Skilled School Bus Accident Lawyers Representing Clients In Kansas City

Many of us rely on school buses in and around Kansas City each day for the safe transportation of our children to and from school and extracurricular activities. Few of us think about safety, but that’s where our Kansas City School Bus Accident Lawyer steps in. School bus accidents in Kansas City and throughout the United States do happen, and when they do, the cargo is particularly precious.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “the school bus is the safest vehicle on the road. Although four to six school-age children die each year on school transportation vehicles, that’s less than one percent of all traffic fatalities nationwide.” We wonder if those “safety” assurances made the parents of the 1,726 children who were injured in school bus accidents during the 2018-2019 academic year feel any better.

When looking at their data, NHTSA’s own numbers have shown that school-transportation related crashes between the years 2007 and 2016 averaged at about 128 fatalities a year. In light of many recent accidents throughout the United States, many school bus risk factors have come to the forefront. At Smith Mohlman Injury Law, LLC our Kansas City personal injury attorneys can help ensure that the right party is held accountable for the injuries that you or your loved one has sustained. We will get you the compensation that you deserve to get your life back on track.

If you are a victim of a bus accident while driving a car, our Kansas City Car Accident Attorneys will fight to get you the compensation that you deserve. We serve in many different areas because our clients are important to us!

Bus Drivers And Distractions

Edurisk Solutions states that “too many” school bus accidents are caused by driver distraction, including:

  • Reaching for items while driving
  • Talking to passengers
  • Using electronic devices
  • Student passenger misbehavior

Given the nature of their jobs, school bus drivers may have more distractions than any other drivers on the road and should limit their attention to the task at hand without adding other distractions to the mix. And yet, we see driver distraction on the rise.

Who Is Driving Your Child?

Did you know that many school districts outsource their school bus drivers to private companies?

Over the years, districts have relied on outside companies to provide bus drivers during times of shortages. Many districts have a problem keeping drivers due to pay rates and lack of benefits, commercial license obligations and wait time for CDL exams, and staggered scheduling. When a district is desperate for drivers, they look to private industry. Unfortunately, this is when drivers who have traffic violations and even fake commercial licenses fill those positions.

In 2016, the National Transportation Safety Board investigated two high-profile school bus accidents. In both cases, the drivers were private for-hire contractors and led the Board to conclude that there was “poor driver oversight by both the school districts and the contracted motor carriers.”

Other Types Of School Bus Accidents In Kansas City

Not all school bus accidents relate to the actual school bus. In fact, most accidents involving school buses are caused by other factors which include:

  • Other motorists’ failure to stop for a school bus, typically resulting in rear-end collisions between buses and other vehicles
  • Children and other pedestrians maneuvering getting on and off the school bus
  • Mechanical and tire incidents

The School Bus “Danger Zone”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported that the most dangerous part of riding a school bus is when children get on and off the bus. This leads to approximately three times as many fatalities as occupant fatalities.

The loading and unloading area on a school bus is the “Danger Zone.” The zone is a 10-foot blind spot on all sides of a bus where children are less likely to be seen by the driver of the bus. Unfortunately, half of all pedestrian accidents in school bus-related accidents are children between five and seven years old, often within this danger zone.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a school bus accident in Kansas City, you should get the legal advice of an expert. There are many different possible defendants and associated insurance companies in these types of accidents. From the school board to a private company, to the driver, this makes a school bus accident particularly complicated.

Get Professional Advice From Our Kansas City School Bus Accident Lawyer

At Smith Mohlman Injury Law, LLC, we dedicate our careers to injury victims and their families in both Missouri and Kansas. Let us help. Contact our Kansas City School Bus Accident Lawyer today for a no-cost consultation to discuss your case. You never pay legal fees until we recover compensation for your injuries.