School Bus Accident Lawyers

Surprisingly Large Number of School Bus Injuries across the Country

According to a study published in the magazine Pediatrics, more than 51,000 children were treated in emergency rooms across the country for non-fatal injuries that were the result of bus-related incidents in a three-year period.

With 51,000 injuries, that yields roughly 17,000 per year. Most of these injuries occurred in children that were ages 10 to 14 years of age. While children were injured in non-fatal crashes, they also sustained injuries while boarding busses. It is now apparent that previous studies had grossly underestimated the number of injuries that are incurred.

Of the 23.5 million students that ride school busses to school on a daily basis, only those in Florida, New Jersey, and New York are given the option of wearing seatbelts. Of that small number of children, only those in New York are required to wear their seatbelts.

It has been estimated that adding seatbelts to the costs of busses would add roughly $4,000 if the seatbelts are comparable to those in cars. Despite this cost, they would save a minimum of one life per year. It has also been suggested that the famous yellow busses that we’re all accustomed to seeing should be re-designed to make them less top-heavy and so less likely to roll.

Despite these obvious safety flaws, taking a school bus to school is still the safest way, when compared to number of miles travelled and the number of trips taken. The most dangerous way: riding in a car with a teenaged driver. This option is 100 times more dangerous than a school bus.

If your child has been injured in an accident involving a school bus, contact the school bus accident lawyers of Williams Kherkher at 800-220-9341.