Teenager Dies After Sticking Head Out of Sweet 16 Bus

A teenager traveling to a sweet 16 party on a double decker bus was killed after he stuck his head out of the window and hit it on a highway overpass. The horrific accident came after the bus driver had warned the passengers several times not to open the hatch. Tragically, Daniel Fernandez, the victim, did not heed that warning.

Fernandez and about 65 other teens were aboard the bus Friday night traveling from New York City to Garfield, New Jersey. While on the bus, the teens were dancing and complained of how hot the bus had gotten. To air it out, they opened the emergency escape hatch. The bus driver reiterated that he had asked the teens at least three or four times to leave the hatch alone.

Fernandez's friends at school wrote on their Twitter pages how much they would miss their friend. His English teacher also tragically stated that "sometimes kids don't recognize their own mortality". Fernandez would've been a junior this school year, and was well liked by his classmates and teachers.

Unfortunately, it is fun times like these that can turn tragic with one careless move. The bus company, Designer Limousines, says that it will conduct an internal investigation of the incident. Other limousine companies require at least two adults to be aboard the vehicle while underage passengers are present. Some companies refuse to attempt to entertain a group of teenagers because of the dangers. As more teenagers attempt to emulate Sweet 16 parties like those highlighted on MTV's Sweet 16, it is important that parents speak with their kids about the possible dangers of wreckless behavior.