Pedestrian accidents involving children and school buses

The importance of school bus safety can’t be emphasized strongly enough. All a parent can do is train their children to take precautions. Pedestrian accidents involving children often occur when walking to and from a school bus.

Statistics show that pedestrian accidents are the fifth leading cause of injury-related death for children from 5 to 19. In fact, teenagers are two times more likely to die in a pedestrian accident  than younger children. This is likely because they’re more prone to distraction through digital devices. When walking on the street or crossing roads, children need to put their attention on cars and traffic.

What types of accidents happen with children and school buses?

Lack of visibility is the greatest danger for children and school buses. Most children's school bus injuries occur when getting on or off the bus. Children can get struck either by the school bus or by cars passing the bus.

School Bus Safety for Children: Important Guidelines

The NYC Department of Transportation advises the following guidelines for children riding buses to school.

• Never walk behind a school bus. Always walk in front of the bus.
• Before crossing, walk at least 10 steps away from the bus.
• If you drop anything under or in front of the bus, don't reach for it. Tell the bus driver about it.
• Children should be able to see the bus driver's face before crossing the road. Do not walk close to the bus's wheels or sides.
• Stay out of the bus’s blind spots. Children who are hidden from view are more vulnerable.
• Have your children leave home in plenty of time so they don't have to run to catch the bus.
• Instruct your children to wait for the bus on the sidewalk and not in the street.

Was a Driver at Fault for Your Child’s Accident?

What if your child took the necessary precautions but the bus or a car struck and injured them? An attorney can help you determine whether the bus driver or vehicle driver was at fault for the accident.

Sackstein, Sackstein & Lee, LLP offers a free initial consultation to discuss accidents and determine whether a grounds exist for a case. There are no out-of-pocket expenses. Our firm only gets paid if we settle or win your case in court.

To arrange an appointment, call our toll free number at (888) 519-6400 or reach out to us through our contact form.