Students Speak Out After Stopping School Bus when Driver Has Medical Emergency
Two Pennsylvania high school students helped stop the bus, radioed for help and checked the driver’s pulse before emergency responders arrived, district officials said.
- On September 18, 2026, students Alexis Smith and Skyla Horton stopped a runaway school bus in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, after the driver suffered a medical emergency behind the wheel.
- The vehicle began drifting forward while students were disembarking, prompting Smith to rush to the brake pedal as Horton engaged the parking brake to stop the bus.
- "I immediately jumped into action and helped the bus driver as much as I could," Smith told ABC News. Students also radioed for help and monitored the driver's pulse until responders arrived.
- Hollidaysburg Area School District Superintendent Curtis Whitesel praised the students for their "heroism," noting the driver has since recovered and been cleared to return to work.
- "The resiliency of America's youth was on display," Whitesel said, as the district expressed gratitude for the students' quick thinking and courage during the emergency.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Pa. students stop runaway school bus after driver goes unconscious: video
A group of Hollidaysburg Area School District students safely stopped their school bus after the driver suffered a medical emergency during a routine drop-off route, according to media reports.The students realized the vehicle was out of control on Sept. 17 when it rolled past a scheduled stop, prompting them to rush to the front and intervene, according to 6abc.
A moment of panic could have turned out very differently, but one student’s calmness seems to have made all the difference in Pennsylvania, USA. Alexis Smith, a 10th grader, was on a school bus when the driver passed out while behind the wheel. Without losing her cool, the student took action. She managed to stop the bus, preventing a potentially dangerous situation, and immediately called for help and checked on the driver, staying by his side …
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