Personal Injury – Bus Accidents
Many residents in Atlanta, from commuters, residents, and schoolchildren, to tourists rely on public transportation to carry them from one place to another, on a daily basis. Every passenger puts their trust in the driver and the integrity of the bus company’s vehicles to get them to their destination safely. Buses are a cheap and easy alternative to driving. While you have little to no control over the bus when it is in motion, it is of the utmost importance to try and be as safe as possible.
The are several scenarios to consider that increase your risk of suffering serious injuries in the event of a bus accident. Bus passengers will not typically have the protection of seatbelts or airbags as one would in a car, and the probability of getting “thrown around” during a collision is much higher. In addition, the size and weight of a bus profoundly affect the potential for injury to a pedestrian or the occupants of a smaller vehicle. Safety concerns when riding buses include:
- Passengers on buses do not have restraints such as safety belts, and are often required to stand when the bus’s seats are fully occupied.
- Passengers may move about a bus before it comes to a full stop, in an effort to proceed to exist when the bus is approaching their stop.
- Buses are more likely to tip over than other smaller vehicles. While instances of bus-related accidents are low, injury and fatality rates associated with them are quite high.
A lot of people take public transportation in the name of saving the environment, saving money, and convenience. While bus accidents cannot be anticipated, much is to be done when it comes to ensuring the safety of both the driver as well as the passengers. No one desire to be in an accident, however, they appear to be likely and frequent, to include injury to sometimes both the driver as well as passengers. In the event you are aware of someone who was subjected to injury due to the negligence of a passenger or the carelessness of the driver, they may need to speak with an attorney, like a personal injury attorney Dekalb County GA drivers and passengers can rely on. By reaching out to an attorney you will have someone who can articulate your rights, their negligence, and any possible financial compensation due to you. Please reach contact with an bus accident attorney in Atlanta, GA in your area to find out what the next step is in being made whole following the accident.
Thanks to contributor Andrew R. Lynch, P.C. for their insight into bus accident cases.