2 DRIVERS, 12 CHILDREN HURT AS SCHOOL BUS, CAR COLLIDE.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

California Highway Patrol officers are investigating a collision between a school bus and a compact car that sent a dozen children and both drivers to the hospital.

The bus, taking children to Robert P. Uhlrich Elementary School, was southbound on Yurba Boulevard and halted for a stop sign before proceeding across California City Boulevard, where it was hit on its right front wheel by an eastbound Geo Prizm.

``The bus made it across three of the four lanes before being hit by the car,'' said CHP Officer Steve Hunsaker. ``The bus stopped after striking a tree in a vacant lot near the intersection.''

The collision with the car threw bus driver 59-year-old Lillian Stokes from her seat, and the bus careened off the road for more than 75 feet until it struck the tree, officials said. Stokes told officers she had loosened her seat belt to talk to the children while stopped at the stop sign.

``We're still looking into whether she was wearing a seat belt, but the law is the same for a bus driver as it is for everyone else,'' said Hunsaker. ``The restraints are required.''

The 7:40 a.m. Tuesday collision sent Stokes and the Prizm driver, Karla Moore, 40, of California, to the hospital, along with a number of children.

Stokes and Moore were treated and released at Lancaster Community Hospital.

Six children were taken to Antelope Valley Hospital with minor bumps and bruises and complaints of neck and back pain. They were treated and released. At least six other youngsters were taken to hospitals by their parents, officials said.

``The impact caused some of the children to get banged around a bit, but all of the injuries were minor,'' said Hunsaker.

Stop signs are displayed at the crossing for north and southbound traffic, the direction the bus was traveling, but Moore did not have a stop sign.