Rankin County school bus collides with 18-wheeler

A Rankin County school bus and an 18-wheeler collided Thursday morning at Highway 49 and Eagle Post Road, the sheriff’s department said. At the time of the crash, there were no students on the bus, the department said.

Emergency personnel responded to the scene and local authorities are handling the situation, the sheriff’s department said. The Florence Police Department is investigating the collision.

School buses provide routine transportation for students in Rankin County and are typically operated by the local school district. Collisions involving large commercial trucks and school buses often draw close scrutiny because of the potential risk to children and the importance of safe routes to and from school.

Local investigations in such cases usually focus on determining the sequence of events, road conditions and whether any traffic violations or mechanical issues contributed to the crash. We will provide more information as it becomes available.