Just before the Thanksgiving holiday this year on November 21, 2016 we were all shocked to learn of a deadly school bus accident in Chattanooga, Tennessee. At this time the investigation into the accident is ongoing but it is believed that the bus driver was speeding on a winding neighborhood road.
The school bus hit a pole, overturned and wrapped around a tree as it came to rest on its side. Many of the children were trapped for over 2 hours as rescuers worked to free them.
According to Fox News the accident killed 6 people, 5 of them children. Another 6 were admitted to the hospital with critical injuries and 20 others were treated and released. The bus had been carrying 35 Kindergarten through 5th grade children. The bus driver, 24 years old, has been charged with 5 counts of vehicular homicide, reckless driving, and reckless endangerment.
School Bus Accident Fatalities Rare
While this is a terrible tragedy, school bus accidents are usually minor and accidents are rare when compared to other motor vehicle accidents. The most recent data from the National Highway Traffic Administration shows that between 2002 and 2013 there were 348,253 fatal motor vehicle crashes. Among these 1,222 were school transportation related and only 8% of these were occupants of a school bus.
The other fatal school bus accidents were related to pedestrians, bicyclists, and occupants of other motor vehicles. Between 2003 and 2012, 174 of the fatalities were school age children with 55 riding a school bus while 119 of the child fatalities were pedestrians.
Regardless of the rare nature of a fatal school bus accident, it is horrifying when it is a child you love. If your family finds itself caught up in a fatal school bus accident, or any type of motor vehicle accident that was not your fault you should always seek the professional advice of a personal injury attorney.
Medical bills, therapy, rehabilitation, funeral expenses and more can financially devastate a family already grieving the loss of a loved one or going through a painful recovery process. Your personal injury attorney can deal with the insurance companies and other legal details to help you get the compensation your need and deserve, allowing you to focus on your family.
Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney Joel Baskin
Call Atlanta personal injury attorney Joel Baskin for help with your school bus accident or any type of motor vehicle accident. Joel has been serving the Atlanta community for decades with two offices in Cobb and Fulton counties.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to Joel for help. Joel offers a free initial consultation.