Manchester Township, NJ – A collision between a school bus and a vehicle occurred on Friday, January 26, at around 3:45 PM, prompting a response from the Manchester Township Police Department. The incident took place at the intersection of State Highway 37 and Colonial Drive.
Upon arrival, officers found a silver 2007 Hyundai Elantra on the roadside, showing minor damage on its front passenger side. Additionally, a yellow 2017 Thomas school bus, belonging to the Manchester Township Board of Education, exhibited minor damage on the driver’s side.
The initial investigation indicated that the juvenile driver of the Hyundai, while in the left-hand turn lane on Colonial Drive, was intending to go straight as the school bus, in the right lane, attempted a left turn onto State Highway 37. Both vehicles entered the intersection simultaneously, leading to the collision.
Lamont Lett, 50, the driver of the school bus, along with his passengers – 37 students – were all wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. One student reported head pain but refused further medical treatment at the scene. The Hyundai’s occupants, both juveniles, were also wearing seatbelts and did not sustain any injuries.
Emergency Medical Technicians from the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services and representatives from the Manchester Board of Education assisted at the scene. The ongoing investigation, led by Ptl. Sage Sysol of the Traffic Safety Unit, has preliminarily identified an improper lane change by the Hyundai’s driver as the cause of the crash.