Boy 'broke leg' as bus hit brakes

Brian Lashley

September 12, 2008

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Jessica Donlon with her two-year-old son Leao Headside

A MUM claims her two-year-old son fell and broke his leg on a bus when the driver slammed on the brakes.

Leao Headside was hurt when the driver of a Stagecoach bus had to stop quickly to avoid a collision while pulling away in Stockport town centre.

His mother Jessica Donlon, 18, said that as the single-decker bus came to a sudden halt, Leao, from Bridge Hall, Stockport, was thrown forward.

Jessica had just put Leao's buggy away and was walking towards her son.

She said he was crying and screaming and she knew instantly he was badly hurt.

Jessica got off the bus and took him to Stepping Hill Hospital where doctors found he had a broken right leg.

She said: "We'd just got on the bus and the driver didn't give us a chance to sit down. My step-mum had to grab the buggy with my niece in to stop it flying forward.

""I'd never heard Leao crying like that in my life and knew straight away something was up. I'm disgusted with the driver because it was obvious something was wrong, but he didn't even apologise."

Miss Donlon said she now plans to take legal action against Stagecoach.

She said if people were to be encouraged to use public transport then drivers should take more care.

The company has written to her to say it hopes her `daughter' is feeling better.

A spokesman for the Stagecoach said: "We are investigating the matter."

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PW, Manchester (12/09/2008 at 09:09)

While this sounds like a genuine effort to avoid an accident, I am tired of travelling on buses where the driver clearly hates the job. You get thrown about, they do deliberate sloppy gear-changes, and often speed and brake suddenly. Some of them should be sacked because of the way they drive. I also do not feel safe without a seat belt. There is a lot of work to do before GMPTE can convince people to use public transport and vote for a tax on private travel.

Marc (12/09/2008 at 09:13)

i was thrown down the aisle of a stagecoach bus just this morning when the driver jetted off from the stop without giving me a chance to sit down. public transport in manchester sucks.

Leao, i hope you have a speedy recovery :)

JKW, Stockport (12/09/2008 at 09:21)

Yet another example of the ridiculous society we are now living in.

It is obviously a very unfortunate accident that this little boy has had but if the driver had not braked then there may have been a much worse accident. Maybe if his mother had been taking a little more care of her son this would have been avoided.

I also find it a little difficult to believe that if the force of this accident was enough to break a leg, that other people weren't hurt as well.

flo, Manchester (12/09/2008 at 10:02)

I use around 4 buses a day, and the way other drivers treat buses by just pulling out in front of them because they don't want to get stuck behind them is apalling! I'm surprised there aren't many more accidents.

Congratulations to this bus driver - he could have stopped many more people getting injured.

Rugbygirl 2605, urmston (12/09/2008 at 10:24)

Seems to me like an unfortunate accident where the mother should really have been looking after her a child a bit better. Maybe if the bus had collided with another vehicle the accident would have been much worse - now which would you prefer? Bus drivers are doing great job in tha face of rising violence towards them and passengers, plus having to put up with idiots on the roads at all hours. Rather than just blame the driver - put yourself in their shoes and ask whether you would or could have done things differently or even if you could do their job! My Father drove for Arriva for years and was so glad when he retired as sometimes he was worried for his own safety - and that was just from doing the school run!!!

jacko101 (12/09/2008 at 10:54)

Is everyone actually reading the story?

The driver didn't even let these people sit down before he was driving off!!

That happens all the time on buses, I'm sure there are drivers out there that let people sit down before they move off, but I've been on buses having to hold on tight as the driver pulls away before I get to a seat, especially when climbing those damn stairs!

And as for someone saying how come this lad broke his leg and no one else got injured. He is 2 for gods sake. His bones will be weaker than most other peoples and he won't know how to support himself properly yet!!

No wonder this country is going down the pits. Too many selfish, judgemental people pouring scorn on a poor mother and child after a terrible injury.

we deserve better (12/09/2008 at 11:18)

jacko101

Couldn't agree more. Perhaps the bus driver should use his mirrors more to watch the aisle as well as the road. The poor little lad broke his leg so he's hardly
faking is he?

Stagecoach get your cheque book out.

redskyatnight (12/09/2008 at 11:22)

Yes, the driver hit the brakes to avoid a collision and nobody is suggesting he shouldn't have done *that*. But the point is, the bus shouldn't have been moving at all until all the passengers were seated. The point is that the driver pulled away from the stop too soon.

MsD, Manchester (12/09/2008 at 12:13)

I just don't see a claim for negligence here. People have to be up from their seat when the bus is being driven in order for them to get off at the next stop so I am not aware of any rules which state the driver shouldn't drive the bus until everyone is sat down.

This little boy is only two and it would be sensible to have a child this age in reins as tots like this are so unstable and are always tripping up. It's a bad injury and I wish him well but it looks like an unfortunate accident and I don't see how the bus driver was to blame for this.

Stibby1 (12/09/2008 at 12:52)

PW. When was the last time you were on a bus? Sloppy gear changes? They have all had automatic gears for more than 15 years. The problem is the box coming down the gears, it bangs into the lower gear. As a driver it can be embarrasing, some drivers dont care. Most do.If we (most) check the mirrors more often we would spend more time looking behind. A clear road and seated passengers can become an accident in a single second. Some drivers do hate the job, but only because of rude passengers and crazy drivers. Think, when you get on the bus and we dont have change, its because 20 or 30 people before you had £10 or £20 notes. We can get thru £40 of silver in one trip.

flo, Manchester (12/09/2008 at 16:37)

If every driver of every bus waited for everyone who got on the bus to sit down (does this include everyone going upstairs as well?!) I'd never get anywhere! Have some sense.

Totty Lass (12/09/2008 at 16:41)

Poor little lamb - I hope his leg heals quickly. I'm surprised there aren't more injuries of this sort, particularly amongst older people. There are some good bus drivers, but the general standard is appalling. I've even seen drivers using their mobile phones.

It's about time the buses were taken back into council control and we had an integrated transport system. They manage it in the rest of Europe.

And while they're at it, for goodness sake introduce a pre-payment system. Then buses will run on time and the rest of the traffic won't get held up either.

I find it hard to believe that the driver was paying attention to anything. let alone his passengers, if he had to brake so sharply.

It wasn't me, Merseyside (12/09/2008 at 22:19)

PW:Buses are automatic.
Flo and Rubygirl:Dead right.
Jacko: Good point but wouldn't you have a 2yr old on your knee, I know I would.
I drive a bus and Rubygirls comment is dead right. Yes there is some Grumpy bad bus drivers but the majority of them take care and if it wasn't for their skill there would be more accidents than there is. Say what you will about bus and taxi drivers but they drive in all weathers and know how to handle their vehicles.

ENGINEER, Heywood (13/09/2008 at 00:06)

Sorry for the young lad yes it was unfortunate and it was an accident.

A couple of things I hold a full bus licence and when I was training I was taught that the passenger comfort comes first and that you do not pull away until they have sat down, this is especially important for the young and elderly.
With regar to getting up because you wish to get off at the next stop, again you should not stand up until the bus has stopped, and yes I know most people do stand up, but that is what the bell is for the tell the driver that someone want to get off at the next stop.
On the driver side it is also true that the majority of people have no thought for the driver and that he is a proffesional driver that has had more lessons than they have and passed a harder test that most car drivers, who show little respect for the bus pulling out. Yes not all bus drivers are good drivers but I bet there are more good bus drivers that car drivers.

nklvkh vhkl (13/09/2008 at 09:53)

There is no way a bus driver should wait for everyone to sit down. What are people who either prefer to stand or because the bus is busy meant to do??! Drivers often have to brake hard - usually due to inconsiderate and incompetent car drivers. There are plenty of places to hold on to if you feel the need. What was his mother doing to make sure he was safe? Nothing!

PW, Manchester (13/09/2008 at 12:43)

Apologies that buses are all automatic these days. I had suspected so, but one evening last week, I was on a bus and there was a distinct jerk/drag on every gear change. The driver was driving quite aggressively, and I assumed the gear changes were also part of his bad driving. Perhaps the gear box was faulty.

My critical comments don't apply to all bus drivers, but there is no doubt that some do try to make the journeys as uncomfortable as possible. It isn't the majority of passengers that make drivers' lives a misery either, so equally we shouldn't be tarred with the same brush.

jessica donlon (13/09/2008 at 19:35)

im sorry but that is my little boy and my step mum had old of him and she allso had my nece she had to eather grab a one month old baby or leao it was the bus drivers falt not myn i was sorting my pram out

rachel hampson (14/09/2008 at 15:03)

i am a freind of this young mum i can tell you now that she looks after leao lea. is like her life and i can tell you now it was the busdriver flout they should let more then 2 prams on at a time he should of wented till jessica got sat down next to her son before he had drove of and this wouldnt of happen like leao hope you get better soon me lil mate

It wasn't me, Merseyside (14/09/2008 at 23:06)

Jessica:Don't take my comments as an attack on you and I do hope your little man is getting better. But I drive buses and as it happens your story made me aware of a little boy (today Sunday) on my bus who in less than 5 mins had sat on 4 different seats. I remembered this case and asked the lady if she could keep him safe her reply was oh he's ok. They got off the next stop. I also tried waiting for everyone to sit down before moving off. I was 20 mins late at the end of a 1hr run. Thats with no traffic on the road. My advice is when you get on the bus ask the driver to wait till you are ready, I would wait for you. From an Arriva Driver

mspig, Manchester (15/09/2008 at 11:28)

Buses are always doing this i had to help an elderly lady the other day get to her seat because the driver didn't wait for her to sit down. I'm not saying they should for evryone but a bit of common sense wouldn't go a miss that you wait for the young, elderly and those with disabilities.

Also to the person who said that people shouldn't get up until the bus has stopped at their stop and to press the bell, firstly the bells don't always work and secondly i've lost count of the amount of times that people on the bus have done this for the driver not to stop at the stop. I also witness last week when one lady did this and the driver passed her stopped she yelled at he that she wants this stop, when he yelled back should of stood up then love, she politely told him that the sign says to be seated until the bus has stopped, his reply "that's bollocks love" thats the 104 stagecoach drivers for you.

It wasn't me, Merseyside (15/09/2008 at 23:33)

mspig: your not wrong those stagecoach drivers must goto a special school for I don't care about anyone but me. But as a bus driver myself there seems to be as much to say about some passengers. I do believe there are more good drivers than bad and the same with passengers. It just seems worse when you get a muppet at the wheel because he is there all the way to the end.

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