Given the extensive training that school bus drivers receive and the safety-minded rules and regulations surrounding school buses, these vehicles are thought to be some of the safest on America’s roads. Unfortunately, accidents still occur involving school buses. And particularly for other vehicles, drivers, passengers, and pedestrians involved in a collision with a school bus, these accidents can be devastating. People must know what to do when such an accident occurs.
School Bus Accident Statistics
School bus safety is on the top of everyone’s mind after a school bus carrying 32 students crashed into a house in College Corner, Ohio, on August 15th, 2022. While none of the students were injured, the school bus driver was rushed to the hospital, and the school bus and house sustained serious damage.[1]
According to Ohio’s 2021 Traffic Safety Bulletin, 5,859 traffic crashes involving school buses occurred between 2016 and 2020. During that period, eight individuals involved in the crashes died, and 1,923 individuals were injured.
The Role of Sovereign Immunity in School or City Bus-Related Accidents
Sovereign immunity refers to a series of laws and ordinances that protect school bus drivers, maintenance workers, school bus manufacturers, school districts, and city governments from liability in the event of a school bus accident. Similar laws exist for city transit buses.
Sovereign immunity laws are complicated and extensive, and they often differ significantly from one city to the next or even from one township to the next. That’s why it takes the best personal injury law firms to navigate the confusing landscape of immunity laws involving school buses, school zones, and city buses.
The Claims Process
There is a claims process for those seeking damages after being involved in an accident with a school bus. With the help of a personal injury lawyer or wrongful death attorney, the victim of an accident or their next of kin can pursue the following:
- Negligence claims. A settlement may be reachable when the victim’s attorney can prove that the school bus driver was negligent.
- Willful harm claims. A settlement may be reachable when the victim’s attorney can prove that the school bus driver acted in a willfully harmful manner.
Legal Representation for School or City Bus Accidents
Because such extensive immunity laws cover school and city buses (including comprehensive regulations and ordinances that protect the school district, city, bus manufacturer, driver, and maintenance crew), it’s critical to only approach a school bus accident claim with the help of an experienced injury law attorney.
Cautious driving and regular safety checks prevent car accidents, but when personal injuries do occur, families need professional help. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury from a collision with a school bus, please call NRS Injury Law at 855.977.6670.
