We should be able to count on reliable school buses and safe school bus drivers. However, there are times when the careless or negligent actions of a school bus driver or bus agency cause accidents to occur. If you or somebody you care about has been injured in an accident involving a school bus, the team at our firm is ready to help. Our mass transit accident attorneys will investigate your case in order to secure the compensation you need.
School bus crashes can be terrifying, particularly for parents and guardians. School bus accidents can affect various parties, including the children on the bus, those in vehicles struck by a bus, as well as bystanders near the crash.
After Dallas County Schools (the century-old school transportation system) shut down a few years ago, the school system took over nearly 1,000 buses and more than 1,100 employees to create its own in-house transportation system.
When we look at data from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), we can see that there were 1,282 total school bus fatalities over a recent 10-year period. Most of the fatalities and injuries caused by these crashes affected occupants of other vehicles struck by a bus. The second-highest total of fatalities and injuries occurred in pedestrians affected by these accidents. Finally, passengers on a bus were least likely to be killed or injured, but they still sustained severe injuries and many of the crashes.
In many cases, the careless or negligent actions of a school bus driver or bus agency caused an accident. School bus drivers should always have their commercial driver’s licenses and any endorsements required by the state concerning school bus operation. Drivers should never operate while distracted or impaired. Unfortunately, time and time again, we see news stories school bus drivers being arrested or fired because they were drunk behind the wheel.
School bus agencies, in our case, the school district, should regularly inspect and properly maintain every vehicle in their fleet. If they do not, the school bus could experience vehicle failure on the roadway and crash. School bus agencies should also take care to properly train and monitor every school bus driver.
If you or somebody you care about has been injured in an accident with a Dallas-area school bus, seek legal assistance as soon as possible. At our firm, we are ready to help injured victims secure the compensation they deserve. We will investigate the claim work to obtain the following:
When you need a Dallas school bus accident attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or by calling us at 214-295-2900.