Bus accidents are not uncommon. More than 11,000 bus accident injuries were reported in 2010, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This statistic includes accidents involving school buses, charter buses, public transportation and church buses.
Sadly, school bus accidents can have deadly consequences as the sheer force and weight of the vehicle involved can cause catastrophic damage. Aside from death, these bus accidents can result in life-altering injuries like:
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head injuries
Unfortunately, many school buses lack the safety protections found in other vehicles like seatbelts and airbags. This means that the passengers, small school children, are thrown violently during a collision. Often, bus accidents are avoidable—they can occur because of driver error, defective auto parts and reckless or distracted driving.
KNOXVILLE SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENT UPDATE
Updating a blog post we brought you previously, an investigation into last month’s fatal school bus crash in Knoxville could take several weeks, according to WBIR-TV. The crash occurred on December 3 when two school buses collided on a highway.
The network reported that investigators are awaiting the results of the drivers’ blood tests and are analyzing evidence collected from the scene of the accident. The crash involved students and employees from Chilhowee Intermediate School and Sunnyview Primary School, resulting in the death of two students and a teacher’s aide.
SHOULD I SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY AFTER A BUS CRASH?
Remember, commercial vehicle operators, public transit companies and/or school districts have a duty to protect bus passengers. When they fail to do this, they should be held accountable. You should not have to suffer because a driver was negligent on the job. You should also not be harmed in an accident resulting from defective auto parts, issues with improper maintenance or driver errors.
If you have been hurt in a bus accident, ask a Nashville accident lawyer about your rights to hold the negligent parties responsible.
“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” – Psalms 34:8
Davis’ Words of Wisdom: Tennessee law requires motorists to yield to a school bus when its lights are flashing and/or it has a stop sign out.