WMBCTV: Eight Years After Paramus Bus Crash, Push for Stronger School Bus Safety Laws Renewed
- Feb 12
- 2 min read
On May 17th, 2018, a fifth-grade field trip turned into a nightmare - A school bus carrying students from Paramus reportedly collided with a dump truck on Interstate 80, slamming into a guardrail. Officials say the driver had a license that was suspended a total of 14 times and authorities say it was an illegal turn made by the bus driver that caused the crash. Ten-year-old Miranda Vargas was killed. Her teacher, Jennifer Williamson, also lost her life. In the years since, the crash has become a symbol of a larger, ongoing concern: school bus safety and whether enough is being done to protect children on the road.
“Many other families were impacted that day as well. Even those who were not physically injured will carry that trauma with them for the rest of their lives,” said Joevanny Vargas, Father of 2018 Paramus Bus Crash Victim. “There are countless parents who put their children on school buses every morning but would stand right beside me and ask the same question ‘why is protecting children negotiable? Why is safety delayed?’”
According to federal data, millions of students ride school buses every day. While buses remain one of the safest forms of transportation, advocates say even one preventable death is too many. Congressman Josh Gottheimer joined other local officials and community members in Paramus to announce bipartisan, bicameral legislation aimed at improving safety standards on school buses nationwide.
“There are more than 26,000 school bus accidents a year. Behind every statistic is a child and a real name. I’m reintroducing, with Congressman Lawler, the bipartisan Miranda Vargas School Bus Driver Red Flag Act or Miranda’s Law,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer. “This bill ensures that real-time background checks catch unsafe driving behavior before tragedy can strike again. If a bus driver has a violation for anything beyond a parking ticket - reckless driving, DUIs, other dangerous behavior - then the school, the school bus company and parents will be alerted within 24 hours.”
The proposal focuses on measures designed to prevent deadly crashes - including stronger oversight, updated safety requirements and accountability across school transportation systems.
“I’m reintroducing, in the House, the bipartisan Secure Every Child Under The Right Equipment Standards Act - or what we call the SECURES Act,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer. “When it becomes law, it will require 3-point lap and shoulder safety belts, seat belts on almost every school bus in America.”
For families like Miranda’s, they say the legislation represents something deeply personal - a way to turn unimaginable loss into lasting change. Miranda’s family remembers her as a bright, gentle child with a contagious smile and a deep love for her family.
“She should be living her life, growing, laughing, helping others because that is who she was,” said Joevanny Vargas, Father of 2018 Paramus Bus Crash Victim. “Miranda’s Law was born from this tragedy and its purpose is simple - to protect children who ride school buses every single day, children whose parents trust that when they put them on a bus in the morning, they will come home safely.”
Supporters say the goal is part of a broader effort to ensure safer buses, clearer standards and fewer tragedies so that a normal school day never ends in heartbreak.
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