Thirty-seven elementary school students and personnel were hurt in a chain reaction bus crash on Interstate 66 Friday afternoon.
Three charter buses were following each other when the last bus, unable to break in time, rear-ended the bus in front of it. The second bus then struck a Honda SUV in front of it, and the Honda SUV then rear-ended the first charter bus. The chain reaction traffic crash happened on westbound I-66 before Nutley Street in Fairfax County.
The driver who caused the chain reaction crash had taken his eyes off the road for a split second when the crash occurred, according to a Virginia State trooper who was on the scene. The driver of the last bus has been charged with following too closely.
Some of the students and personnel were transported to Fairfax County hospitals for evaluation and treatment, but no serious injuries were reported. The injured mostly suffered bumps, bruises and broken limbs, with some cases of whiplash.
A Honda Sport Utility Vehicle was also involved in the crash. Neither of the two people inside the SUV were hurt.
The students were heading back to Harrisonburg after a day trip to the Smithsonian. Arrangements were made to get them and school personnel back home.
