Driver Runs Red Light at Same Crossing Days After Fatal Buggenhout Crash
Just two days after a devastating bus-train collision at a level crossing in Buggenhout, East Flanders, claimed four lives, another driver from the same bus company ran a red light at the exact same crossing while the barriers were already descending. The incident has been condemned as “incomprehensible, irresponsible and downright distasteful” by company management, according to an internal email obtained by VRT NWS.
The Original Accident
On 26 May 2026, a school minibus operated by ‘t Ros Beiaard was struck by an SNCB train at the Vierhuizen level crossing in Buggenhout in the early morning. The barriers were lowered and the red light was on when the bus crossed the tracks. The train, traveling at roughly 90 km/h at the point of impact, could not avoid the collision. Four people died: the 49-year-old driver, a 27-year-old bus escort, and two students aged 12 and 15. Five other students were seriously injured, according to Wikipedia.
King Philippe of Belgium offered condolences to the victims’ families, while Prime Minister Bart De Wever and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also expressed their sorrow.
A Second Incident at the Same Location
On Thursday, 28 May — just two days after the tragedy — multiple witnesses reported seeing another bus from ‘t Ros Beiaard crossing the same level crossing while the warning lights were flashing red and the barriers were descending. The management of ‘t Ros Beiaard sent a strongly worded internal email to all staff the following day, which was obtained by VRT NWS.
“With great amazement, anger and incomprehension we have today received a report of inappropriate and dangerous driving behavior,” the email read. “After the tragic accident of this week, at exactly the same location, from the same street, another bus from our company crossed the railway while the barriers were already descending and the warning lights were red.”
The email continued: “This defies all imagination. This is incomprehensible, irresponsible and downright distasteful. We cannot and will never tolerate such behavior!”
When contacted by RTL Info, the bus company declined to comment publicly, referring inquiries to De Lijn, the Flemish public transport company that subcontracts school transport.
Prior Complaints Ignored
The second incident comes amid revelations that multiple bus attendants had previously filed complaints about the driving behavior of the driver who died in the original accident. According to The Brussels Times, complaints included using a mobile phone while driving, speeding, failing to stop at level crossings, and failing to give way. These concerns were reportedly raised with the school, the bus company, and the Province of East Flanders, but no action was taken due to a lack of available replacement drivers.
“Nothing was done with the complaints. We were told that no other drivers were available,” bus attendants told VRT NWS. “That makes it even more painful; this should never have happened.”
East Flanders provincial executive member Kurt Moens (N-VA) confirmed the existence of prior complaints, stating that all complaints were forwarded to the bus company and have since been passed to the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The East Flanders Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed it is aware of the complaints and will investigate them.
De Lijn stated it only had records of two minor speeding offenses by the deceased driver in a 30 km/h zone. The driver had no criminal record, and toxicology test results are not yet available.
Systemic Concerns
The Belgian Transport Union BTB-ABVV has called for restraint, urging the public to “refrain from drawing conclusions until the facts have been investigated.” Union head Frank Moreels highlighted the difficult working conditions faced by school bus drivers, including split shifts and increasing workloads, which may contribute to safety risks.
The case has raised fundamental questions about school transport safety in Flanders. The contracting model — where De Lijn subcontracts to private bus companies like ‘t Ros Beiaard — creates multiple layers of accountability, and the apparent failure to act on prior complaints suggests that staffing shortages may have been prioritized over safety.
What’s Next
The Public Prosecutor’s Office is now investigating both the original accident and the prior complaints. Questions remain about whether the driver who ran the red light on 28 May will face disciplinary or legal action, whether ‘t Ros Beiaard will face sanctions or lose its contract with De Lijn, and what systemic changes to school transport safety protocols will follow.
For the families of the victims and the Buggenhout community still in mourning, the revelation that a second driver could repeat such dangerous behavior at the same crossing just days after the tragedy has deepened the sense of outrage and urgency for reform.