Poor School Bus Safety Can Lead to Catastrophic Accidents and Injury
The law firm of Worby Vecchio Edelman, LLP is proud to represent the people of White Plains. Our years of practicing personal injury law have made us a strong part of this community, which is why families throughout the area often come to us when they need legal advice and counsel.
You don't often hear about school bus accidents on the news, thankfully, and yet they still can happen. When they do, the injuries can be tragic. Let's explore these matters and why bus driver safety ought to be a paramount concern.
We Expect School Bus Drivers to Be Safe
Whenever our children are in the care of others, we put our trust in those caretakers to do what is best. With regard to bus drivers, the expectations are simple. We expect bus drivers to make sure all children in the vehicle and near it are unharmed. We also expect our children to be brought to and from school without incident or collisions.
Statistics on School-Vehicle Crashes
While the vast majority of school bus drivers are safe, there are tragic cases in which bus drivers cause or are involved in collisions. These instances are rare. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 134 people are killed in school-vehicle-related crashes every year. If that number, 8 percent of fatalities are people inside of the bus, while 21 percent of fatalities are those outside and around the bus.
Looking Out for Children
Since buses are large and can cause major injuries when involved in a crash of any kind, it's important that bus drivers keep an eye out for children, both in the bus and around the bus. Drivers need to make sure to stop and flash red lights for children as they get on and off a bus. This helps ensure their safety and keeps other motorists aware that children are present.
Before driving, bus drivers must check blind spots for children cross the street, on their bikes, or otherwise nearby. Since buses are large and have significant blind spots, bus drives must be especially careful about checking their mirrors to make sure the coast is clear.
Being Aware of Other Motorists
In addition to noting children nearby, bus drivers must keep note of other drivers. As we noted above, there are significant blind spots when driving a bus, and it's important for bus drivers to remain extra attentive when operating their vehicle. Abiding by the speed limit and following all traffic laws will help prevent collisions from occurring, keeping children in the bus and others sharing the road safe from harm.
When Accidents Happen, Who Is to Blame?
This is a complicated question since accidents can happen for many different reasons. Looking at evidence and recreating the accident can help determine who is at fault for a collision and/or injury.
If the bus driver is responsible for an accident, it's important that he or she be held accountable. There ought to be repercussions for their negligent actions, and the driver's employers may be taken to task for poor screening of the employee and questionable hiring practices.
How Our Attorneys Can Help
These legal matters can be complex, and your primary concern may be on the well-being of your children or trying to cope with a tragic loss. By working with a skilled team of lawyers, you can focus on your family while an attorney can put their energy into proper litigation and legal action. This peace of mind may be invaluable to you and your loved ones.
Contact Worby Vecchio Edelman, LLP
For more information about your legal rights and options, be sure to contact an experienced personal injury and accident lawyer today. Our legal team will be on your side in your time of legal need.
