Students from School District 67 survived a head on motor vehicle accident Tuesday evening that killed one driver.
At approximately 5:45 p.m. Summerland RCMP and the South Okanagan Traffic Services responded to a three vehicle collision on Highway 97 between Bridgeman Road and Callans Road, north of Summerland. Preliminary findings by the RCMP indicate that a red Chrysler Sirius was northbound when it crossed over the undivided highway into the opposing southbound lane. The red sedan struck the white 24-passenger school bus head on, causing the school bus to be pushed into a second southbound vehicle.
The male driver of the red sedan was deceased at the scene. The bus, owned and operated by School District 67 Okanagan Skaha, was transporting 14 teenage students and was driven by a female teacher at the time of the collision. BC Ambulance Services also responded with resources that included an Air Ambulance Unit, utilized to transport one student with serious injuries to Kelowna General Hospital. Eight other students and the teacher were also injured and were all transported to Penticton Regional Hospital. The driver of the gray sedan were shaken with only minor injuries. Some of the injured students were treated and released on Tuesday evening.
"The weather at the time was described as a heavy downpour and appears to be one contributing factor. Many areas of the province in the Southern Interior and Kootenays are experienced heavy rain this evening and overnight, we urge drivers to drive accordingly to the conditions,"said Cpl. Dan Moskaluk.
An RCMP Collision Reconstructionalist attended in order to examine the collision scene and traffic was diverted to alternating lanes while the scene was examined.
Further update information will be provided by RCMP on Wednesday.