Trajic Bus Accident at Fort Wilderness Campground in Walt Disney World Kills Young Child

Recently, it was reported in the news that a nine year old boy died when he swerved out of a bicycle lane at Fort Wilderness, a campground area at Walt Disney World in Orlando, and ran into the path of an oncoming bus. Sadly for the boy and his family, he did not survive this incident. But could the accident have been prevented?

The Fort Wilderness Campground and Resort area has been around since 1971 and is comprised of a variety of trails, outdoor theming, and the rustic backdrop of a good number of trees. Lodging for guests includes both campsites as well as individual cabins. Though each day many more guests visit Fort Wilderness than those that who stay there, because there are a variety of activities available for children which include riding rented bicycles in addition to nightly campfire sing alongs and even a couple dinner shows.

There are a variety of transportation choices for traveling to Fort Wilderness, and they include both via boat and by one of the ubiquitous Walt Disney World buses which shuttle guests from a variety of destinations around the property. At one point there was a train at Fort Wilderness, which has since been discontinued. When I was planning a trip a couple of years ago for my nephew, I noticed that the bus system does indeed travel a loop into Fort Wilderness. I wasn't sure if the buses acutally do go into Fort Wilderness as the buses just stop at the entrance of the major theme parks on the property. My nephew didn't want to have to walk all the way to the campfire show and was happy to know that he could take a bus directly to the venue as the buses make several stops inside the relatively small area of Fort Wilderness.

After hearing about this trajic accident at Fort Wilderness, I noticed that one map of the bus route shows buses traveling next to bicycle paths, and that bicycle paths sometimes cut across the roads. While a thorough investigation will most likely be pursued, should planners rethink the bus system at Fort Wilderness?

Specifically, the atmosphere of the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds and Resorts is very kid and family friendly. Young children can, and often do, rent bicycles and head off in groups of other children to bike around the campground without adult supervision. While it is obvious to adults where the bike paths are, and the importance of staying on them, kids might easily become distracted and miss the sound of an oncoming bus.

The bus system which Walt Disney World uses to move guests from a variety of hotels and lodges to the theme parks and other points of interest has both a good overall safety record, as well as being efficient and reliable. Nonetheless, the Fort Wilderness Campground area has become increasingly popular over the years, with the addition of more dinner shows, activities and more spaces for campers, which means more children and more buses to shuttle them and their family around.

Personally, if I was in charge I would consider creating a biking trail/path area which is physically separated from the bus route. While this may not be strictly required by building and construction codes, it seems to be a prudent step considering the heavier bus traffic in the area. If this were not possible, then mandating a decreased maximum speed limit for the buses when in Fort Wilderness could increase safety (if this has not already been done). While this trajedy must be a nightmare for the young boy's family, perhaps something could be learned and safety could be further improved in this area of the resort.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney%27s_Fort_Wilderness_Resort_&_Campground

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/os-child-hit-bus-disney-20100401,0,4599044.story