A student injured while crossing the road to board a school bus is entitled to personal-injury protection benefits from the automobile policy insuring the bus, the Kent County Superior Court has ruled in a case of first impression.

In a July 27 opinion, the court held that attempting to board a school bus at the direction of its driver is a task related to the operation of the vehicle and sufficiently qualifies the student as an occupant of the bus to impose liability on its insurance carrier.