at this time. The accident is still being investigated.

Commentary

Crashes involving school buses raise serious concerns about vehicle maintenance, driver awareness, and whether proper safety precautions were in place. In this case, reports indicate that a Lafayette Parish school bus lost control due to brake failure and crashed into another vehicle. A full investigation should determine whether this was due to mechanical failure, inadequate maintenance or another contributing factor.

One of the first questions investigators should answer is why the bus’s brakes failed. School districts and bus operators are required to follow strict maintenance schedules to ensure vehicles are safe for transport. When was the last time this bus was inspected? Were there any known mechanical issues that were ignored or improperly repaired? Investigators should review maintenance records to determine if proper upkeep was performed.

Another key factor is whether the driver had enough time to react once the brakes failed. Did they attempt to use emergency braking techniques or steer to minimize the impact? While mechanical failure may be unavoidable in some cases, proper training can help reduce the severity of a crash. Authorities should examine whether the driver responded appropriately once they realized the brakes weren’t functioning.

The presence of students on the bus also raises concerns about their safety. Were the students properly seated, and did the bus have adequate safety restraints? If the student who complained of neck pain was not properly secured, that could indicate a need for better safety measures in the district’s bus fleet.

At this stage, there isn’t enough public information to determine exactly what led to this crash. But if authorities focus only on the immediate impact without investigating why the brakes failed — whether due to maintenance neglect, mechanical defect or another issue — they risk missing key details. A thorough investigation should take all possible factors into account to ensure a full understanding of what went wrong.