The Monsey community is mourning the heartbreaking petirah of Blima Weber, a 7-year-old girl who was struck and killed by a school bus on Blauvelt Road on Wednesday morning.
Blima A”H was the beloved daughter of Reb Yisroel Ephraim and Etty Weber. The tragic incident drew a massive emergency response, with Rockland Hatzolah paramedics, Ramapo Police, Chaverim Of Rockland and other emergency personnel rushing to the scene. Rockland Hatzolah’s paramedics and EMTs did everything they possibly could to save her life, but despite their extraordinary efforts, she was sadly niftar.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, volunteers from Chesed Shel Emes, Misaskim, and Chaverim of Rockland responded to ensure proper kavod hameis and to assist the family during this incredibly difficult time.
Besuros Tovois!
WHEN will be getting MONITORS on all of our buses who escort the children to safety???!!!its not a luxury but a necessity even if it costs more money!!! WHEN will buses slow down and drive carefully?!!! Hashem yerachem!!! May Hashem be Menachem these poor parents and klal Yisroel WAKE UP!!!
Who said its the bus drivers fault. It is so easy to blame when we become emotional. First find out all the facts before we blame anyone do you know if the girl ran after the bus? Did the girl run in the street.?
Why is blame always the answer to all our problems
May hashem help us all do teshuva and only see the good in others. And bring a true nechumah to the parents and klal yisroel
I didnt see anywhere in Ruchy Fs post that it’s the drivers fault
From the words when will bus drivers slow down and drive carefully
When you see enough school busses blocking 2 lane roads, speeding through parking lots, cutting people off, speeding through yellow lights, making illegal U-turns and flying up 30 per mile per hour roads, one can innocently believe it was the driver’s fault. It may not have been in this tragedy, but assuming that the bus was at fault is understandable.
There are 387000 school bus drivers in the USA. 99.9% are responsible,safe,caring drivers that attend all the safety classes. There are for sure a few bad apples. Last few accidents were determined not to be the driver’s fault. Unlike a smaller vehicle a bus is a big machine and child vs bus unfortunately the child most of the time doesn’t get a second chance. I am a bus driver in Monsey as careful as I am children and parents do stupid things out of ignorance, also drivers and they curse at me. Schools should give mandatory courses once a year for all children and parents.
I’m an out of towner and I don’t understand how you live in such a dangerous place. These things happen because Hashem wants them to. There was a kid who tragically dies from a truck where I live too. The problem is monsey wasn’t meant to be a city and handle the capacity of traffic and cars it does. It’s very scary how many kids get injured or cv killed by buses in monsey. Hashem help everyone
I absolutely agree, though there’s one factor i must point out. See, i’m an old-timer, and as horrific as the crowding and vehicular danger has become in Monsey, yet I lived in even greater fear in the old Monsey. That’s because the old Monsey had some really aggressive DOGS all over the place. Didn’t you hear the recent news item about the elderly woman in Florida who died due to a pit bull attack? So the one MAJOR factor which people overlook, is that dog-attacks have been greatly reduced, at least in the heimish areas of Rockland.
When will parents be at the bus stops responsibly watching over the children? How many times does this have to happen? When will enough be enough?
Mother was there you bafooon.
Always has to jump into conversation unsolicited
3 weeks!…..3 weeks….. get the message?
I agree 100% if they can give us tickets than they should also be used for safety. Hashem enough!
Why should all buses have monitors? It is a parent’s responsibility to ensure their child’s safety. The public schools have a rule for primary school age children that an adult must be at each bus stop, very simple and common sense.
oy these bus drivers are reckless and need to learn a lesson. this is unfortunaltey not the first time this has happened.
I know the bus driver he is a very safe driver
Kudos to him for being a safe driver – i too know many safe and most importantly patient drivers. however, unfortunately, most drivers are not that way…
The way the vast majority, yes vast majority of people drive in Monsey is astonishing. Discourteous, impolite, aggressive behavior, it’s just beyond me. SLOW DOWN!! LOOK TWICE!! LET THE TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN GO!!! STOP AT CROSSWALKS!!! LET THE CAR BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY GO INSTEAD OF HONKING THEM DOEN!!! STOP PASSING WRONG WAY JUST BECAUSE THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU ISNT WILLING TO SPEED!!!! People have just gone rogue.
!!!וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּם מְאֹד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם
This is 100% true. I grew up in suburban New Jersey and for the first several years I lived in Monsey I was absolutely shocked at the way people drive. Huge numbers of drivers are aggressive to the point of being unsafe. I remember 20 years ago some ohr somayach boys set up a camera at a stop sign to get some video for their Purim shpiel. They figured if they left it there a few hours they would catch one or two drivers running the stop sign. The first three drivers all did so and they got their footage within five minutes. We’ve all seen people do crazy things turning left onto Maple Avenue and at many other busy roads. And truthfully, if you live here long enough, you probably end up doing the same on occasion. We have to make a serious effort to fix our own behavior and teach our children better.
Its all true what Jay is saying. The reason is that Monsey became a city and this is how they drive in the city. There is no more courtesy in Monsey. We built and had all the city move out.
However a bus accident is usually just a freak accident, that can always happen.
Not a freak accident when it happens multiple times every year.
So very sad and so preventable. RIP sweet girl
how do you know THIS accident was preventable? you have the facts? you did the investigation?
Easy to dump ALL school bus drivers in one pot.
This is the ratzon Hashem as is everything that happens in this world. We cannot understand it but those are the words of truth.
Words of delusion.
Everything is the ratzon Hashem. But it’s not enough to just say that. You have to learn something from it. I think we need to learn caution and patience and teach it to our children so that when we drive or when they cross the street, we all exercise it.
I have a family business in Monsey for the past 44 years. I have seen a huge change in the school bus situation. The driving for the most part is terrible, we have seen first hand buses hop the curb in front of our building to avoid traffic. We have seen them pass over double lines to avoid traffic as well. I’m not placing direct blame on anyone in this situation but something needs to be done with both the transportation companies and adults monitoring children outside as well.
I’m not blaming anyone, so so sad , but I will say that I am a regular person who happens to drive daily on Blauvelt and have noticed many times young kids playing unsupervised, and running across the street without supervision..
You can drive as careful as possible. But the negligent and lack of safety is horrendous in our community…Sadly!!!
I speak from my experience driving and holding my breath and anger seeing young children running around unattended…
It’s not the bus drivers. It’s the overcrowded zoning. We can prevent these tragedies by adjusting the zoning.
Sweet dreams. Nobody will be making any adjustments to the zoning. The developers and the people on the zoning and planning boards are unfortunately one entity…..!$!$!$!$!$!$
Also its the Doctors that try to help that are always at fault. Its the holy bus drivers that work hard taking our children to school and back that are always blamed. And so on.
We all need to be more careful or parents should be more careful but may not necessarily have anything to do with this tragic accident.
Do you know ow how tragic this is for a bus driver that unfortunately has to face the reality that he struck a child! When it may not be his fault at all.
Remember
1. Never speak before you know the facts
Even if you do know the facts is speaking helpful? Will you make a difference or לשון הרע.
2. Dont blame it wont help.
3. Speak good about kal Yisroel
4. If you have a way to correct any danger in the future please do so and be מקיים ונשמתם
5 we believe that unfortunately this child was nifter from hashem. But of course we are מחיוב to do ours as much as we can as part of our מצות ans we also know השטן מקטרג בשעת הסכנה.
Thank you for saying this, beautifully said
Nobody has put direct blame on this driver. The outrage is about the daily aggression behind the wheels of most people in Monsey. It’s a shame.
I know this driver, he is very careful, let’s learn the facts and then respond
Easy Jay1…don’t get your shorts in a knot! And where did I mention the bus driver??? Maybe the child was at fault. I don’t know, I wasn’t there. None the less, it’s a terrible tragedy!
So sorry that the little girl was nifter but let’s face the problem the bus drivers do not watch what they are doing I have seen them talk in the phone and don’t care and don’t watch the streets and they think they have a big bus so they bully them self around I feel sorry for this driver he will have this on his mind for the rest of his life PLEASE BE CAREFUL DRIVING A BUS OR A CAR WE ARE LOSING OUR YOUNG CHILDREN LETS MAKE MONSEY SAFE AGAIN
Talking on the phone is a massive problem with at least 95% of the male drivers in the community. I have witnessed daily, drivers stopping in the middle of the road, slowing to well below the speed limit, weaving across the yellow lines and off to the shoulder. Common denominator: male frum drivers on their phones. DO BETTER PEOPLE!!
Not sure about Male bus drivers but not once did I see a frum Female bus driver on her phone! 😀
Traffic is the real problem in our streets
When will our elected officials do something about it?
Do a major meeting with 0 solutions
& for all of you drivers If you’re not willing to drive stay off the road!
The road is is not the place to hang out 5 to 20 mph & schmooze and text around
Let’s look at the other side of the coin. How many times have you seen unsupervised children just running around. They cross the road without looking or caring. This is the parents responsibility to teach all the children how to be safe.
The heartbreaking death of 7-year-old Weber in Monsey should be a turning point. My deepest condolences go out to the child’s family. No family should have to endure such a devastating loss.
In my opinion, the Ramapo Police Department and our local elected officials have failed to make traffic safety the priority it should be. Residents have complained for years about dangerous driving, yet too often they see speeding, tailgating, running red lights, illegal turns, distracted driving, unsafe backing maneuvers, driving the wrong way on streets, and other hazardous conduct with little visible enforcement. These behaviors violate numerous provisions of New York’s Vehicle and Traffic Law, including laws governing speed limits, obedience to traffic control devices, following too closely, distracted driving (VTL §§1225-c and 1225-d), and railroad crossing requirements applicable to school buses (VTL §1171). Laws only protect the public when they are consistently enforced.
Professional drivers—including school bus drivers and taxi or rideshare drivers—should be held to the highest standard because they operate vehicles weighing many thousands of pounds. Every commercial driver should be properly licensed, adequately insured, thoroughly trained, and held accountable for traffic violations. Repeated dangerous driving should result in meaningful penalties, including suspension or revocation of commercial driving privileges where authorized by law.
School buses deserve special attention because they transport our children. Policymakers should review whether buses are being used in the safest and most appropriate manner, including transportation outside the regular school year. School districts and camp operators should evaluate whether current practices minimize unnecessary bus traffic in residential neighborhoods while maintaining safe access for children. Where appropriate, centralized pickup locations, instead of door-to-door stops, should also be considered to reduce traffic conflicts and improve safety.
Young children also deserve adequate supervision during transportation. Whenever appropriate, trained bus monitors should be required to help ensure safe loading, unloading, and student supervision.
This is not about blaming every bus driver or every taxi driver. Most are responsible professionals. It is about refusing to tolerate the small number of reckless drivers who repeatedly endanger everyone else. When dangerous conduct is ignored, the consequences can be irreversible.
The community deserves a visible traffic enforcement initiative focused on school zones, pedestrian crossings, bus routes, and repeat traffic offenders. The community deserves regular commercial vehicle safety inspections, insurance verification, and meaningful enforcement of existing traffic laws. The community deserves transparency about enforcement efforts and results.
Children should not lose their lives because dangerous driving has become accepted as “normal.” Public safety begins with enforcing the laws already on the books. If our leaders wait until the next tragedy before taking meaningful action, they will have failed the very people they were elected and sworn to protect.
Enough excuses. Enforce the law. Hold dangerous drivers accountable. Protect our children before another family suffers an unimaginable loss.
I’d like to point out the irony – that so many locals get all-fired-up-emotional whenever there’s any talk about the Holocaust and anti-semitism. Well, may I remind them, that Nazi’s used to specialize in mowing down Jews with their vehicles. Ditto arab-terrorists in E”Y. Nothing new under the sun, because in 21st century Monsey, Jewish car-drivers and E-Bikes are likewise terrorizing fellow Jews. (Emphasis on car-drivers and scooterists, not necessarily bus drivers)
Mobileye Shield + is the answer!!!! DEMAND IT FOR YOUR SCHOOL!!!!
The atrocious overdevelopment and lack of accompanying Infrastructure directly led to aggressive driving as more drivers futilely compete for less and less space on the roads. Now it’s too late and to prevent more deaths we need drastic measures like 20mph speed limits with camera tickets on any congested residential road like Blauvelt. Michael Spech NOW is the time for leadership, don’t be a wimp.
Agree 100%
Monsey needs speed cameras asap!
However, I believe its illegal outside of the the city of New York but they should legalize it.
Monsey also needs cameras to monitor everyone who litters. Don’t they monitor such things in Singapore?
Liberal ideas
Doing anything but fixing the roads
Let me know the last time it works
Hey, Mench, are you one of the liberals who drives like a LIBERAL vilde chaya? Guess you’re thinking “he done start meddlin” right?
Hashem, please give strength to the father, mother, and the entire family. Grant them comfort, courage, and peace during this difficult time. Surround them with Your love, give them the strength to face each day, and bless them with healing, hope, and better days ahead. May they know no more sorrow, and may they be comforted among all those who mourn.וכל בית ישראל יבכה את השרפה אשר שרף השם
Oh my! Everybody should see the footage before just spitting an opinion!!! ‘I feel sorry for this driver he will have this on his mind for the rest of his life PLEASE BE CAREFUL DRIVING A BUS OR A CAR’. Where does this come to connect to this accident? If you want to post blame on bus drivers, look for an accident that happens through reckless driving. This is the wrong platform to post nasty Bus-driver-comments as it is totally unrelated!
A young girl, living life one minute, gone the next..
What a tragedy.
There are simply no words.
May Hashem give the parents koach to deal with such a loss.
It may have been a true accident and no one at fault. But the people who drive like crazy may be the cause. Children are watching and what they see they do if they see drivers doing fast moves they will probably do the same ……
Again! There are physical and metaphysical reasons this keeps happening. For the physical world reason, go ask Ramapo’s URBAN Planner. For the metaphysical reason, ask the so-called frum Ramapo leaders, why they continue ignoring Rambam’s statements about tragedies that keep recurring.
This footnote from the Artscroll Yehoshua by Rabbi Reuven Drucker on 7:6 sums up what they refuse to acknowledge:
“According to Rambam (Hil. Taanis 1:1-3), it is a positive commandment of the Torah for every individual to cry out and search his ways at a time of national calamity, for G-d visits calamities upon Israel to inspire each Jew to repent for his misdeeds. If someone fails to recognize that tragedies occur through an act of G-d rather [than] through happenstance, [s]he is considered cruel, because [s]he will not be motivated to improve his [her] behavior. As a result, G-d will beset Israel with more troubles, until all are motivated to change their ways.
I have a suggestion: to changeable school busses from the yellow busses to the local community shuttle busses.
They have a Full front window, no dead spots, no steps, drives slow. .even battery charged.
Chaim, good idea. It’s way due for new bosses. With cameras, sensors, a/c, lowering to side walk, no stairs, huge windows, no gas. Auto.atic breaks, beeping. And so many new safe technology we all have in our cars.
We have a government that is in love with green powered vehicles. So maybe some one should take it up to the city.get support and create a bill and funding.
I know the bus driver very well and he Is a real careful driver
After the accident happened the bus driver ran off the bus and tried to save her the driver is a lifeguard and hatzalah when they Told him that the girl was nifter he went unconscious when he regained consciousness he couldn’t stop crying because he was a real careful driver and the girl ran after the bus and the bus and ran into the road cuz otherwise the bus couldn’t hit her and the bus hit her in the blind spot where the bus was can’t see even from the mirror now I know that blaming is very easy but if you don’t know the true story don’t bring other stories just like if you are a careful driver and someone tells you that you are not because someone else isn’t from now on be מקבל yourself to only say things that you know for 100% it’s true and the smart people should learn from this story and the other people I didn’t talk to I know that talking positive is hard and boring and negative Is very interesting do for the neshoma of this girl and start talking positive and for the Parents never let a child run after a bus you think that they see you but know thay can’t see you rather pay for a taxi the putting your child in danger I hope people will take this in mind thank you