Two recent bus accidents have shed light on the importance of bus safety on the nation’s highways. In Charleston, Ill., 14 people were injured, including the drivers of the bus, as well as the driver in the other vehicle, when a Dial-A-Ride bus failed to remain stopped at an intersection and was struck by a van. In the other bus accident, two elementary school students and a teacher’s aide were killed when two school buses collided in Knoxville, Tenn. 
Dial-A-Ride Bus Crash
On Dec. 4, 2014, the Dial-A-Ride bus, which provides transportation as a service of the Coles County Council on Aging, was facing south at the intersection of Osage Road and Illinois Route 16. The driver, Lowell T. Page, entered the intersection to turn east onto Route 16 and was struck by a van, driven by Janet L. Robey. Robey and her passengers, Audrey R. Lee, 26, and Gavin Lee, 5, were taken to the hospital where Robey was hospitalized in serious condition. According to an article in the Journal Gazette & Times Courier, Page and 10 passengers on the Dial-A-Ride bus were taken to the hospital and treated for mild injuries. Page claimed that the van was in his blindspot when he entered the intersection, adding to concerns that additional steps should be taken to improve bus safety. He was charged for failing to yield for a collision.
School Bus Accident
In another bus incident that has placed a spotlight on bus safety, an aspiring teacher and two young children were killed when a Knox County school bus suddenly made a left turn across a concrete median and collided with another school bus. According to CBS News, the second bus flipped on its side, killing the three people and injuring almost 30 others. Zykia Burns and Seraya Glasper, both 7, along with a teacher’s aide, 46-year old Kimberly Riddle, died of injuries suffered in the accident. Jaden Allen and Jada Parman, both 7, were seriously injured, as was the driver of the first bus, James Davenport, 47.
NHTSB Investigates Bus Safety
After the school bus accident, the National Highway Transportation Safety Board (NHTSB) began gathering information that will allow them to focus on bus safety. The NHTSB says that it is looking at occupant protection and kinematics of the crash rather than the causes of the accident. The NHTSB is looking at the location of passengers and reviewing the injuries they received in the crash.
Have You Been Injured in a Bus Crash?
If you have been injured in a bus crash or a loved one has died as a result of injuries they sustained in a bus accident, contact Attorney Group today to learn about your rights. Attorney Group can analyze your case and refer you to one of our affiliated attorneys if you have a legitimate claim. The attorneys can file a lawsuit on your behalf with no out-of-pocket costs to you if you are eligible to receive a monetary compensation for your loss.
