Most families in Southwest Florida send their children to school on school buses. School buses are a great choice for many busy parents, and they are designed to be safer than other types of vehicles on the road for crash avoidance and prevention of injury. It’s important to understand that even though buses are relatively safe, they still present some level of risk to passenger occupants and other roadway users.

School Bus Crash Facts

• Since 2000, 1,386 people have died in crashes involving school-transportation vehicles.
• On average, 10 school-age pedestrians are killed by school-transportation vehicles each ear.
• Since 2000, over two-thirds of school-age pedestrians killed in school-transportation-related crashes were struck by school buses.
• From 2000 to 2009, 43 percent of school-age pedestrians killed in school-transportation crashes were between the ages of five and seven.
• Frontal impacts to school transportation vehicles occurred in 51 percent fatal crashes.
• More school-age pedestrians have been killed between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. than during any other time of day.

School Bus Safety Tips for Children

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers parents a variety of tips for teaching children about school-bus safety. It’s important to note that the greatest risk for children is not actually riding the school bus to and from school, but approaching or leaving it on the ground. Parents should teach their children about the school-bus “danger zone.” The “danger zone” is a 10-foot bubble all the way around the bus. Children should always pay particular attention when getting off of the bus or approaching the bus. When exiting the bus, the NHTSA recommends children take five big steps in front of the bus, cross only when the driver says it’s safe to do so, stop at the edge of the bus, look left right and left again and cross only if there’s no traffic.

After a School-Bus Related Injury

If your child has been injured in a school-bus related incident, whether he or she was riding on the bus or struck by a bus, you should contact an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Although school buses are a relatively safe transportation choice for children, injuries can still occur, especially if a school-bus driver or other roadway user is driving carelessly or negligently.

Legal Disclaimer: The above guidelines are educational in nature and do not create an attorney/client relationship. It is highly recommended that all Florida accident victims contact an experienced local Florida personal injury attorney to assist them with specific facts and circumstances regarding their motor vehicle accident. If you have been the victim of a motor vehicle accident in Florida, then feel free to contact Attorney Weldon toll free at (877) 730-5180 or via e-mail atinfo@weldonrothman.com

Richard L. Weldon, II is an experienced Florida personal injury attorney who has obtained the AV Preeminent Rating by Martindale-Hubbell. He is the managing attorney of Weldon & Rothman, PL – a Southwest Florida law firm with offices in Naples, Fort Myers, and Sarasota.