HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) —  A 9-year-old Hernando girl was airlifted to a Tampa hospital Wednesday morning after she was hit by a SUV while she was trying to get on her school bus.

Investigators with the Florida Highway Patrol say it happened at 7:56 a.m. on State Route 50 at Red Bud Lane.

Laura Ann Demers, 37, of Brooksville, was driving a 2007 KIA SUV westbound on SR-50, approaching Red Bud Lane. Investigators say Demers was originally in the outside lane, but moved to the inside lane to avoid a vehicle that had just turned from Red Bud Lane onto SR-50.

Once she was in the inside lane, Demers saw a stopped vehicle in that lane, so she moved back into the outside lane. However, a Hernando County school bus was in the outside lane loading children to take them to Moton Elementary School.

Demers tried to stop and lost control of her SUV, which traveled onto the north shoulder of SR-50. Once on the grass shoulder, investigators say Demers’ SUV hit the 9-year-old girl and then stopped in a ditch.

The 9-year-old Brooksville girl was airlifted to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa. She suffered minor injuries, according to the FHP. Demers was ticketed for careless driving.STORIES THAT OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON-