Child Injury Laws - By Jonathan Rosenfeld

A school bus driver forgot one of the tenants of good winter driving-- keeping an adequate distance between vehicles-- when he swerved the bus to avoid hitting another car that apparently lost control.  The bus landed in a ditch on the side of the road injuring six of the children inside.

The six injured children were transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center.

While I'm not certain of the specifics surrounding this particular school bus crash, many bus accidents are due to the negligence of the bus driver.  Particularly in icy weather, it is crucial for school bus drivers to use extreme care as their large vehicles require far greater distance to stop and maneuver.

School Bus Accidents

School buses and other types of pupil transportation account for an amazing -- 10 Billion rides to and from school every year.  Considering how many students are transported and the number of trips made, school buses are a remarkably safe mode of transportation. Over the past ten years there have been less than 30 children killed in school bus-related accidents on an anualized basis.

Nonetheless, any time a child is injured, serious attention deserves to be focused on how the injury came about.  Particularly, when we begin to look children injured in school bus accidents, we tend to see a pattern where driver inattention and negligence plays a substantial role in many incidents. 

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers has represented children involved in several types of school bus accidents including:

• Buses rear-ending other vehicles
• Drivers skidding off road
• Reckless driving
• Sexual abuse
• Children thrown out of the bus
• Children hit by the bus while entering / exiting

We remain available to discuss all types of school bus accidents involving injuries.  Call us today for your free case evaluation. (888) 424-5757

Related:

School Bus Safety: Is It Time To Make Seat Belts Mandatory In School Buses?

School Bus Accident Demonstrates Why Drivers Need To Protect Children From Unexpected Injuries

UPDATE: Six children released from hospital with minor injuries after school bus accident, Trib Local

Transportation and School Busing - The School Bus, History of Pupil Transportation, Issues in Pupil Transportation

We insist on seat belt use in cars, airplanes and most other vehicles where we transport children--- yet the overwhelming majority of school buses on the roads today are not equipped with either a lap belt or shoulder harness.  When you consider the fact that millions of children use school buses as transportation for both school and non-school related activities this is downright shocking.

A recent collision on a highway in the St. Louis area highlights the importance of not just installing sealt belts—but also taking a hard look at school bus safety altogether.  The collision involved two school buses that were transporting high school students to an amusement park.  While passing though a work-zone, two vehicles traveling in front of the buses failed to adequately slow-down setting off a chain reaction of rear end collisions that the school buses were part of.

The results proved catastrophic.  One child was killed, and 54 students received injuries that required medical attention.

Currently, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident.  However, a preliminary investigation determined that both school bus drivers are at least partially at fault for not reacting quickly and following too closely.

Human error will always be associated with auto accidents such as this.  However, new technology could have perhaps reduced the likelihood of these incidents and possibility reduces the extent of the injuries.

The NTSB is currently evaluating whether seatbelts could have reduced the severity of the injuries.  Further, NTSB investigators are also evaluating if computer technology that warns the driver of up-coming traffic could similarly be helpful in avoiding the collision completely.  Despite the advances in safety and accident avoidance technology, nothing can take the place of alert and properly-trained school bus drivers.

My heart goes out to all the children and parents involved in this school bus tragedy.  After the injuries are tended to, my hope is that these parents demand not just accountability who is responsible for this incident, but equally important: how we can improve school bus safety?

Related:

NTSB investigates deadly school bus accident Associated Press 

The National Coalition for School Bus Safety

School Bus Accidents Threaten Kids’ Safety safetyissues.com