South Carolina School District Pays $1.5 Million Settlement After School Bus Crash

School bus crashes in South Carolina are becoming far too common. With each passing week, it seems like another school bus crashes – sometimes with dozens of children inside. A recent wrongful death lawsuit highlights the fact that many of these crashes are caused by negligent bus drivers. A family has received a settlement of $1.5 million for a fatal school bus crash – but this sum will not bring back their beloved relative. What can you do if your loved one died in a South Carolina school bus crash?

School Bus Driver Was “Scrolling Through Facebook” Moments Before Fatal Crash 

Back in 2023, a school bus driver pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter after a fatal school bus accident in South Carolina. The incident occurred four years earlier in 2019, and it left a father of three dead. Police say that the school bus was heading down Highway 101 when the driver veered into oncoming traffic and struck a car in the opposite lane. The head-on collision caused fatal injuries for a South Carolina pastor and father.

An investigation later determined that the school bus driver was scrolling through Facebook at the time of the crash – a clear example of distracted driving. Although the bus driver faced criminal consequences for this traffic violation, it took the family of the victim six years to receive $1.525 million in compensation. This money will help cover funeral costs, supporting the victim’s three children, and other expenses. Laurens County School District also promised to change its policies in order to discourage further cellphone use by school bus drivers.

School Bus Crashes Occur Constantly in South Carolina 

Even as this settlement was being finalized, other school buses were crashing on a regular basis in South Carolina. In February of 2025, a school bus crashed in Richland County. Police say that the school bus collided with a car, but fortunately no students were injured. In fact, there were no students on board the bus at the time of the crash – so this incident could have been much worse. Police also revealed that the school bus driver had been charged with “failing to yield,” suggesting the crash was completely their fault.

However, it is important to note that school bus drivers aren’t always to blame for these crashes. Also in February, a school bus driver was injured after being rear-ended by another motorist in Greenville County. Police say that the school bus had stopped at a red light when the other vehicle approached at a high rate of speed and collided with it.

Can a South Carolina Wrongful Death Lawyer Help Me? 

A wrongful death attorney in South Carolina may be able to help if you have lost a loved one to a fatal auto accident. Whether the person who caused this accident was a school bus driver, a trucker, or an average motorist, you deserve to pursue justice. As the recent case illustrates, a wrongful death lawsuit could provide a family with considerable financial compensation. To learn more about your options, contact Mickelsen & Dalton, LLC today.

Sources: 

wyff4.com/article/settlement-lawsuit-school-bus-crash-deadly/62072340

wltx.com/article/news/local/richland-one-school-bus-crash-garners-ferry/101-14fadce0-d571-436d-89fb-b62930f64dce