The driver of a school bus has been cited by state police for an accident in Whiteford Tuesday morning that injured 28 students from two North Harford schools.

Howard T. Chappell, 68, of Street, was cited for failing to yield the right-of-way to an oncoming van, causing the 7:30 a.m. crash at Whiteford and Ridge roads, state police said.

Nine students were taken to Harford Memorial and Fallston Generalhospitals from the crash scene, police said. The other 19 subsequently were taken to the hospitals after going to school and complainingof pain.

The students, from North Harford High and Middle schools, were treated for injuries, mostly bumps and bruises, school and hospital spokesmen said.

One 14-year-old girl was admitted to HarfordMemorial for observation and released Wednesday, a hospital spokesman said.

The van driver, Walter C. Pleasant, 30, of Whiteford, was treated at Fallston General and released, a hospital spokesman said.

Police said the school bus stopped on Ridge Road at a stop sign and then turned onto Whiteford Road -- into the path of Pleasant's van.Pleasant, traveling down a steep hill, was unable to stop his van onthe wet roadway before striking the school bus, police said.

Thisis the first accident involving a county school bus resulting in injuries among the student passengers, police said.