A 20 year-old Eureka woman (who recently moved to the Bay Area) was tragically killed when she struck a school bus. The vehicle immediately caught fire. Six other people, including five children on the bus, were also injured and transported to St. John’s Hospital. According to the MIssouri State Highway Patrol, the young lady’s Chevy Suburban crossed the center line and hit the school bus head on.

The accident happened on Highway FF in Eureka, Missouri. The children were on their way to school in the Rockwood School District. Some people call this location “death alley” because the roadway has several curves and no shoulder. Multiple car accidents have happened at that location, including a deadly car crash a few years ago on Christmas Eve. The reconstruction of this fatal accident involving the 20 year-old woman is still not complete. Initial reports make it seem asl though the roadway itself played a part in this crash.
As a Missouri car crash attorney, I represent people who are injured in all types of accidents – including those caused by roadway defects. It appears that this particular stretch of highway was dangerous. There are several things that can make a roadway dangerous. The speed limit may not be appropriate for the road. Sometimes, as was the case here, the lack of a shoulder can prove to be very dangerous as there is nowhere for a driver to go to avoid an accident. Of course, there are also concerns if a roadway has multiple corves and no median or barrier to prevent vehicles from crossing the center line. If the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDot), also known as the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (MHTC) had notice of these dangerous conditions, it may be negligent for failing to correct the issue.
Bay area woman Kaela Archambault killed in Missouri school bus crash, KSDK, November 19, 2010 (photo also provided by KSDK).