It is often said that riding a bus is one of the safest modes of transportation. However, obviously no road travel is without any risk, and accidents do happen. When a bus does crash, it will likely make the evening news due to the number of injuries that could be involved. Not only does the bus have the capacity to carry a large number of people, but most of the time there are no seat belts. In recent years, this combination has resulted in a few catastrophic scenes.
Another factor that comes into play when considering the risks of bus travel is that buses are used for long-distance travel – think vacation tours or musicians on the road. This can often lead to driver fatigue, a frequent cause of bus accidents.
Vehicles that share the road with buses should give them space, and be careful not to be within the driver’s blind spot. It is not a mystery which vehicle will come out ahead in a bus vs. passenger automobile collision. A quick internet search will provide pictures of smaller vehicles actually wedged underneath a bus carriage – a horrifying possibility, but extra caution should always be taken when driving near extremely large vehicles.
Accidents involving municipal buses usually require any injured party to comply with a “claims statute” which is often a shortened period of time in which to file paperwork to protect the injury claim. Because of that potential trap, it is a good idea to consult with an attorney right away if you or someone you know has been involved in an accident involving a bus.
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Personal Injury Attorney with the primary accident information site on the web, AutoAccident.com. Call me now at (916) 921-6400.
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