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Osceola schools honor driver after bus 'near miss' captured on video
Summary
A school bus driver whose quick actions prevented students from being struck by a passing dump truck was honored at the May 27 School Board of Osceola County meeting after district video of the incident was shown to board members.
The School Board of Osceola County on May 27 recognized a bus driver whose actions, the district said, prevented a possible injury when a dump truck failed to stop while students were boarding.
At the meeting transportation staff played surveillance video from Bus 115 showing students crossing and a dump truck that did not stop. After the clip, the board introduced Vicky Turosi, the bus driver captured on the footage, and presented her with a certificate of appreciation and a “swag bag.”
“I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. I put on my red lights to complete stop,” Turosi said at the meeting, describing the moment she saw the truck and shouted “Stop” to prevent students from continuing to cross. “I was trying to save their lives.”
A staff member who played the footage identified the roadway as one where dump trucks were working and said the district relies on a combination of technology, training and protocols — and the judgment of drivers — to keep students safe. The district said the video came from the bus’s surveillance system and asked attendees to note the driver’s quick response.
The board framed the recognition as an example of the importance of its transportation staff. No vote or formal policy change followed; the item was a recognition and presentation by district staff.
The board did not discuss enforcement steps for motorists who fail to stop for school buses during the meeting. The district’s transportation presentation and Turosi’s remarks constituted the public record of the incident shown to the board.
