Bus boy dies on highway

The death of a 12-year-old boy near Matamata on Friday has renewed calls for extra safety measures on school buses dropping off children.

Jordan Robert Eastgate died instantly after being struck by a car about 3.45pm.

He was crossing a 100km/h stretch of Tower Rd, 8km outside the Waikato town, to reach his home.

"It's the speed that's killing our kids," said Rural Women New Zealand spokeswoman Jackie Edkins, whose group is campaigning for flashing lights and signs on school buses to make drivers more aware that they must slow down to 20km/h while passing a bus carrying school children.

"Every death makes it just even more tragic that no one is taking that step."

Witness Michael Lawrence arrived minutes after the incident and said a man, believed to be Jordan's father, was cradling his body at the side of the road.

"At that stage I thought the boy had probably died.

"There was just that feeling about how distraught he was."

Marion Henriksen, principal at Matamata Intermediate, where Jordan was a year 8 pupil, said a trauma team would be at the school tomorrow to help upset students.

"Something like that is a real shock and it doesn't necessarily sink in straight away, but they all seem to be coping okay," she said.

Children are spoken to at the start of every year about bus safety and the school works closely with police.

Craig Worth, commercial director for Go Bus, which operates the school service, said the experienced driver was upset and shocked.

A police spokesman said the driver had stopped and been spoken to.

Jordan's death has been referred to the coroner.

His funeral will be held in Matamata on Wednesday.