California is one of the top ten states with the highest rate of bus crashes in the United States.
Whether on public or private transportation, the passenger’s safety should be of the utmost concern. There are varying degrees of possible injuries a passenger could sustain from a bus accident.
COMMONLY DOCUMENTED CAUSES OF BUS ACCIDENTS
Buses are much bigger than other vehicles on the roadways and are much harder to stop rapidly. Other vehicles are not always paying attention to the bus’s signals or traffic maneuvers and are typically found at fault for the accident. Statistics show that the majority of bus collisions are NOT attributed to bus drivers. It is not common for bus drivers to be found driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, speeding, or falling asleep at the wheel. Actually, according to the Journal of Safety Research, bus accidents are mostly attributed to:
- Young and inexperienced bus drivers.
- Bus drivers over sixty-five years of age.
- Other vehicles not obeying traffic laws.
As a passenger on a bus, your physical safety and well being should be the top priority of the driver and the owners/operators of the bus, whether or not they are a private company or managed by the local public transportation division. If you or a loved one are injured in a bus accident, those responsible for any injuries sustained should be held liable for their negligence.
BUS ACCIDENT STATISTICS
Buses of all models including charter buses, tour buses, school buses, city buses, and subway buses are used for private and public transportation. Roughly 63,000 buses are involved in accidents each year. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), from 2009 to 2016 the number of fatal crashes involving large trucks and buses had increased by twenty-eight percent. These statistics also showed that:
- Intercity buses accounted for thirteen percent of all bus accidents.
- School buses accounted for forty percent of all bus accidents.
- Transit buses accounted for thirty-four percent.
Overall, statistics show that the percentage/number of bus accidents that occur every year is not much lower than the number of automobile accidents when you factor in the percent of accidents per person and mileage traveled.
POSSIBLE INJURIES FROM A BUS ACCIDENT
Bus accidents can range anywhere from fender benders to fatal collisions. Passengers typically sustain the same injuries you would expect to sustain as a passenger in a car. The most commonly reported injuries sustained in bus accidents are whiplash, head trauma, broken or fractured bones, and mild to severe lacerations.
WHY SEEK LEGAL REPRESENTATION
Allow the bus accident experts at The Law Offices of Howard Kornberg to review your case, investigate your accident, and hold the responsible party accountable. Let our diligent legal team ensure you get the maximum compensation for any physical pain or injury, emotional trauma, medical bills, and court costs caused by the accident. Call our offices in San Fernando Valley at 310-997-0904 for a free evaluation or email us to request a risk-free consultation. The Kornberg Law Offices take winning for our clients very seriously. If our clients do not win, we are not paid.
