A school bus crash north of Toronto injured five children on their way to their elementary school Thursday morning, one suffering injuries police consider serious.
A pickup truck struck the 12-seat school bus at about 7:30 a.m., while it was making a left turn onto Stouffville Road from Highway 48.
The bus was carrying nine students between the ages of five and 12 at the time, said OPP Const. Dave Woodford. He said four received minor injuries but one was more seriously hurt, suffering facial injuries and possibly a broken hip.
The truck's driver also received facial injuries, Woodford said, adding everyone hurt in the crash were taken to Markham-Stouffville Hospital.
The pickup had been travelling south on Highway 48 when it hit the turning bus, which then spun out of control, striking a minivan that was waiting for the lights to change at the intersection.
Woodford said police have not determined who had the right of way and are looking for witnesses who remember the colour of the lights at the time of the crash.
He said the 14-year-old girl who suffered the serious injuries may have been sitting by a window that was smashed in by the impact. Her principal said she would be kept in hospital overnight for observation, but is expected to make a full recovery.
The model of school bus was equipped with seatbelts. Police believe the students were wearing the safety restraints and therefore prevented further serious injury.
The four children who were not hurt were picked up by another bus and driven the rest of the way to school.
The kids had been on their way to Acad�mie de la Moraine, a Richmond Hill school for students who speak French as their first language.
Woodford said Ministry of Transportation officials and the OPP reconstruction team attended the scene of the crash.
"We're treating this as a serious collision because there are students involved," Woodford told CTV.ca.
Woodford said glare may have been a factor in the crash as it was a clear and bright morning.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Chris Eby
