Determining the Safety of School Buses

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Determining the Safety of School Buses

Written by Malman Law, reviewed by Steve J. Malman.

Many parents might feel uneasy about their child’s first ride on a school bus, but the fact is that it’s statistically safer for children to take the bus to school than to ride in a car. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration website states that students are fifty times more likely to arrive at school safely if they take the bus than if they are driven by a parent, drive themselves, or take a ride with friends. Unfortunately, negligence does happen among bus drivers, which is why personal injury attorneys can ensure that bus accident victims’ families receive compensation from negligent drivers.

New Online Tool Gives Parents More Power

A recent incident involving a 14-year-old student’s recording of a bus driver texting while driving has sparked outrage among many parents. Incidents like these cause parents to lose trust in bus drivers, in spite of the fact that many are well-trained drivers.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration provides an online tool for parents to help further inform them of their children’s bus routes. The Safety Measurement System “Carrier Search” tool allows people to search for any bus company in the U.S. and view details about it, including driving incident history, driver fitness, alcohol and drug use, vehicle maintenance, and many other items. These details can also help personal injury attorneys in negligence lawsuits, particularly when attempting to prove that a bus company has a history of hiring negligent drivers.

Trusting Drivers

Bus drivers are normally put through rigorous training programs, and are carefully screened to prevent the hiring of dangerous drivers. Random drug and alcohol tests help keep drivers from transporting anyone under the influence, and records are frequently checked. The buses themselves are designed to provide safer transportation than passenger vehicles, not requiring seatbelts. However, if you believe a bus driver’s negligence has caused injury or wrongful death to a loved one, personal injury lawyers can help you receive full compensation from the parties responsible.