Bus Accidents: Facts and Statistics

When one typically thinks of automobile accidents, one tends to think of cars and motorcycles. The fact is however that buses are also commonly involved in traffic accidents. The risk for injury and fatality is different of course than for smaller vehicles, which is why it is interesting to know about the facts and statistics surrounding bus accidents.

Traffic accidents involving buses and trucks make up roughly 11.9 percent of all major accidents in the United States. This does however result in about 250 fatal bus crashes across the country every year, with the peak being 295 deaths in 2015. The vast majority of fatal accidents involving buses happen with transit and school buses, rather than intercity and charter buses.

One might be tempted to think that the risk for injury is greater on a bus because there are more people on them and there are typically no seat belts. The opposite is actually true however because most buses are designed to keep people locked in without the need for a seat belt. This keeps the injury rate minimal for those in a bus. The majority of injuries and fatalities from bus accidents actually come from pedestrians and other motorists that are involved in an accident, which is unsurprising when you consider the size of a bus compared to other vehicles.

If you or someone you know has been injured in any kind of traffic accident, there may be grounds to file for a personal injury lawsuit. When you do, it is important to have an attorney on your side that will fight for and with you every step of the way until the case is won. To learn about how we at the Franco Firm can serve you in this role and to schedule a free consultation with us today, please call (813) 872-0929.