An Accident Involving a Bus and a Kia SUV Occurs on Arden Way and Howe Avenue
A bus accident occurred on January 21 in the Arden-Arcade section of Sacramento on Arden Way and Howe Avenue. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that the bus accident happened at approximately 7:00 a.m. The crash was described as a head-on collision between the bus and a motor vehicle.
Additional Details of the Accident
The CHP described the motor vehicle involved in the accident as a red Kia SUV. The crash caused the turning lanes to be blocked. According to those at the scene, first responders arrived at the site to evaluate the injured. There have been no reports as to the number of injured or the types of injuries.
Head-On Collisions
While any accident can have serious repercussions, head-on collisions are most likely to cause serious injury and death. This is due to the force of the impact, which involves the momentum of both vehicles. If one of the vehicles is large and the other is not, the likelihood of significant trauma to the occupants of the smaller car or truck is high.
The number of head-on collisions is less frequent than other types of accidents, yet the fatality rate is much higher. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, head-on collisions figure in 13 percent of all fatalities in rural areas, and about 7 percent of deaths in urban ones are related to a head-on collision.
Injuries in a Bus Accident
A vast assortment of injuries occur in a bus accident and while they don’t happen often, when they do, serious injuries occur. Overall, about 63,000 bus accidents occur nationwide, along with roughly 14,000 injuries. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and occupants of passenger vehicles are seriously affected each year. Common injuries include:
- Internal injuries: Pedestrians, motorcyclists, and bicyclists fare badly when struck by a bus. That is because they have no shield to absorb the impact. This can result in internal injuries such as contusion of the heart or trauma to the lungs and abdominal organs. These critical injuries can easily be fatal without swift and proper treatment.
- Deep lacerations: Bus passengers are often exposed to sharp metal and glass in an accident. This results in deep lacerations that require cosmetic surgery to prevent scarring. If allowed to scar, some injured individuals may have emotional and psychological problems for the remainder of their life.
- Head injuries: The unexpected blunt trauma of a bus accident can result in brain injuries. This can cause a life-long disability or a fatality.
- Spinal cord injury: Due to the intensity of the impact, an accident with a bus can cause injury to the spinal cord. This can cause permanent paralysis to varying degrees. Long-term medical care and rehabilitation can be needed.
- Fractures: A bus accident can result in fractures. They can be simple fractures or more complex ones. In the latter cases, surgical intervention is often needed.
- Amputations: Due to crushing blows during an accident with a bus, a passenger of the bus or a motor vehicle can be faced with the amputation of a limb. This traumatic event can be life-threatening as well as life-altering.
Investigating a Bus Accident
At our firm, our injury attorneys are experienced with investigating an accident with a bus. Our investigators arrive at the scene and start by interviewing the bus driver, checking his or her credentials and reviewing the bus log. The latter is important since it will provide information as to bus maintenance. If an irregularity arises that could have been significant in causing an accident, the bus owner can become part of the lawsuit filed by the injured party.
Our investigative team also interviews witnesses, reviews police reports for mistakes, and obtains video footage of the crash. We also do accident reconstruction to determine liability.
Sacramento Bus Accident Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento bus accident attorney. After an accident with a bus, you or a family member may need my help. Please reach out to me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. I can also be reached online.
I have helped Sacramentans receive the compensation they deserve since 1982 in wrongful death cases, car accidents, and other traumatic events.
Learn more about my firm by following the links below:
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Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/car-accident-broken-glass-splatter-337764/
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