EDWARDSBURG — Police are warning people to drive safely in winter conditions, following an accident involving an Edwardsburg High School student and an Edwardsburg school bus Wednesday.

Sixteen-year-old Edwardsburg High School student Ella Merrill was injured after her vehicle collided with a bus around 4:30 p.m. that afternoon at the intersection of Elkhart Road and Raymond Avenue, according to Edwardsburg/Ontwa Township Police Chief Doug Westrick.

Merrill reportedly lost control of her vehicle due to snowy conditions, and spun out in front of a school bus driven by Tammy Stanley, 52, of Cassopolis. Neither Stanley nor the seven children inside the bus were injured when the bus struck Merrill’s vehicle.

According to eyewitness accounts, there was nothing Stanley could have done to prevent the crash, Westrick said.

“The car spun out in front of [Stanley], and there was nothing she could have done,” he said. “In a situation like this, the bus will have to continue going straight ahead for the sake of the children on the bus.”

After the accident, Merrill was transported to Elkhart General Hospital by Edwardsburg Ambulance. She was later moved to the pediatric intensive care unit at South Bend Memorial Hospital with severe brain trauma and has not yet awoken, according to a post on caringbridge.org.

Her family is asking prayers and words of encouragement at this time, according to the post.

“She’s got a long road ahead of her, and hopefully she makes it,” Westrick said. “The ambulance did an excellent job, and that will give her the best opportunity.”

Westrick said his thoughts and prayers are with Merrill and her family.

In the wake of the accident, Westrick said that drivers need to be careful on the roads when the conditions are icy or snowy, which can help prevent such accidents. He added that Merrill was a new and likely an inexperienced driver, which could have been a factor in the crash.

“The biggest thing [you can do to prevent accidents in bad weather] is just to slow down and take your time to get where you need to go,” Westrick said. “Slow down and make sure you have extra time. Make sure you have plenty of room between you and the driver in front of you [when on the road].”

Though there is no evidence that the condition of Merrill’s vehicle played a role in the crash, Westrick said that ensuring your vehicle is prepared for winter weather can also help prevent accidents.

“Make sure you have good tires and your car is in good working order,” Westrick said. “That can make all the difference. Make sure your seatbelt is on and you drive as safe as possible.”

To donate to a fundraiser for Merrill, visit: caringbridge.org/public/ellamerrill.