A laser beam pointed at a school bus driver, was the cause of a child’s injuries which landed him in the Hospital, TLS has learned. Sources say a school bus was transporting children home from school on Tuesday, when one of the students pulled out a laser and began shining it at the bus driver.
According to sources, the bus driver, blinded by the laser, slammed on the brakes, bringing the school bus to an abrupt stop and confiscated the toy.
As the bus slammed on the breaks however, a child, 9, who was waiting at the top of the stairs to get off the bus tumbled down the stairs, landing head first into the glass door, suffering a head laceration.
Being in the vicinity of the boy’s home, the driver dropped the child off at his home.
Upon seeing the bloodied child come off the bus, the mother immediately contacted an EMT from the block, who sent the child to the Hospital.
The child was taken by his mother Jersey Shore Medical Center, where he received several staples for his injuries.
This incident comes just days after a reader complained of the misuse of lasers by young children. TLS.
The child should have been in his seat with the seatbelt on and not standing. I hope he heals well and will be fine.
why in the world would a parent allow a child take a device like this to school. Do parents speak to there children about whats right or wrong?
I don’t understand it. This problem of laser pointers is growing every day, it affects to many people in a negative way causing harm. Our Politicans make laws making it more difficult to purchase cold medicine, tobacco products, bath products, etc.. but our Politicians can’t make a law making it difficult to purchase these laser pointers. Hopefully if Senator Singer reads this article and some of the comments that will be posted he can introduce a bill into the State making it more difficult to purchase these lasers. There is no reason for common everyday people to purchase these laser pointers. I feel that only certain individuals need these laser pointers to help with their jobs, to list a few off of the top of my head are teachers, contractors, law enforecment, fire inspectors. Wake up Politicans and start looking into a law on the sale and possession of these laser pointers.
so what happened to the kid who pointed it???
have you ever been on a school bus?
The bus driver should be fired for allowing this to happen. Why would you slam on the breaks nowing you have a child standing by the stepps.
Did the driver slam on the break out of anger and in order to intimidate the children? Years ago in lakewood I had such a driver… This incident should be fully investigated.
Or maybe the driver slammed on the brakes to STOP the bus because he/she could not SEE!! Why are you blaming the driver he didn’t point the laser into his own eyes.
217 LPD and 213 LPD should solve the problem together
A. the child should not have been allowed to stand while the bus is moving.
B. if the drive saw the child visibly hurt (bloodied forehead) – 911 should have been called and the ride ended right there.
children are often going to get their hands on “toys” and gadgets that kids should not have. they dont always understand the repercussions of their actions, or future actions- so this is life. we live & learn. none of the injuries would have occurred if the bus driver would have been following the procedures and not allowed anyone to stand while in motion.
A parent obviously provided a child with something he/she should not have. If you ever notice school buses, kids are all over the place on it – right or wrong – fact. I think the driver acted responsibly by bringing the injured child home. The child who did it, deserves a punishment for everyone to remember and parents – take a bit more responsibility.
Stop blaming the world and give some thought to your responsibilities.
Don’t blame the driver. Did the busdriver bring the laser pointer on the bus. We should be thankful that’s all that happened. I live on a busy side street off Central Ave and about 50 AM buses pass my house and rarely are children sitting on the buses. Tell/teach your children to sit on the bus or any moving motor vechicle. Parents need to take some responsibilty for their childrens actions. How old was this child?
ppl are making it sound like they never give their children dangerous thing to play with .
a.the driver did what anyone would of done when you suddenly and unexpectedly cant see. its a split econd reflex that any oone of us would of done
b.PARENTS DONT BUY THERE KIDS LASERS!! this could could of got it from any store, from some kid selling them or even from his rebbe as a prize.
c. theres no excuse for the kid not sitting. seat belts have not been used on school since the first buses where used in 1889. the kids should be sitting though. it seems that the kids stop was coming up and thats what brought the kid out of his seat.
BOTTOM LINE. the bus driver is not at fault and he only acted with the kids safty in mind. the rabaiem and princables should come out very strongly about these lasers and kids found with them should be sent home immedeitly!!!
I was once on a school bus night time on a camp trip- it was dark. Suddenly there was a blinding flash from the back of the bus. It reflected in the driver’s mirror causing him to instinctivly swerve.
Thank Hashem no automobiles were in the lanes next to the bus- as we zigzaged left then right a full two lanes-
Seemingly some kid was just taking a picture and the camera flash blinded the driver- and startled him- He most definitly was not at fault- and so I told the head counselor when he asked me as the staff member in charge- what had happened.
Yes- kids tumbled- one kid was crying- and another needed an ice-pack. B”H we all lived to tell the tale.
A lazer is a far, far more dangerous tool, and can cause far more damage- and is inexcusable.
The child with the lazer should be bared from the bus for a while- and the sensless parents should be made to drive him to school.
As for the injured boy, the parents of the lazer child should pay the hospital bills, and the child with the lazer should be Michunach to write apology notes.
I fully agree with #11. it’s time to stop blaming others for the poor way children are brought up. The child who had the laser should not be allowed on the bus for 30 days. The BOE needs to take action and stop playing politics. I urge the board to take action at your next meeting
BTW FYI-
In brooklyn, where many schools supply their own busses with the school name on it- it is always interesting to note just which schools have far reaching control over their students- even on the bus runs.
Yes- some schools do maintain decorum on bus runs.
If a school would implement a demerit system- where as if a child misbehaves – the parent would be forced to drive the child a week, you would see just how fast all kids on all busses would behave.
Unbelieveable!!!! Is there no accountability with todays generation. Blame the bus driver??? are you kidding!!!!!! that child put every person and car on the road at risk and you want to blame the bus driver???
I’m waiting for the comments. ” we must stop sweeping this crisis under the rug” when will we come out into the open and talk about this issue of the “laser crisis”?! Where are the rabonim?!
#15
the child is the cause of the problem. the question is if the “adult” driver intentionally slammed the brakes out of anger.
to 6 & 7:
LEARN HOW TO SPELL:
The correct spelling is BRAKES & not BREAKS!
Is it just a coincidence that these laser stories are cropping up the week after every kid who came to Avos Ubanim got a laser pointer? Maybe Avos Ubanim should organize a buy-back program where they will replace the laser with another prize for any kid who brings it back.
why would anyone give a laser to a child?
2nd point is obviously the child must have been standing around to get that close to the driver.
lasers are tools for adullts , not children
The rules of kids standing on the busses nedd to be addressed. I am sure that I’m not the only person who has seen kids standing and hanging out the bus windows. You can’t blame the drivers, if they try to make the kids follow the rules they get flak from the parents. Parents teach your children to listen to the driver and other adults. AS FOR THE LASER IT IS not a toy. tHINK ABOUT WHAT YOU GIVE YOUR CHILDREN.
Natural accident kids make mistakes it’s life
Children should be tought how to, and how not to have fun.
That’s exactly the problem with todays generation – there’s no guidence.
Face it,kids dont sit down on busses And buss drivers try as hard as they can to sit the kids down (or at least thats what my daughter sais)But the kids dont listen. Well whatever happens KIDS WILL BE KIDS!!!!!
The bus driver did everything right except 1 thing. He should not have let that child off the bus hurt. I know the stop was right there but he should have stopped let the parent know what happen, called 911 then called his/her boss and let them know what happen. Most kids who ride the bus these day are disrespectful to the driver and don’t listen. The stand in the isles and on the seats, they open the windows even in the dead of winter so they can hang out and point and yell at people, and they through things out the windows at other drivers. About the lasers most stores I have seen won’t see a laser to anyone under 18 so these children have to be given them from someone who is over 18 who bought them.
@ # 35 there is nothing natural about this and if you intentionally point a laser or any bright light at anyone it’s surely is not a accident, you wouldn’t be saying that if it was child that got hurt now would you?
the kids can (and do) buy them in the dollar store.
Quote “In brooklyn, where many schools supply their own busses with the school name on it”
WHat the heck does that have to do with anything and besides who care what they do in Brooklyn!
seatbelts???? Which school bus has kids seatbelted??? I wish!!!!! May Hashem watch over our kids.
Why would the driver slam his brakes out of anger? Do you believe he or she has a vendetta against the children they transport everyday? Doesn’t it seem more likely that when blinded by the laser, the driver instinctively hit their brakes out of concern that they couldn’t see and were momentarily stunned? Why blame the driver when its obvious the child with the laser was at fault?
Someone needs to report these dollar stores then because it is against the law to sell lasers to children and the reason is clear why.
Is it just me, or nobody know how to spell around here?
To #21 and everyone else: Is that all? How about “THERE” instead of “THEIR”? How about “SHOULD OF” instead of “SHOULD HAVE”?How about “ISLES” instead of “AISLES?” How about “BARED” instead of “BARRED?”…. And the list could go on and on. I think most commenters here were on school busses whose drivers were blinded by lasers and the kids never made it to school!
To #35 who cares about grammer we are here to voice our opinion not learn how to write and spell correctly. If it bothers you that much write to TLS about it so the can write a story about it.
I agree with the previous comments. It is quite obvious from the spelling and usage here that the school bus should be picking up some adults too.
Hey Chaim:
Great idea, make the schools buy, run and maintain their own school buses. I can see my school taxes going down now.
I commented on the previous laser article with links. This is a lethal weapon and unlicensed possession and sale should be a felony.
That doesn’t mean you need a license to buy a hammer with the intent of killing or otherwise harming someone with it. But if you use it as a weapon, it’s a crime.
As of now, the same goes for the lasers… except the lasers are as dangerous as a surface-to-air missile.
A line must be drawn immediately, any laser over 2mw must be classified as deadly weapons.
Wow so many people who botch the English language so sad.
1. Suspend the student that used the laser from the bus.
2, Parental supervision while transporting the student should help with behavior problems until the student’s suspension is complete.
3. Insist that all students remain seated, until the bus comes to a complete stop. This needs enforcement.
4. Advise all parents and students that if a laser is used on the bus, there is an automatic 2 week suspension from bus transportation.
this blog is not meant for all you english teachers who just cant stomach misspelled words, get over it. as long as you can read it, its fine. stop with the kvetching and correcting who cares live life. when its important well use spell check until then just read and enjoy!!!!!
If they do things so great in Brookylyn then as the saying goes ,go live there. As for correct spelling, isn’t it taught in school anymore? Nothing worse than reading an article with so many misspelled words. About lasers they are against the law for kids to have them so an adult has to be buying them. Come on parents admit to purchasing them.
How did the driver get blinded while driving ? doesn’t the driver face forward ? and therefore the laser would have been on his back ?
@ #45, the same way when someone is driving behind you with their high beams on, it hits your rear view mirror and reflects off in your eyes.
kid should be arrested and punished. He should not be allowed to use the bus for 30 days. Let his parents drive him to and from school. The BOE must take a position on this
As a school bus driver I recently had a HS student at the back of the bus, behind the driver, point a laser at kids right behind me. It hit the mirror several time. This is a definite hazard. If an officer sees the red dot of a pointer in a school bus he will assume there is a gun on board, will stop the bus and board with a gun. This is a fact. As a driver if I could kick him off for the year I would. It is that serious. As for the child, he should always be seated until the bus come to a complete stop. Period. There is also a white line on the floor that they should never be in front of. I hope that the child recovered, however the driver is ultimately responsible for all the children on the bus. The district I am in has no policy, but should. It is shrugged off by administrators. Parents stop defending irresponsible children and make our job easier. Put yourselves in our position. Most parents I have talked to have said you couldn’t pay them enough to do our job.