Parents say hero bus driver Jullie Laffey ‘deserves a medal’

A driver whose quick-thinking saved the lives of the children on board her bus during a horror fatal crash near Gympie on Tuesday is being hailed as a hero.

The scene of the horror fatal crash involving a school us and Ute at Wolvi. Picture: Scott Kovacevic

Parents in a small community near Gympie are praising the heroics of a bus driver who swerved to avoid a fatal car crash on Tuesday afternoon, saving the children on board.

Jullie Laffey has been called a hero who “deserves a medal”, after her actions prevented an out-of-control 4WD slamming into the bus at Wolvi, about 3.40pm.

The four-wheel-drive was carrying Alan Stevens, 68, and his son Josiah Stevens, 29.

Tragically Josiah died at the scene despite the best efforts of paramedics.

Alan remains in a critical condition.

Julie Laffey

Ms Laffey also suffered minor injuries and was released from hospital on Wednesday.

“My husband was with (Ms Laffey) while she was trapped and all she was worried about were the children,” parent Skye Hughestold The Courier-Mail.

“She’s an amazing bus driver, always has a smile on her face.

“Jullie is so special my children both were more worried about her than themselves. I’m so glad that she is OK.”

Ms Hughes said she was grateful for Ms Laffey’s quick thinking.

Ms Hughes believes that had Ms Laffey not acted, her daughter may have been seriously hurt.

“The police officer at the scene told me that things could have been a lot worse if she didn’t manoeuvre the bus the way she did,” Ms Hughes said.

In a cruel twist, it was the second serious crash Josiah had endured in his short life and the second son who Alan had lost in a traffic incident.

Jo Stevens tragically lost his life in the horror accident.

In 2013, Alan’s second son, Clancy David Stevens, was just 17 when he and Josiah were doubling late one night on a trail bike along Henry Rd at Goomboorian when they lost control while they were crossing a creek.

Clancy died instantly before an off-duty nurse found Josiah semi-submerged in the creek on her way to work.

He spent more than a week in a serious condition before being moved to Gympie Hospital.

The scene of a fatal crash involving a school us and Ute at Wolvi on Tuesday afternoon. Picture: Scott Kovacevic

Early investigations suggest the crash at Wolvi occurred when the 4WD travelled “through a give way sign and into the path of the oncoming bus”.

Forensic Crash Unit officer-in-charge Peter Cowan said the bus was travelling at 80km/h along the road.

“Given the impact of the bus travelling at 80km/h, he has quite a lot of broken bones in his body and has a long road to recovery,” Senior Sergeant Cowan said.