By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer
MONROE — A Monroe school bus was hit by a 2004 Honda Pilot while it was stopped on Buckelew Avenue on Monday afternoon.
The accident happened at 3:49 p.m. while the 2006 Chevy mini-bus had stopped to let off one of its six passengers, all of whom were Brookside School students between the ages of 8 and 12, according to a Monroe Township Police Department press release.
After the crash, two of the children on the bus complained of back pain and one student complained of ankle pain, the release said.
Two students were transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and one to St. Peter’s University Hospital, both in New Brunswick, according to the release.
The three remaining students were transferred to another bus and driven home.
Following the accident, Board of Education representatives were on the scene and notified the parents, the release states.
School representatives were unsure whether all the children were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident.
”All of our buses are equipped with seatbelts and protocol requires bus drivers to inform students to wear their seatbelts,” said Wayne Holliday, school board business administrator.
The 17-year-old driver of the Honda, a Monroe resident, refused any medical treatment and was escorted home by the police.
The school bus sustained minor damage and was driven away from the scene, while the Honda was seriously damaged and had to be towed.

