Are School Bus Accidents Common? (& Tips for Sharing the Road)

A school bus accident, much like a truck accident, can have devastating consequences. Because these huge vehicles are so much larger than passenger cars, the drivers and other occupants are subjected to incredibly huge forces. They will often suffer severe injuries – or even worse – as a result.

If you’ve been hurt in an accident with a school bus, the accident injury attorneys with Penn Kestner & McEwen may be able to help you obtain a significant amount of compensation. We’ll thoroughly investigate your case, and do everything we can to help you get every penny you deserve. Please give us a call at (800) 732-3070 or contact us online for a free review of your case.

School Bus Accident Statistics

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 1,100 people died in 1,009 crashes involving vehicles used for school transportation between 2011-2020. About 70% of those who died were drivers or other occupants of passenger vehicles.

Who’s at Fault for an Accident Involving a School Bus

School bus accidents, like crashes involving commercial trucks, can oftentimes have multiple liable parties. For example, the driver of the bus could be responsible, as could the company that owns or maintains the bus, and even the company that manufactured the vehicle.

The driver could be to blame due to speeding, or operating the bus while fatigued. The company charged with maintaining the vehicle may have been negligent, and a vital component failed while the bus was in motion. If, for instance, the maintenance company failed to address a problem with the brakes, and that played a direct role in causing the accident, then you may be able to take legal action against that business.

The manufacturer may have released a bus that had serious defects, such as a power steering pump that failed, causing the driver to suddenly lose control. If an investigation shows the failure of the pump led to the wreck, you could possibly sue the manufacturer.

Causes of School Bus Accidents

It can be nearly impossible to be able to control a bus – or any other type of large vehicle, for that matter – if certain road conditions exist. A guardrail may have been missing or damaged to the point that it acted similar to a spear when struck, puncturing the bus and leading to severe injuries. The bus could have gone over a huge pothole the driver didn’t anticipate, causing a loss of control. A highway without enough of a shoulder could have contributed to the bus rolling over.

The weather, of course, can also wreak havoc on a driver’s ability to control their vehicle. Many truck accidents take place because drivers fail to adjust their speed to wet or icy roads. Bus and truck drivers must always use sound judgment, and either slow down or pull over if conditions deteriorate to the point where they can no longer safely operate the vehicle. They must also be prepared to stop at all times during bad weather, and slow down so that all other vehicles have plenty of room.

Bus Accidents Can Cause Severe and Life-Threatening Injury

Drivers and passengers involved in terrible bus accidents can be hurt so badly that they face a lifetime of debilitation. The following are just a few of the many kinds of severe injuries that can occur.

• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). A TBI takes place when a victim’s head hits a hard surface. When the impact is strong enough, that can cause the brain to strike the inside of the skull, resulting in severe tissue damage. When a TBI is severe, a victim may suffer profound cognitive problems, losing their ability to remember or communicate. They may lose the ability to perform the tasks that most of us take for granted every day.
• Back and Spinal Cord Injuries. The impacts passenger car occupants experience when being involved in a bus accident can also result in severe back injuries that lead to years of excruciating pain. If a spinal cord injury occurs, the damage can be so expensive that a victim will be paralyzed for life.
• Broken Bones. Most of the time, when someone has a broken bone it will eventually heal, and the affected limb will get back to normal. In some instances, however, complications arise that require multiple surgeries. Also, broken bones can sometimes puncture internal organs, causing a life-threatening situation.

How Much Compensation Will I Receive?

No reputable attorney will ever make any kinds of promises regarding the amount of money you can expect to receive. But at Penn Kestner & McEwen, we’ll be able to give you a good idea once we obtain all the facts of the case. We have a lot of experience performing thorough investigations of accidents involving large vehicles, such as buses and commercial trucks.

Once that investigation is complete, and we have a full understanding of the extent of your injuries, we’ll tell you exactly how much money we’ll demand from all potentially liable parties.

How to Stay Safe Around School Buses

Hopefully, you’ll never have to experience the horror of an accident with a school bus. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to help you avoid this situation.

• Always give a school bus plenty of room, since they make a lot of stops.
• Never assume that any children exiting the bus will take the time to look both ways before doing so. Remain at a stop until the red lights on the bus are no longer flashing, or the bus starts moving. If you fail to do this, you could be charged with a serious traffic violation – and $1,000 fine or larger.
• Don’t assume that the driver of the bus can see you. If you can’t see their face in their side-view mirror, there’s a good chance they have no idea you’re there.

Contact Penn Kestner and McEwen if You’ve Been Involved in an Accident with a School Bus

The attorneys with Penn Kestner & McEwen have a great deal of experience in school bus accidents. If you’ve suffered an injury due to the negligence of someone else, we’ll do everything we can to help you obtain full and fair compensation. You can contact us online to schedule a free consultation, or you can give us a call at (800) 732-3070. We prize communication, and will be happy to answer any questions you may have.