Woman critically injured after school bus collides with car

A school bus was damaged when a car smashed into the bus with several students on board Tuesday morning. It's possible the accident could have been avoided.

The crash happened this morning at 122nd Avenue and McDowell while the bus was taking those kids to school in Avondale.

Witnesses say a woman driving a white car car appeared to be texting or distracted when she crashed into the bus, almost head-on.

The video shows the damage done to the front of the white Volkswagen sedan after the impact. The 33-year-old woman driving suffered critical injuries in the crash.

None of the students on board the bus from Estrella High Charter School were hurt, but they were shaken up.

"She was turning, and the bus driver was driving, he was braking like really hard and she just was looking down I guess," said Nancy Uribe, a passenger on the bus.

FOX 10 talked to one man who lives in a nearby apartment complex who ran out to help the woman who was pinned inside her car.

"I got there on the scene, no one was really talking to her. They were all worried about getting her out of the car, and I've always been taught you need to try to keep the whole situation in control as well, so I tried calming her down too," said William Whitehead.

Whitehead is an U.S. Army veteran and says the woman was on the verge of losing consciousness. He was trying to keep her awake and alert as possible until firefighters and paramedics got to the scene.

"She told me not to leave her for a little bit while they were all walking around. So I just held her hand and talked to her, and told her she was going to be alright," he said.

A few students were taken to the hospital to be checked out as a precaution, but no one on the bus had any serious injuries. Another bus came to take the students to class.

At last check the woman in the car remains in the hospital with critical injuries.