NTSB Confirms School Bus Crossed Centerline in Fatal Crash

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report on the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System bus crash that killed two students, confirming the bus crossed the centerline of the highway and collided with a dump truck and SUV. The crash occurred on March 27, 2026 on US Highway 70 in Carroll County, Tennessee.

Why it matters

This tragic incident raises concerns about school bus safety protocols and driver training, as well as the need for further investigation into the causes behind the bus crossing the centerline. The loss of two young lives underscores the importance of improving transportation safety measures to protect students.

The details

According to the NTSB report, the CMCSS school bus was traveling west on US-70 with a driver, four adult chaperones, and 24 student passengers from Kenwood Middle School. As the bus approached a dump truck and SUV traveling east, the school bus crossed the centerline and struck the left side of the dump truck in a sideswipe collision, then collided with the SUV before leaving the roadway. Two eighth-grade students, Zoe Davis and Arianna Pearson, were killed in the crash. The school bus driver and other passengers sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious, while the two occupants of the dump truck also suffered serious injuries. The weather and road conditions were clear and dry at the time.

• The crash occurred on Friday, March 27, 2026 around 11:35 a.m.

What’s next

The NTSB will continue its investigation into the crash to determine the probable cause and issue any safety recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future.