Bus accidents due to negligence can come in many forms, including:

• Aggressive driving (i.e. speeding, failing to signal, failing to yield, etc.)
• Fatigued driving
• Distracted driving
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Poor hiring practices
• Poor maintenance of vehicles

There are many factors that can contribute to a bus accident, and several parties that may be held responsible when something goes wrong. When determining liability in a bus accident, the following parties can be guilty of negligence:

• The driver of the bus
• The driver’s employer
• The manufacturer of defective bus equipment or parts
• The city, if it’s a public bus
• A third party whose own negligence contributed to or directly caused the accident

Victims of bus accidents are encouraged to reach out to an Orlando personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Injured people may be entitled to compensation for damages incurred by the accident, including past and future medical bills, pain and suffering, loss of income, and more.

In 2008, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported more than 11,000 injury collisions involving buses – resulting in approximately 25,000 injured individuals and nearly 300 deaths per year. Some of these collisions involve school buses – resulting in 12,000 annual injuries and approximately 11 fatalities.