Kansas City School-Bus Accident: Fire-Truck Crashes into Bus

It is every parent’s nightmare: they get their child safely upon their school bus only to hear that their child has been involved in an accident.

This recently played out in Kansas City when a school bus filled with children slid off an icy road, hit a pole, and was hit by a fire truck before rolling into a ditch. Children were injured and taken to the hospital. The awful scenario could have been worse, though: none of the seven children hurt were seriously injured.

Holding Parties Accountable for School-Bus Accidents

Each year, more than 800 children are killed in school-bus accidents, usually through the negligence of others, including the bus driver or someone else on the road. In one case, a nine-year old girl waiting at her bus stop was struck and killed when the driver took his eye off the road to look at his cell phone. Distracted bus drivers are liable, as are those who might be under the influence of alcohol or driving recklessly.

The bus company could also be liable if the driver wasn’t adequately trained or if the bus wasn’t properly maintained. The same is true for the manufacturer in the event a defect was found, either through manufacturing or by design. Aside from the bus manufacturer, company or driver, if a third party driving another vehicle causes a crash, then that person could be liable for any damages.

In the event of a serious accident, legal experts suggest that victims or their families contact an experienced attorney immediately. Filing a lawsuit is often not the first thing on your mind when dealing with such a tragedy, but an attorney is needed in cases where there are issues of possible negligence and liability.