School Bus Driver, 7 Children Hurt In Shrewsbury Crash Involving Tractor Trailer

SHREWSBURY (CBS) – Seven children and a bus driver were taken to the hospital with minor injuries Tuesday after a school bus and tractor trailer crashed in Shrewsbury. The students have since been released.

It happened around 9 a.m. on the eastbound side of Route 20. The bus, owned by AA Transportation, was taking students to Al-Hamra Academy.

There were 10 children total on the bus at the time of the crash. Their ages ranges from kindergarten through grade eight.

Shrewsbury Police said the injuries were not believed to be serious.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Al-Hamra Academy principal Noor Ali said the school bus was turning left onto Route 20 when the crash happened. She also said there was a similar accident there two years ago, and she is frustrated no changes have been made at the intersection.

"I cannot begin to tell you how terrifying it is. This was terrifying because this was a bus full of, well there were eight children," she said.

"The bottom line for me is I am so, so, so grateful that everyone is OK, and incredibly upset and frustrated at them still not making a difference. Every time I talk about this I am told there are studies done and it hasn't had enough fatalities, or it hasn't enough accidents per vehicle," Ali said. "The point is these are kids. They're traumatized. Four of the kids who were in the accident today were in the accident two years back, they were the same kids who were in the SUV."

Shrewsbury Town Manager Kevin Mizikar issued a statement following the crash. Mizikar said the intersection falls under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

"It is critical to note that the cause of this accident is still under investigation, but speed does not seem to be a factor.  The speed limit in this area was reduced by MassDOT from 50 to 45 MPH in 2020 after the Town requested a review of the speed limit," said Mizikar. "MassDOT may be able to provide further information in regards to the change.  Town officials thoughts are with the families of all parties involved especially the Al-Hamra Academy students."