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When you put your kids on the bus in the morning you fully expect they'll arrive at school safe and sound.
That didn't happen this morning for a bus headed to Benjamin Franklin Middle School and Franklin County High School.
An accident shortly after 7 a.m. on Route 220 North at its intersection with Hammocks Drive in Rocky Mount left three children and a driver hurt.
Two parents are counting their blessings after a pick-up truck slammed into the back of Franklin County school bus No. 14.
"My son hollered, "that's my bus!” Jane Powell said.
Mary Sports said "I explained to him you know everything happens for a reason and you need to count your blessings. He asked me ‘what does it mean to count your blessings?’ And I said things you're thankful for because you were supposed to be on that bus."
Traffic was down to one lane on 220 North in Rocky Mount for about two hours during rush hour Friday morning.
"I heard the accident and the big bang and it wasn't long after that I heard all the fire workers and everybody coming through,” Sports said.
The bus was picking up a child at Hammocks Drive.
While it was stopped, it was rear-ended by a pick-up truck.
"It was mangled, yeah, it was destroyed, it was bad, no front tire, the front of it was just ate up, it was almost flat, it was bad,” Sports said.
There were 16 children on the bus at the time of the accident.
Three kids were hurt; one standing at the bus stop was hit by debris, two others were inside the bus.
The bus driver also complained of lower back pain. All were taken to the hospital.
Usually a child gets in trouble for waking up late.
"Makes you tell them you love them a little bit harder,” Jane Powell said.
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Update: 8:50 a.m.
All lanes of Route 220 have been reopened now that the school bus and pick-up have been cleared from the road.
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Update: 8:45 a.m.
The Franklin County school bus involved in the wreck is bus number 14.
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Update: 8:05 a.m-
The accident happened a little after seven this morning on route 220 north in Rocky Mount near Dudley's Truck Stop and Restaurant.
A Franklin County school bus was picking up a child when a pick-up truck rear ended the bus.
There were 16 children on the bus.
The child standing at the stop was injured by flying debris.
One child on the bus is also hurt.
We're waiting to find out how the driver of the pick-up truck is doing.
The north side of the highway is shut down.
Traffic is being re-routed onto the south side.
Southbound traffic is moving through one lane.
Drivers should expect backups.
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Update 7:45 a.m. -
A school bus wreck in Franklin County is backing up traffic right now.
The north side of the highway is shut down. Traffic is being re-routed onto the south side.
Southbound traffic is moving through one lane.
Drivers should expect backups.
WDBJ7 has a crew on the way now.
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State police are now working a school bus accident that happened Friday morning in Franklin County.
They say it happened a little after 7:00 a.m. on Route 220 North near Dudley's Truck Stop in Rocky Mount.
State Police just arrived on the scene.
Southbound traffic is now down to one lane. Drivers heading northbound are being diverted into one of the southbound lanes, and hsould be prepared for delays.
WDBJ will have more information, as soon as we get it.