Speeding, a Factor in New York School Bus Accident

A bus driver was able to regain control of his school bus after being hit by a car on a northern New York highway preventing serious injuries to the two 12-year-old children on board. According to ABC News 13, the bus accident occurred on the Interstate 81. Police said a sedan was speeding and slammed into the back of the school bus, which went off the road, spun out and flipped over to its side. One of the children in the bus suffered leg injuries and a transportation aide complained of hip and back pain. The car’s driver received a speeding ticket.
Bus Accident Statistics
The Department of Transportation reported that there are more than 1,000 bus accidents every year and nearly half of those involve school buses. About 200 school bus accidents every year result in fatalities and more than 10,000 children are injured.
The Dangers of Speeding
All motorists should exercise diligence while around school buses because these vehicles have large blind spots and make frequent stops. If a motorist is at-fault in an accident involving a school bus, he or she could be held responsible for any injuries. If a school bus driver is determined to have been at fault, the driver, bus company and even the school district can be held liable. Speeding is a form of negligence because it shows disregard for the safety and well being of others on the roadway. Speeding can lead to rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, or broadside crashes, all of which have the potential to cause catastrophic or even fatal injuries.
New York’s Basic Speed Law (Vehicle & Traffic Law Section 1180 (a) states: “A person shall not drive a vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing.”
Injuries and Compensation
Injuries suffered in school bus accidents can result in minor, moderate or severe injuries. Traumatic brain injuries, quadriplegia, paraplegia, broken bones, internal bleeding, spinal cord injuries and herniated discs are examples of the types of injuries that can occur in such accidents. Victims of traffic accidents can seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, loss of wages and benefits, cost of hospitalization, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
If you or a loved one has been injured in New York traffic accident, the experienced personal injury lawyers with the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please call our offices 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: ABC News