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Bus Accidents

Each school day more than 25 million children ride the recognizable yellow school bus back and forth to school and school related activities. Additionally, millions take these vehicles to camp, religious, athletic and youth events. There are an approximate 450,000 school buses in service to date. School buses travel 2 million miles every school day. About 16,000 school bus collisions occur annually, resulting in 12,000 injuries and 130 deaths involving school buses yearly.

Over the years, various groups have advocated the installation of safety belts in large school buses. Among the arguments offered by these groups is that encouraging (or requiring) safety belt use in school buses may foster habits that carry over to the family automobile, resulting in increased use or encouragement of others to use belts. Small, van type school buses (fewer than 10,000 pounds gross weight) are required to have safety belts for all occupants as standard equipment since these vehicles are similar to passenger cars. Although school bus accident rates are considerably low, school bus accidents are still devastating for all involved.

In an attempt to further prevent students from sustaining injuries or fatalities in school bus accidents, school bus safety backers are fighting to implement seat belts in the design of all yellow school buses, arguing that the school bus design has not changed since 1977.

Furthermore, in an effort to prevent pedestrians and non-bus occupants from being injured in a school bus accident, states have instituted safety precautions that must be taken by drivers in the vicinity of school buses.

As cities across the nation grow, congestion rises on our highways and roadways. As a result more and more individuals choose to use public transportation each year. With more and more of the public using Buses as a means of transportation, the number of injuries and even death increases.

According to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, based on information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are less than 300 fatal bus accidents in an average year. Of those, nearly 30% involve transit buses.

Bus accidents can be attributed to driver negligence, inadequate security, negligence, dangerous roadways, weather conditions, defective products and improper maintenance.

If you or a loved have been injured in a bus accident, please fill out the form at the right for a free case evaluation by a qualified personal injury attorney.