Driver Trapped After Car Collides With School Bus on Black Tom Road

A car and a school bus collided Tuesday morning on Black Tom Road in Berkeley County, trapping the car's driver inside the vehicle, officials said. The crash happened in the area of 1123 Black Tom Road, according to preliminary reports, and left the school bus driver as the only person aboard the bus at the time.

The car involved in the crash carried one occupant, according to WCIV, which reported the collision Tuesday morning. First responders have not yet said what led up to the crash, and the conditions of those involved have not been disclosed. The station describes the story as developing and says it will be updated as more information becomes available.

A Corridor Already Under Scrutiny

Tuesday's crash occurred on Black Tom Road. A 21-year-old driver was killed in a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Black Tom Road and U.S. 17A near Moncks Corner.

The road has also seen recent maintenance intervention. In November 2023, the South Carolina Department of Transportation put a temporary traffic pattern shift in place on Black Tom Road Extension, detouring northbound traffic onto State Road S-8-467 while crews performed emergency pavement repairs in partnership with Berkeley County.

Growth Outpacing Infrastructure

The Berkeley County School District broke ground on Jedburg Elementary School along Black Tom Road in October 2024.

Regional planners use long-range transportation plans to identify transportation needs and potential improvements. The available planning material does not establish specific Black Tom Road projects, their costs, construction status, or intersection listings.

School Bus Safety by the Numbers

South Carolina has regulations addressing school buses and safety belts. Statewide, South Carolina operates school buses, and traffic fatalities and school-bus-involved crashes are subjects of state reporting.

Locally, the Berkeley County School District operates buses to transport students across the county. Berkeley County has also addressed emergency access along the corridor.

No further details on the cause of Tuesday's crash or the conditions of those involved had been released as of publication. This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available.