A bus driver ignored signs telling him to avoid a low bridge and injured 18 schoolchildren when the roof of his double decker was sliced off.
Wayne Oliver, 38, was slapped with an £85 fine for the March 15 crash in Hollingwood, Chesterfield, angering parents of the victims.
The TM Travel vehicle was traveling from Ridgeway to St Mary's Catholic Secondary School in Chesterfield, when it crashed on Works Road about 8.30am.
A total of 18 children were taken to hospital with injuries after the roof of the double-decker bus they were travelling on was ripped off after it hit the bridge on Works Road, Hollingwood, Chesterfield
Eighteen children were taken to hospital for cuts and broken teeth after they screamed in terror and tried to duck for cover.
Magistrates in Chesterfield were told yesterday that Oliver, 38, had never driven a double decker along the 144 route before.
He claimed he had been told that this was the correct route by other depot staff before setting off on his journey, but colleagues denied the claim to police.
Despite a 13.3ft height sign displayed on the bridge at Barrow Hill, Chesterfield, and a notice inside the vehicle which read 'Bus must not operate between Barrow Hill and New Whittington due to bridge' Oliver carried on.
Schoolboys Mitchum Bates, 12 and 11-year-old James Coakley saved their pals lives when they shouted 'Duck' as they realised the bus was heading for the bridge.
Witness Keith Evans said the roof of the bus 'was at one side of the bridge and the bus was at the other'
The pupils had just seconds before the impact to dive to the floor and shield their heads with their hands leaving the roof and broken glass littering the road.
Oliver had earlier admitted driving without due care and attention and was disqualified for 12 months and fined £80 with £35 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
The court heard he had sent a letter to the court saying he was sorry and deeply regretted the incident.
Deputy District Judge David Goodman said: 'I have to deal with the matter of carelessness, not consequences.
'If I was dealing with the matter of consequences , you would probably go to prison.'
Cuts and grazes can be seen on the forehead of St Mary's Catholic Secondary School pupil Catrina Reid, 11, who had a miraculous escape after her school bus crashed into a bridge
James' mum Sarah Coakley, 42, said she was 'shocked' at the leniency of the sentence and called for the bus company, based near Sheffield, to face action.
'I can understand that we all make human errors and I don't know the full story behind what happened but I would have expected a harsher sentence,' she said.
'I was on the scene minutes after the crash and it's amazing that no one was killed. The roof was completely ripped off the bus it was a shocking sight.
'TM Travel have not even written a letter to the parents with children on the bus or answered any of our calls and I don't know if they are facing any action over this but they deserve to.'
Mitchum's mum Caroline Bates said she was 'absolutely disgusted'.
It's not something the children will ever forget and it could have been fatal. Mitchum has still got a fear of double decker buses and travelling under bridges.'
Sean Malone, 44, whose daughter Phoebe, 13, and son Joseph , 12, were on board, csaid his children are still undergoing physiotherapy for whiplash.
'They were absolutely traumatised at what they went through and Phoebe still cowers down when we approach bridges.'
Juna Lucas, 41, whose 13-year-old daughter Alicia, suffered cuts to her nose and forehead, also added to the debate.
'The sentence wasn't enough,' she said.
'My daughter is going to carry a scar with her for the rest of her life, but he can put this behind him by paying the fine and completing the ban.'
Route: The bus was travelling from Ridgeway in Chesterfield, right, to St Mary's, left, but hit the bridge on Work's Road. dailymail.co.uk
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