Bus accidents are becoming a cause for concern as we hear more and more about them in the news although in the grand scheme of things bus accidents with fatalities are comparatively unusual in the U.S. Most bus crashes occur in metropolitan areas and at relatively low speeds. Approximately 22,000 victims sustain minor to grave injuries after being involved in a bus accident with about 50 fatalities per year although school bus collisions are responsible for only 15 fatalities per year. While any death is tragic—particularly that of a child— considering the huge amount of miles covered by school buses each year you can feel relatively safe putting your children on one to go to school. Overall, nearly 400 million people ride a variety of buses over 31 billion miles per year, making them fairly safe transportation. Should you or a loved one have been unlucky enough to be injured on a commercial bus, it is important you acquire experienced legal counsel early on.

Bus Collision Factors

There are a wide variety of factors involved in bus crashes, but it is estimated that bus driver exhaustion accounts for at least a third of all collisions while a specific medical condition of the driver accounts for another 15-18%. Over half of all bus accidents can be directly attributed to the driver, with smaller percentages related to the condition of the bus or inclement weather conditions. In most accidents there are a variety of factors at play; perhaps the driver was negligent or distracted in combination with a bus which has been poorly maintained. While large buses are not as prone to rollover, the typical 15-passenger van has such a high center of gravity that rollovers are common occurrences. Additionally, most buses lack seat belts, so in the event of an accident the passengers are not restrained.

Tired Bus Drivers

Hours of service for commercial drivers are overwhelmingly disregarded, particularly by those companies which are not union. Although commercial trucks are subject to random stop and checks by police officers or Department of Transportation officials, buses are rarely stopped most likely because of passenger annoyance at the time lost. Due to a lack of regulation, bus drivers may be driving while drowsy could have their driving ability influenced by prescription medications. Those bus drivers who commonly drive city buses may become very aggressive in their driving habits and several cities have had city bus drivers actually caught on camera texting while driving a busload of people.

Other Causes of Bus Accidents

Additionally other vehicles may stop in bus lanes, causing accidents, or pedestrians can enter the bus lane improperly.  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration studied bus driver accidents and determined that most accidents are a result of bus drivers who fail to properly recognize and react to a situation in order to avoid a collision. Of course some bus accidents are not caused by driver failure as when a bus fails to operate properly or has a brake failure or tire blowout.

In some cases bus companies fail to hold up their end of the bargain—to keep their passengers safe—refusing to accept responsibility and compensate the victims for the damages and injuries they sustain. Having a personal injury attorney in your corner, protecting your rights can be crucial at a time like this. You don’t want to have to go up against a large bus company or their insurance carrier on their own, particularly at a time when you are trying to recover from your injuries. If you have been injured in a bus accident, don’t wait—contact a qualified attorney immediately.

Those who are fed up with traffic gridlock and gas prices over four dollars a gallon may be tempted to turn to public transportation options like metro buses.  While buses can be a very safe mode of transportation, bus drivers who are careless and busing companies that are indifferent to safety standards may cause serious bus accidents resulting in catastrophic injury and wrongful death.  If you or someone you love has been injured in a serious Mississippi bus accident, our Mississippi bus accident attorneys at Barrett Law have experience with complex issues involved in bus accident litigation of all kinds, including:

• Public buses run by government agencies
• School buses
• Commuter buses run by private companies
• Tour bus lines
• Long distance bus carriers

Serious Bus Accidents Involving Rogue Busing Companies on the Rise

Although bus accidents are not as common as some other types of motor vehicle collisions, they are hardly a rare event.  There are in excess of 60,000 bus accidents per year in the United States, and the large size and weight of buses means that they pose a serious risk of injury and even death to those who are involved in a bus crash.  When buses run off the road and rollover, bus occupants may be ejected from the vehicle, which is likely to result in catastrophic injuries because buses lack basic safety features such as seatbelts and airbags.

There has been a rash of bus accidents across the United States recently, which have been the product of bus companies that operate despite failure to comply with federal safety rules and frequent safety violations.  Many of these accidents have resulted in life-changing injuries and even fatalities for patrons of rogue tour bus lines.  Sometimes bus companies with a poor safety record simply close their company and reopen within months under a different business name.  The issue of bus safety involving rogue tour bus lines has become so significant that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which regulates bus carrier safety, is currently considering new regulations to prevent system wide abuse by rogue bus companies.

Why Do Mississippi Busing Accident Lawsuits Require Experienced Busing Accident Attorneys?

Buses that are  not properly maintained or that are operated by bus drivers that are  not properly trained or supervised pose a danger to everyone on the road, including passenger vehicle occupants, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.  The massive size of a bus means that the occupants of any vehicle that collides with a bus faces a significant risk of suffering life-changing permanent injuries.

Bus accidents require an attorney experienced in handling these special types of collisions, which may often involve litigation against a large public entity.  Public entities have substantial financial resources to fight litigation and are often protected from liability for personal injury lawsuits by the doctrine of sovereign immunity.  While many public entities have passed statutes that limit this immunity and permit injury victims to make claims, special rules and extremely short deadlines often apply.  Our experienced Mississippi bus accident lawyers are well versed in the specific requirements imposed by these special rules and time limits.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a Mississippi bus accident or a loved one has died, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and loss.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.