Houston School Bus Accident a Reminder of Safety Concerns

At least eight people were injured this week in a multiple vehicle car accident in Houston that involved a school bus, Channel 12 news reported.

Metro bus accidents in Houston occur with alarming frequency — about three per day or well over 1,000 crashes in 2009. School bus accidents are also a tragically common occurrence. A top rated automobile wreck attorney in Houston Texas should always be consulted when a victim is seriously injured or killed in a bus accident, whether as a passenger on the bus, a pedestrian, or the occupant of another vehicle.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports an average of 19 students die each year in bus accidents. However, hundreds more are injured in school bus accidents.

Pedestrian accidents are among the most common — 14 of the 19 fatal school bus accidents reported each year involve a pedestrian, usually a student, who is killed outside the bus. About half of those are between the ages of 5 and 7.

Motorists involved in accidents with a school bus face many of the same risks inherent in a Houston trucking accident; the weight of a school bus, combined with its height, can result in serious or fatal injuries to occupants of a passenger vehicle.

One person in this accident sustained a broken leg. The crash involved a Wicksburg High School bus, but no one on the bus reported injury. Other vehicles involved in the crash included a Cadillac SRX, a Nissan Pathfinder and a Toyota FourRunner.

Cause of the crash remains under investigation.

According to Texas A&M about 1.4 million children ride the bus each day in Texas and more than 1,000 are injured each year.

Texas school bus safety tips:

-Get to the bus at least 5 minutes early.

-Stand away from the curb.

-Stand away from the bus and never stand behind the bus where the driver cannot see you.

-Avoid wearing clothes with loose drawstrings, or backpacks with loose straps, which can get caught on the door or handrails.

-Use extra care when getting on or off the bus.

-Look to make sure no cars are on the shoulder when getting off the bus.

-Walk five giant steps in front of the bus, until the driver can see you, before crossing.

-Never climb under or around the bus to retrieve a dropped item. Notify the driver.

For Motorists:

-Watch for young pedestrians in neighborhoods with schools or during the early morning or late afternoon hours.

-Watch for children gathered near bus stops.

-Stay alert. A child late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic.

-Learn and obey all Texas school bus laws, including the requirement that you stop and wait on any bus displaying red flashing lights.

If you are involved in a bus accident in Houston or the surrounding area, including Katy, Richmond, or Pasadena, contact Houston Injury Attorney Joe Stephens for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights.

Call today at 281-623-1701 or contact us through this website.