Bus and Shuttle Accidents

At some time or another, most of us have used a bus or shuttle for transportation. Many of us take the city bus just about every day instead of using a car, and most children take a bus to school. While both buses and shuttles perform an important service, that’s not to say they don’t pose a serious risk too. Buses, especially, are often the size of 18 wheelers. They have capable engines that can get them moving at a fairly dangerous speed. Find yourself in front of a bus or shuttle and you’ll most likely need a qualified attorney later.

Bus Accident Statistics

While shuttle accidents are less common, those involving buses happen fairly regularly. School buses, for example, were involved in 1,222 accidents between 2003 and 2012. That works out to be one nearly every three days. With 1,353 people killed as a result, it equates to roughly 135 fatalities a year. The breakdown of victims looks like this:

8% were occupants of the bus
21% were pedestrians, bicyclists, etc.
71% were in other vehicles

Despite the fact that those on the bus were the safest, school-age children (between five and 13) still make up 65% of those who were struck by these vehicles between 2003 and 2012, presumably after they got off.

Other types of buses are dangerous too. Tour and charter buses also keep occupants relatively safe, compared to those who are outside of them. In 2009, these buses resulted in 45 people dying for every 100,000 who took them.

Between 2005 and 2010, motor coach accidents happened 1,003 times a year, on average. 32% of them were fatal.

Though these numbers may still have you thinking that taking a bus is safer than being in a car, it turns out this may not be the case. Once you compare the miles traveled by both vehicles, the accident rate starts to even out.

The Results of Bus and Shuttle Accidents

One thing the numbers are fairly clear on, though, is that once an accident involving these vehicles occurs, multiple people can be seriously injured or even killed. This makes sense, of course, when you consider their sizes and speeds, which we mentioned at the beginning.

Furthermore, both vehicles can obviously carry a lot more people than standard automobiles. This multiplies the potential for harm to be done based on one single driver or event occurring.

Lastly, both vehicles depend on passengers getting on and off. That makes it much simpler for accidents involving pedestrians to occur, as many of them are often moving toward these vehicles while they’re still moving.

It’s worth pointing out that all the statistics above don’t necessarily represent accidents where the driver is to blame or some other type of negligence was involved.

What to Do if You’ve Been Injured by a Bus or Shuttle Accident

Nonetheless, if you have been injured from one of these passenger vehicles, it’s important you act quickly. Whether they’re owned by a bus company, the government, a hotel or even a bar, you can bet they’re insured. This means your ensuing legal battle will involve at least one business and an insurance company, both of which will be hiring lawyers.

However, you don’t just want to hire an attorney of your own. You want to find an attorney with bus and shuttle accident lawsuit experience. Speak with them quickly, too, so they have enough time to act fast by collecting witness statements and any other type of relevant evidence.

While accidents involving busses and shuttles can be extremely serious, that doesn’t mean you can’t fight back. Get an experienced lawyer on your side and file a lawsuit for the damages you deserve.

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