I don't know the exact conditions at the time and place the kid was dropped off. The conditions between 15 and 20 miles away at the same time weren't good. Expecting a child that just started kindergarten to be able to determine whether he is three blocks north, east, south or west of home when it's raining 4" an hour, hailing, lightening and blowing 40-60+ mph sounds like it might be a bit of a stretch to me. At the school my kids attend the staff wouldn't allow a child out the front door without an adult guardian.

In the TOPIX forum associated with the news story a suggestion was made that, particularly during extreme weather, the kids could be issued those cheap, disposable hospital bracelets with their stop number on them. It would be easy enough for the driver to check the bracelets quickly as the kids pass on the way out the door.