What can be done to help reduce the chances of an accident occurring at a school bus stop?
Anytime a driver approaches a stopped school bus or a school bus stop, they are always encouraged to drive carefully and cautiously and abide by all state laws to ensure a child who is simply trying to get to or from school does so safely and in one piece. Sadly, with cell phones and other technological devices installed in newer model vehicles taking over a driver’s ability to focus on the road, many serious and even fatal distracted driving accidents have been occurring involving small children.
CBS News recently reported that just last week, several children were killed while crossing the road to get to their school bus or while simply waiting at their bus stop for their ride to arrive. Others sustained severe injuries as well. On Tuesday, October 30th, a nine-year-old and her six-year-old twin brothers were all struck and killed by a pickup truck driver in Indiana. The three children had been crossing the street to board their school bus. Another child was also struck by the same driver and had to be airlifted to a nearby hospital. That driver was charged with three counts of reckless homicide.
Then, on Wednesday, October 31st, a nine-year-old was killed in Mississippi while crossing the street to board his bus. Tragedy continued to strike throughout the day as another child, this time a five-year-old, was killed in Florida while crossing the roadway. Sadly, Thursday morning wasn’t much different from the previous days. CBS News stated that on this particular morning, a bus driver found a seven-year-old dead in Pennsylvania after he was the alleged victim of a hit and run accident while he waited for his school bus to arrive. That same day, five children and two adults also had to be transported to a hospital in Tampa, FL after a driver struck them while they waited at their bus stop.
Law enforcement officers believe many of the accidents cited above occurred as a result of distracted driving.
With a total of six children being killed in accidents at or nearby to their school bus stop in just three days, it is evident that many drivers today simply aren’t putting forth the effort to make our roadways safer. With more and more individuals consumed by their cellphones and others allowing other forms of distractions to interfere with their driving, we will likely continue to see a spike in distracted driving accidents all across the U.S.
Now, if you are a parent who has a child who rides the school bus, it is important that you implement and discuss the following safety tips with them to help them steer clear of any drivers who might not be taking the necessary safety precautions to avoid an accident. Some of these safety tips include:
- Always walk with your kids to their bus stop and wait with them until it arrives.
- If you are unable to walk your children to their bus stop, remind them to take at least three giant steps away from the curb and wait there until their bus arrives.
- Your children should wait for the bus to come to a complete stop and wait for the driver to acknowledge that they are there before they attempt to board their bus.
- If your child’s bus stop is located across the street from where the bus picks them up or drops them off, remind them to look left, then right, then left again before attempting to cross. They should also check to see if the drivers who are approaching or have stopped for the school bus are looking up and acknowledging that they are crossing. Unfortunately, many drivers will see a school buses stop arms extended but will neglect to stop for the children who need to cross the street.
As tragic as these accidents are, they serve as a reminder that school bus stops are dangerous and children need to be extremely cautious while waiting there and when crossing the street after entering or exiting their bus.
In the event your child was the victim of any type of accident, whether it occurred while they were waiting at their bus stop or when crossing the road, you need to contact Madison, MS personal injury attorney William E. Ballard. The driver who was involved in the wreck was more than likely responsible for causing it and our office can help you take the necessary forms of action to hold them accountbale. Whether it be through filing a personal injury lawsuit or contacting their insurance company for compensation, we will work until a favorable outcome is reached in your case.
Contact Ballard Law, PLLC today at 769-572-5111 to schedule an initial consultation.
You can reach Ballard Law, PLLC. at:
108 S. President Street
Jackson, MS 39201
769-572-5111
