Children Injured in School Bus Crash
Six children and three adults were injured in a Jacksonville accident when two school buses on their way to a summer camp collided on the highway. According to a WJAX-TV news report, the school bus accident occurred at Interstate 95 and 8th Street in Jacksonville. Officials say one bus was traveling in the fast lane on its way to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens when it was rear-ended by another bus. The nine victims were taken to an area hospital.
An official with the bus service involved in the crash has stated that a white car pulled in front of the lead bus forcing both buses to come to an abrupt stop. The rear bus was unable to stop in time and the two buses collided. The injuries were not life threatening and the victims were taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. It is unclear if any drivers will be cited for the crash.
In general, traveling by school bus is safer for children than smaller passenger vehicles. Over a 10-year period, only 0.4 percent of fatal motor vehicle crashes in the United States involved a school-transportation vehicle. However, accidents can and do happen and children can get hurt.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 327 school-age children killed in school-transportation-related accidents between the years 2004 and 2013. Of those deaths, 147 of the victims were occupants of other vehicles, 116 were pedestrians, 54 were occupants of school transportation vehicles, nine were bicyclists and one was another non-occupant.
If your son or daughter has been injured in a school-transportation accident, keep records of the financial losses that have resulted from the crash. Compensation may be available for your child’;s current and future medical bills. Please contact an experienced Jacksonville personal injury lawyer to better understand your legal rights and options.
