Brave Girl, 14, Saves Runaway School Bus Full of Kids from Colliding with Gas Station: ‘Everyone Was Freaking Out’

After realizing she was on the wrong bus, a teenage girl left her seat and started walking up the aisle to get off when she noticed something peculiar and unsettling—the driver's seat was empty. The bus, which was carrying about 20 students, began moving toward a gas pump and mini-mart. Here's what happened after that.

In the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, a potentially disastrous incident unfolded involving a school bus from Casino High School, carrying around 20 students. The events transpired on a fateful Wednesday afternoon at the end of the school day when 14-year-old Isabelle Miller, known as Izzy, accidentally boarded the wrong bus.

Upon realizing her mistake, Isabelle started walking up the aisle to exit, only to discover that the driver's seat was unoccupied. She also noticed something unusual and scary—the bus was moving towards the North Casino Mini Mart.

Saving the Day

With incredible composure, Isabelle, still wearing her backpack, rushed to the front, standing behind the wheel. Despite lacking bus driving experience, she located the brake pedal and skillfully steered the bus away from an imminent collision with gas pumps at the mini-mart. Her quick thinking averted a potential catastrophe.

Isabelle, who has yet to earn a learner's license, had no prior road driving experience, having only driven around a paddock in her uncle's pickup truck.

Isabelle recalled the details of the chilling event in these words, "Everyone was freaking out … no one was doing anything to stop the bus, so I ran up the front of the bus and steered it away from getting hit."

The brave girl, who acted on her instincts while pushing all fears aside, explained how she was only worried about the kids on board. "If I didn't do anything about it, something really bad could have happened," she added. Because of Isabelle's swift actions, the school bus narrowly avoided colliding with both the gas station and an oblivious gas station attendant.

Video surveillance from the gas station recorded the bus's initial motion, highlighting Isabelle's adept steering as she maneuvered through traffic and pedestrians, ultimately bringing the bus to a complete stop. The footage also captures a school teacher making a frantic effort to push the bus away from the gas station.

A Praise-Worthy Act

Rebecca Miller, who learned about her daughter's act of bravery when Isabelle came home from school, expressed gratitude that everything turned out well and noted, "As a parent, it just kills you knowing that your child was in that situation, but thankfully everything turned out well. We are completely thankful and very proud."

Isabelle expressed her relief, stating, "I was pretty relieved that [the bus] actually stopped, and nothing bad happened to the kids on the bus or myself." Following the incident, Northern Rivers Buslines held a meeting with Isabelle to express gratitude for her quick actions. She was awarded a certificate for "outstanding courage and quick thinking" and received $100 from the North Casino Mini Mart.

Isabelle, who has yet to earn a learner's license, had no prior road driving experience, having only driven around a paddock in her uncle's pickup truck.

Despite nerves, Isabelle caught the school bus with her sister the next day, even enjoying jokes about not being able to drive the bus that day. On Wednesday, November 28, 2023, the teenager received the prestigious "Black Swan Award" from Casino High School for demonstrating excellence in the school's four key pillars: respect, inclusion, safety, and effort.

Principal Trent Graham highlighted that Isabelle was already set to receive the award before the bus incident, emphasizing her positive impact on the school community. Mayor Robert Mustow extended his thanks to the youngster for her bravery, commending her quick thinking and response in diverting a potentially severe incident.

Erin Witton, the owner of the Casino mini-mart, appreciated the young girl's efforts while shedding light on the probable severity of the situation. "I had a guy pumping gas at the time. If that bus had hit the bowser, worst case, it would have blown," she explained.

The reason behind the bus rolling away remains unclear, prompting concerns by both the bus company and the police. According to a spokesperson for NSW Police, the incident has already been reported to the Richmond Police District, and an ongoing investigation is underway.

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