GILFORD, N.H. (NEWS CENTER Maine) — A family in New Hampshire is trying to raise awareness about driving safely around school buses after they had a near accident with their 7 and 8-year-old sons.
David Cota-Robles posted a video from his home surveillance camera showing his wife, Lindsay, and his 7-year-old son Austin and 8-year-old son Carter waiting for the bus on August 31.
In the video, the bus pulls up adjacent to the family's driveway with lights flashing, and as the 2nd and 3rd graders are about to cross the road, a car drives past almost clipping one of the boys, according to David.
David says his boys were alarmed, but it happened so fast that they quickly recovered and went to school. The bus driver who is employed by First Student Inc., in Belmont N.H. apparently told Lindsay Cota-Robles that he would file a report.
The Cota-Robles called police in Gilford and showed them the video. Police told the couple they would search for the driver but that there was little they could do in the way of formal charges.
David Cota-Robles told NEWS CENTER Maine posting the video was less about finding the driver and more about raising awareness.
"We were not looking for a witch hunt, we just had an example of where something could go wrong. If it could help one child out there then it would be worth it," David said.
When the kids returned to school after the long holiday weekend, David stayed home to see them off. He says that is when he and his wife noticed that the blinking stop sign on the bus was not fully extended.
The school bus driver called the transportation company, and David said the bus was replaced with another one the same day.
David says, unfortunately, his family has received a mixed bag of responses from viewers of his video on social media including many negative comments.