Tyler Mitchell, Angelica Castillo Injured In Corning School Bus Accident Near The Intersection of Kirkwood Road and South Avenue
TEHAMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA (May 12, 2022) – Two people identified as Tyler Mitchell and Angelica Castillo were injured in a Corning school bus crash by the intersection of Kirkwood Road and South Avenue.
Tehama County police officials are saying that the accident took place around 1:46 p.m. on Thursday. Tyler Mitchell was driving a Honda Civic with his passenger Angelica Castillo along Kirkwood Road.
An Orland Unified School District bus was transporting children to Orland High School when it made a left turn onto Kirkwood Road. The driver of the Honda was unable to avoid a collision and hit the school bus.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene in order to help the victims. Tyler Mitchell and Angelica Castillo were both taken to the hospital in order to receive treatment.
The driver of the school bus remained at the scene and cooperated with police. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability In Tehama County School Bus Accidents
School buses are one of the safest forms of transportation for children. But they pose a number of unique hazards for pedestrians and those in passenger vehicles. They have large blind spots and are much more difficult to stop in the event of an emergency. According to the NHTSA, there were an average of 131 school bus related fatalities from 2006 to 2015. There are a number of steps that school bus drivers should take in order to avoid accidents.
- School bus drivers should check their blind spots before making turns.
- School bus drivers should be well rested before the start of their shift.
- School bus drivers should abstain from substances that could impair them.
School buses are considered “common carriers” under the law and their drivers are held to a high standard in terms of safety. Consider, for example, Acosta v. Southern California Rapid Transit Dist. The court held that “Common carriers bind themselves to carry safely those whom they take into their vehicles, and owe both a duty of utmost care and the vigilance of a very cautious person towards their passengers. Such carriers are responsible for any, even the slightest, negligence and are required to do all that human care, vigilance, and foresight reasonably can do under all the circumstances.” It takes a lot of training for a bus driver to do their job safely.
Bus drivers must be especially cautious when making left turns. Left turns are among the most dangerous maneuvers that drivers can make. This is why companies like UPS do everything they can to eliminate as many left turns as possible with their GPS software. The NHTSA found that 61% of crashes that occur at intersections involved drivers that are making left turns. This compares to only 3.1% for drivers making right turns. If a driver makes an abrupt left in front of another vehicle, they will typically be held at fault under California Civil Code 21801.
When a bus driver is negligent and causes an accident, the company or school district that they work for could be held at fault. Employers are typically vicariously liable for the negligent actions of their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. For example, a school bus driver may have been on his way to drop off children. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any school bus accident.
- Surveillance footage of the accident should be sought.
- Most school buses have surveillance cameras on the inside of the bus. That footage should be reviewed as well.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- It should be determined if there is a history of collisions at the intersection in question.
The FMCSA requires buses that can carry 16 or more passengers to have at least $5,000,000 worth of liability coverage. Any person that is injured in a school bus accident may have legal recourse through a bodily injury claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. Many victims may not realize the severity of their injuries until several weeks or months after a collision. A school bus accident attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Liability In Tehama County School Bus Accidents
We at TorkLaw extend our best wishes to Tyler Mitchell and Angelica Castillo as they continue to recover. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. There are a number of questions that need to be answered. Was the driver of this school bus distracted? Did they check their blind spots before making the left turn? Were they following all traffic regulations?
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a Tehama County school bus accident? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of consumer safety advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We are committed to helping bus accident victims get the medical and financial support that they need to recover. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into an accident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (888) 441-4991.
