No students were injured when a car struck a Chilton County school bus near Fairview early Thursday morning.

Officials confirmed the bus, which was en route to Isabella School, had stopped and was in the process of boarding children on Chilton County Road 37 just south of County Road 410.

The driver of a dark-colored Ford Mustang, traveling southbound, reportedly lost control and struck the northbound-facing bus near the rear tire, coming to rest in a roadside ditch.

Officials were dispatched to the scene shortly before 7 a.m. and thoroughly checked all persons involved, Dennis said.

Only the driver of the car sustained minor injuries, and no one was transported.

“Luckily, no one was injured,” said Joe Dennis, transportation supervisor for Chilton County Schools. “It could have been a fatal situation. It just reinforces the fact that people need to be cautious during pick-up and drop-off time.”

According to Dennis, parents spotted the approaching vehicle and called their children to get out of the road.

Fortunately, no children were in the path of the vehicle at the time of impact.

Three Alabama State Troopers responded to the scene, along with Clanton and Fairview fire departments and the Chilton County Sheriff’s Department. Superintendent of Education Keith Moore also responded.

“We contacted the parents to let them know what happened,” Dennis said, adding that the students were checked out a second time by Isabella school officials.

About 16 students were on the bus, Dennis estimated.

He said the camera on board the bus indicated that the impact only slightly shook the bus.

“I would like to commend the bus shop employees,” Clanton Fire Chief David Driver said. “They already had another bus on scene by the time we arrived.”

Dennis stressed that motorists should use extra caution while traveling between 6 and 7:30 a.m. and between 3 and 4:30 p.m.