Terrifying moment schoolgirl is dragged along street by bus after her leg got trapped in closing door
TERRIFYING footage has captured a schoolgirl being dragged along the street by a bus, leaving her concussed for three days.
Zoe Hague, 17, was trying to board the bus when her leg got caught in the door.
The teen was pulled down the street, while trying to shout to the driver.
Some of the passengers onboard the vehicle managed to shout at the driver to stop.
But he left the teenager at the roadside and continued on the bus route.
Zoe suffered a swollen and badly cut knee, a back injury and concussion following the ordeal in Sheffield last month.
She said: “I was just stepping on the bus when the doors shut trapping my leg in the door.
“Suddenly the bus set off and pulled me down and started dragging me along the road.
“I was trying to stay upright but my other leg was dragging on the floor.”
Zoe added: “I was banging on the door trying to get the drivers attention.
“I heard passengers shouting at him to stop otherwise I dread to think what would have happened.
“I just knew I had to try and find a way to get out. I started banging on the door.
“My hearing went in the panic, and as it was coming back. I could hear people telling him to stop.
“I don’t really remember the feeling, but looking at the CCTV, it all lasted for about 15 seconds.”
Zoe said the driver of the bus, which is operated by TM Travel, opened the door to free her leg.
He then asked if she still wanted to get on the bus – but she refused and asked her mum Cheryl to pick her up.
The teen said: “I was completely dazed and my trousers were ripped exposing my bloody knee.
“My trainer laces had all broke so the shoe was off. I was in no fit state to go anywhere and was in pain and dazed.”
‘PRETTY SHAKEN’
Cheryl took Zoe to A&E, where doctors confirmed that she had a concussion.
But she says she “feels sick” knowing the driver left her daughter without calling the police or an ambulance.
Cheryl said: “If I had hit a cat or a hedgehog in my car I would have taken it to a vet for treatment.
“To leave a teenage girl in that state at the side of a road is awful. She didn’t know where she was and was dazed for a few days.
“I am grateful that some passengers were aware of what was going on and shouted to the bus driver or I dread to think what could have happened.
“Some have contacted me since and said they were pretty shaken just from watching the incident unfold.”
Cheryl added: “Fortunately that day she was wearing thick cord trousers.
“They offered a bit of protection. Often she wears short skirts and has bare legs.
“But I know from reading about these incidents involving buses that it can lead to life-changing injuries and fatalities.”
The mum said: “It made me sick to the core when I thought about it afterwards.
“To leave her like that without calling the police or an ambulance was the final insult.”
Cheryl drove Zoe to school for a few days until she was well enough to get the bus.
She reported the incident to the bus company and South Yorkshire Police.
But just days later she was left shocked when Zoe saw the same driver still behind the wheel of the bus on the same route.
Cheryl said: “We reported it to the bus company as we wanted to make sure it didn’t happen to anyone else.
“But then a day afterwards I found out he is still on the route so I was a bit baffled by that.”
‘VERY SAD’
TM Travel said: “We are very sad to hear that Zoe was hurt trying to board one of our buses last week.
“Everyone at TM Travel wishes her a quick recovery. We are cooperating with the authorities.
“We have carried out our own internal examination of the circumstances of this incident.
“From the CCTV footage on the bus it appears that Zoe tried to board whilst the doors were already closing.
“Our driver was checking his right hand rear view mirror to safely pull away.
“He was unaware Zoe was there until he was alerted by passengers after moving several metres at a speed of no more than five miles per hour.”
A spokesperson added: “The driver stopped, apologised to Zoe and asked if she was hurt.
“She told the driver she was okay and declined his invitation to get on the bus.
“We would like to arrange to meet up with Zoe and her mum so we can reassure both of them that Zoe will be safe on our buses in the future.
“We would like to see if there are any additional steps we can take to help her feel confident to travel with us again.”