School bus driver hailed as hero for stopping bus with failed brakes

A Florida school bus driver is being hailed as a hero after safely stopping her bus following a brake failure.

Cellphone video shows students panicking after the brakes on their Palm Beach County bus failed Wednesday afternoon on their way home from school. The bus hurdled down a busy Boca Raton street against traffic as the bus driver tried to calm her passengers while steering them to safety.

There was a strange noise and smoke, students told KFOR, and then the bus was out of control. One student told WPTV they were trying to get help as cars honked at them like “we”;re trying to play a game.”

The bus traveled a mile down the road before the driver was able to bring it to a stop by rubbing its tires against a curb, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. There were no injuries.

Despite the terror — passengers can be heard in the video fearing for their lives — the students credit the bus driver with saving the day.

“She was telling us, ‘Calm down, don”;t worry,”;” one student said. “The fact she did what she did, it”;s better than I hoped for and I am happy she did what she did.”

District officials are unsure of the cause of the incident.

“The bus driver took the proper corrective action in order to bring the bus to a full stop,” a statement released by the district said. “The brake malfunction is under investigation.”

Compiled from Review-Journal news services.