School bus students see fatal smash

The car driver died at the scene when his vehicle and a school bus collided in Papakura yesterday. Two students received minor injuries. Picture / Fotopress

School students watched as a man was killed when a car collided with an Auckland school bus yesterday morning.

The accident occurred at 7.45 outside Cosgrove School as the man was heading south along Cosgrove Rd, Papakura.

Sergeant Paul Latham, from the serious crash team, said the front right-hand-side of the man's car collided with the front corner of the oncoming school bus.

The bus, run by Murphy's bus services, was on its way to St Kentigern College in Pakuranga and had 14 students on board.

St Kentigern College executive head Warren Peat said all the students were assessed by ambulance officers. Two were treated for minor injuries.

The uninjured students were transported to school in a relief bus under police escort. Another bus collected other students on the bus route.

Mr Peat said the school contacted the students' parents but many had already been rung by students with cellphones at the scene.

Once at school, the students gathered in the chapel where they were offered counselling.

All but one of the students, who was taken to a medical centre by his parents for further treatment, participated in a school athletics day.

Cosgrove School principal Vicky Joplin said none of her students were on the bus, which had no links to Cosgrove School.

At the time of the accident few students were out on the street. Children who were walking to school were immediately diverted by staff.

Ms Joplin said students from one classroom which had views of the road were taken into the school hall until the wreckage was cleared.

"Most of the children did not sight it. We gathered the students together in the hall at the start of school and kept them right away from that area."

Initial inquiries show excessive speed was not a factor. The car driver was wearing a seatbelt.