EXETER - An Exeter teenager who lost control of his car and hit a school bus head-on Tuesday morning has been upgraded from critical to serious condition, a hospital spokesman said.

Jesse Godin, 18, remains hospitalized at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston with serious injuries after the Volkswagen Jetta he was driving veered into oncoming traffic on Portsmouth Avenue, struck a van, and then hit the school bus.

Four students on the bus and two occupants in the van were transported to Exeter Hospital but escaped serious injuries.

State police said speed appears to have been a factor in the crash.

- Jason Schreiber