READFIELD -- Two children riding a school bus and the driver of a car that smashed into it were taken to the hospital early Monday.

The injured children's parents reported they were bumped and bruised but otherwise fine, according to Rich Abramson, Regional School Unit 38 superintendent.

Judith Beck, 69, of Readfield was transported by ambulance to MaineGeneral Medical Center as a precaution, Readfield Fire Chief Matt Dunn said.

About 30 children were on the bus, Abramson said. The two students taken to the hospital were fifth- and sixth-graders who attend Readfield Elementary School and Maranacook Community Middle School, he said.

Abramson said the uninjured children were a little shaken up but seemed to be all right when a second bus arrived to take them to school.

"We made sure our school nurses greeted the kids when they returned to the school and checked them out even though paramedics checked them out at the scene," Abramson said. "We wanted to make sure there was no trauma or kids upset. I was there to greet them. They bounded off the bus and were happy to be here. Everybody's fine, and that's the important thing."

Dunn said the bus was stopped on the side of the road when Beck ran into the back end.

Maine State Police Trooper Bill Baker said Beck was traveling south on Old Kents Hill Road in a 2004 Subaru Outback when she looked away for a moment and struck the bus from behind. Beck complained of chest pain; the two children, neck and back pain.

The emergency call came in at 7:38 a.m.

"She thought the bus started moving again and caught up with it a little too quickly," Baker said.

The road was lined with fire trucks, police and rescue units, lights flashing. Beck's white Subaru sat in the middle of the road with the front end smashed in. Damage to the bus looked minimal.

Monday's crash was a good test of the local disaster plan because Readfield rescue crews rarely have to respond to major accidents, Dunn said.

He praised the plan and crews' response to the school bus accident. He said it was a cooperative effort involving the emergency dispatch center, law enforcement personnel and first responders.

"The three departments worked well together," Dunn said of the Readfield Fire Department, Winthrop Ambulance Service and the school department. "All the preplanning we've done over the years worked very well. The school bus driver was well-trained and knew what to do."

Brenda Ridley was the bus driver, Baker said.

Readfield Fire Department and state police responded to the emergency call along with Winthrop Ambulance.

Regional School Unit 38 educates students from Readfield, Manchester, Mount Vernon and Wayne.

Mechele Cooper -- 623-3811, ext. 408

mcooper@centralmaine.com