Quick-Thinking School Bus Driver Hailed As Hero For Avoiding Head-On Collision With Semi-Truck

February 8, 2025

Today's good news story comes from Onamia, Minnesota.

A school bus driver is being praised as a hero after his split-second decision saved multiple lives on U.S. Highway 169.

Brian Lathrop / Dashcam footage

Brian Lathrop was driving his school bus early Wednesday morning when a semi-truck veered into his lane, heading straight for him. Without hesitation, Lathrop made a daring maneuver, steering into the truck’s lane to avoid a catastrophic head-on collision. The semi scraped along the side of the bus, but thanks to Lathrop’s quick thinking, everyone inside remained unharmed.

"If he would have hit me head-on, I probably wouldn't have survived," Lathrop said, recalling the terrifying moment. "He started to come over the line a little bit. Then it looked like he went back into his lane, and then all of a sudden, he just veered to the left and was heading straight for me."

"I figured I'd go into his lane, try to get around him, see if I couldn't avoid him, and he ended up going right down the side of my bus," said Lathrop

The Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Office commended Lathrop’s decisive action, stating that his skillful response "saved many lives."

The Onamia school district will formally recognize his heroism at the next school board meeting.

Watch the dashcam footage below: