Hillsborough, NC (October 07, 2026) - McDougle Elementary School fifth graders were evaluated by emergency responders after their school bus collided with a commercial motor vehicle and left Borland Road near Hillsborough. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools said students appeared generally okay, but no injury count or severity was confirmed.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol said the collision occurred around 10 a.m. Wednesday in Orange County. The crash site was on Borland Road near Orange Grove Road. Video from the scene showed damage to the front of the bus and debris on its roof as crews worked to remove it from a wooded area.

Two fifth-grade classes were traveling on an overnight field trip. One bus was involved in the collision; the other class bus was not. The district canceled the trip.

Families were directed to Cross Roads Baptist Church on Orange Grove Road, where McDougle staff supervised students. By 1:15 p.m., the district said students had either reunited with their families or returned to McDougle Elementary School, where staff cared for them with family permission.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol was investigating the collision as of Wednesday evening.

Let a Child Describe Their Own Experience

After a school bus collision, a conversation with a child can begin with how they feel and what they want to ask, rather than a request to explain the accident. Emergency responders evaluated McDougle Elementary students after the Borland Road crash, but the district’s general reassurance was not an individual medical assessment for every child.

Give the child room to use their own words. If they describe discomfort, pass that description to a medical professional along with what you have personally noticed. A child does not need to explain the bus’s movements or the commercial vehicle’s role to tell an adult that something hurts. Questions about symptoms and further care belong with a clinician.

If an injury results in accident-related doctor bills, families can ask injury attorneys whether a claim could address those expenses, subject to legal responsibility and applicable coverage. Describe the expense and the care it relates to, and ask what additional information would be needed to assess a claim.

Get Help With the Concern Your Child Describes

Hearing that your child’s school bus was involved in a collision can leave you unsure what to ask next. A medical professional can address a concern about how your child feels. If an identified injury also raises questions about treatment expenses, you can call 1-704-714-1450 to discuss whether a claim may be available to address them. Begin with the concern you are facing, without asking your child to explain who caused the crash.