School bus causes a 4-car crash in Warren

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On Friday, February 3, 2017, a school bus driver in Warren rear-ended a passenger vehicle. The driver, a 48-year-old woman, was driving her route for Watchung Hills Regional School District at 4:44 p.m. when the crash occurred. She struck the rear of the car driven by a Martinsville man, 44.

This set off a chain reaction, as that driver then slammed into a Warren man, 47, who collided with a 23-year-old Wharton driver. There was only one child left on the school bus at the time of the accident.

The school bus driver was cited with careless driving. The gentleman in the vehicle that was directly struck by the school bus went to the hospital. He and any other injured parties may wish to speak with a personal injury attorney.

Bus and large truck accidents are common

In 2015, the most recent year where there are federal figures, crashes involving buses and large trucks were up 8 percent from 2014. There were 3,838 fatal crashes involving buses or large trucks, which caused 4,337 fatalities. People like to believe that school buses and other modes of public transportation are inherently safe. In reality, drivers of these larger vehicles are just as prone to distraction, mistakes and sudden medical issues as most other drivers on the road. Combined with the size and weight of their vehicles, commercial truckers and bus drivers can pose substantial risks to others on the road.

Bus accidents can result in serious injuries

In this case, there was only one child on the bus, who had no reported injuries. In other cases, young children can easily suffer severe injuries in bus accidents. There are no restraints in most typical school buses, making it easy for the children on the bus to fall from their seats or even end up outside the bus after a collision. Parents whose children have suffered serious contusions, head injuries, broken bones or worse may decide seek legal advice. An experienced personal injury attorney can offer advice about their legal options that could prove invaluable.

Attorneys can help your family recover

Whether your child suffered an injury while on a bus, or a bus struck a family vehicle and caused injuries, an attorney may be able to help. He or she can review any settlement offered by the bus company or their insurer. Many times, first settlement offers are quite a bit lower than they should be. Insurance adjusters hope that the injured parties will take it and waive their right to additional compensation. Some insurance companies refuse to accept financial responsibility, in which case you may need to file a civil lawsuit. Your attorney can advise you about the best options given the specifics of your case.