City buses, tour buses, school buses … they are all an easy, environmentally friendly answer to transporting large groups of people. Unfortunately, when one of these large-scale buses is involved in a traffic accident, the results can be very serious, simply due to the sheer size of the vehicle. Perhaps even more upsetting is the fact that bus accidents involving children can result in death, or in injuries that will plague a child the rest of his or her life.

The highly skilled and compassionate personal injury attorneys at The Yost Legal Group have experience representing families affected by bus accidents and can answer any questions you may have right away.

Facts and Statistics: Bus Accidents and Children

The number of bus accidents, including those involving children, is on the rise. The Federal Transit Authority reports that the annual number of bus accidents has increased by 15,000 or more in recent years. Plus:

• Children age 11 to 14 years are the most likely age group to be injured in a bus accident.

  • Nearly 25 percent of children-bus accident injuries happen when a child is boarding or exiting a bus.
  • More than 16,500 children are hospitalized each year because of a bus accident.
  • Fifty percent of children (9 years or under) who are hurt in a bus accident suffer a head injury.
  • There 100+ deaths annually from school bus accidents, and even more for city and highway buses.
  • Most buses do not have seat belts available for passengers, making children especially vulnerable when an accident occurs.

Causes of Bus Accidents Involving Children

A common factor in bus accidents involving a child is the failure of other drivers around the bus to see a child getting on or off the vehicle. Often this happens when an automobile driver fails to obey the traffic rules surrounding a stopped or parked bus near the roadway.

Other causes include:

  • Poor bus maintenance or defective parts
  • Fatigued driver or driver using drugs/alcohol
  • Distracted driver
  • Poorly designed roadways, where there is not enough space for a bus to pull safely off the road for boarding/deboarding
  • Inadequate driver training
  • Lack of proper signage
  • Poor bus design

If your child is the victim of a bus accident, please contact the experienced Baltimore, Maryland bus accident legal team at The Yost Legal Group for a free case consultation today.

Free consultation: Call 1-800-YOST LAW or complete the contact form below to learn more about how we can help.