The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has made public a preliminary report detailing the circumstances surrounding a recent school bus accident involving students from Leander Independent School District. As reported by CBS Austin, on the afternoon of August 13, a Leander ISD bus carrying 46 students from Bagdad Elementary encountered a severe mishap that left 17 individuals, including the driver, requiring hospital treatment.
The incident, which occurred around 3:14 p.m. on a stretch of Nameless Road, began when the 2025 Blue Bird bus drifted off its intended path. According to details provided by FOX 7 Austin, the vehicle initially veered to the left, crossing over the centerline, then swerved to the right and off the edge of the road, eventually flipping over after traversing an embankment. The NTSB report also highlighted the fact that the road surface was wet due to light rain, potentially contributing to the bus driver's loss of control.
Another critical point raised in the report is the finding that some of the students on the bus were not wearing their seat belts despite Texas law mandating three-point restraints on school buses. Following this accident, the Leander School District has announced new procedures mandating that drivers confirm all passengers are secured in seat belts before departure. As a result of the crash, the 78-year-old bus driver, Tim Gall, faced multiple citations from the Texas Department of Public Safety, which included charges for improper seat belt use, failure to drive within a single lane, and crossing the double-yellow center line.
Subsequent to the crash, Gall, who sustained injuries in the incident alongside the students, was placed on administrative leave and is reportedly no longer employed by the Leander ISD. In a preliminary summary of the events, the NTSB did not comment further, indicating that their investigation into the crash opened on August 14, remains ongoing. Local news outlets like CBS Austin are on standby for any updates as this story continues to develop.
