A group of middle school students in Mississippi have been praised for their quick thinking after safely stopping a school bus when the driver suddenly lost consciousness.
The incident happened shortly after the bus departed a middle school in Hancock County with about 40 students on board.
According to reports, the 46-year-old driver suffered an asthma attack and attempted to retrieve her medication before blacking out.
As the bus began to drift across a busy four-lane highway, a sixth-grade student seated directly behind the driver quickly took control of the steering wheel. At the same time, another student rushed forward to apply the brakes.
“I didn’t have time to think about being scared,” one of the students said. “I just focused on making sure everyone stayed safe.”
Working together, the students managed to steer the bus toward the median, bring it to a complete stop, and shift it into park. Amid the chaos, another student contacted emergency services, struggling to communicate over the noise and panic inside the vehicle.
The students also located the driver’s nebulizer and helped her use it while waiting for medical responders to arrive.
Emergency officials later confirmed that the driver is expected to recover. Fortunately, none of the students on board sustained any injuries.
