Articles Posted in Bus Accidents

Although school bus accidents are not as common as car accidents, they do cause many personal injuries each year. In the 2008-2009 school year alone, 158 school bus accidents took place in Florida. What is even more alarming is that in every case, school bus driver error was determine to be the cause of these accidents. In 28 of these accidents, at least one person sustained a personal injury.

Drivers are repeatedly warned to drive safely around school buses, since school buses carry children. However, this latest statistics suggests that while drivers may be getting the message, school bus drivers may require added regulations. In many of the 158 school bus accidents in Florida last school year, driver error resulted when a school bus driver failed to yield right of way. In some cases, driver mistakes – such as an illegal turn – caused the accident.

School bus accidents are an especial cause of concern because these larger vehicles can cause a great deal of damage. A school bus filled with students can weigh 40,000 pounds, while most empty school buses can weigh up to 28,000 pounds. In comparison, most passenger vehicles weigh 5,000 pounds or less. In a car accident involving a school bus, the passengers in a car are very likely to be harmed.

Back to school means back to the school bus. While buses can be a very safe and environmentally-friendly way of ferrying children back and forth to school, school bus accidents, when they do happen, can be devastating. School bus accidents can cause brain injuries, broken bones, fatalities, and other serious personal injuries.

Parents can help prevent school bus accidents by teaching their children school bus safety. Teach your child to wait for the bus safely, for example. This means waiting for the bus away from the street and away from traffic. Teach your child to wait until the bus stops completely before approaching the bus. Teach your child to wait until the bus driver makes contact.

Many school bus accidents are in fact pedestrian accidents which occur when children are getting on or off the school bus. Therefore, teach your children to keep a safe distance from the bus when getting off the bus. Show children how to take five large steps and look back to ensure that the driver can be seen. Many children do not understand that drivers have blind spots, so ensure that your child understands this concept. Teach your children to look left and right before proceeding across a street after their hop off the bus. For younger children, accompany them to and from the bus and review these safety ideas until they become second nature.

Buses of all types transport people around cities and rural areas across the state of Florida and across the country. From tour buses to city buses, school buses, and chartered buses, buses are an economical and usually safe way to travel. However, buses are sometimes in accidents. Accidents involving buses can be pedestrian accidents, car accidents or bus-bus collisions. In every case, serious personal injury or even fatalities can occur.

If you have been in a bus accident, it is important that you visit a doctor or emergency room right away. Even if you are lucky and seem to be fine, keep in mind that some injuries are not immediately apparent. Some fatal brain injuries, for example, do not show symptoms for an hour or more. It is better to be safe. A visit to a medical professional can save you from serious complications.

In addition to seeing a doctor, you should begin to gather as much information as you can. If possible, write down the bus driver’s name, the bus vehicle or license plate number, insurance information for the bus, contact information for witnesses, and anything else you can think of. Take pictures if you can and be sure to get copies of any medical reports. All this information can help you make a claim. Even if you are rushed to the hospital and cannot take any information from the scene, get copies of the police report and medical reports and start to keep a journal of your injuries.