(MUNICIPALITY OF WEST PERTH, ON) Shortly before 8 a.m. on Monday November 26, 2012, Perth County OPP officers were dispatched to a two vehicle crash on Hwy. 8 between Road 160 and Road 155.
Investigation revealed that a school bus was stopped in the eastbound lane of Hwy. 8 picking up students. Numerous vehicles were stopped in the lane behind the bus. An eastbound duct cleaning vacuum truck was slowing down behind the stopped vehicles when it was struck from behind by an east bound pickup truck. The impact caused the vacuum truck to cross the west bound lane and come to rest on the north shoulder. The pickup truck which sustained extensive damage as a result of the crash came to rest in the east bound lane. Fortunately, west bound traffic was stopped due to the flashing red lights of the school bus, thus avoiding additional impacts.
The male driver of the pickup truck, a twenty year old West Perth Resident as well as the forty one year old male driver of the vacuum truck, a resident of Clifford, were transported by ambulance to Stratford General Hospital were they were treated for non life threatening injuries.
Highway 8 between Road 155 and Road 160 was closed from 8 a.m. until 9:45 a.m. to allow for the safe removal of vehicles and debris from the roadway.
The environmental conditions were ideal at the time of the crash. Investigation is continuing into the cause of this collision.
This crash is a reminder for motorists to slow down and pay extra care and attention when school busses are out picking up or dropping off children.