One Person In Tesla Injured In Rimforest School Bus Accident on State Route 18 Near Pine Avenue
RIMFOREST, CALIFORNIA (February 18, 2023) – A Tesla driver was injured in a Rimforest school bus accident near the intersection of State Route 18 and Pine Avenue.
San Bernardino County officials are saying that the collision took place around 2:20 p.m. on February 16. A Tesla was stopped behind a line of traffic when it was rear-ended by a school bus.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help the victim. The Tesla driver was taken in an ambulance to the Mountains Community Hospital.
There were no students on the school bus at the time of the collision. A full investigation into the Rimforest crash remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Rimforest School Bus Accidents
School buses can be very difficult to operate. A fully loaded school bus can weigh 36,000 lbs and takes much longer to stop than a passenger vehicle. The NHTSA estimated that around 131 people are killed in school bus collisions every year in the United States. The vast majority of these collisions are totally preventable.
- A school bus driver may have failed to check the blind spot before turning.
- A school bus driver may have been following a lead vehicle too closely.
- A school bus driver may have been traveling too fast for the prevailing conditions.
School bus companies are considered common carriers and are held to a high standard in terms of safety. According to the Judicial Council of California Civil Jury Instructions, “Common carriers must carry passengers [or property] safely. Common carriers must use the highest care and the vigilance of a very cautious person. They must do all that human care, vigilance, and foresight reasonably can do under the circumstances to avoid harm to passengers [or property].” Bus drivers must undergo specialized training and are expected to intimately know how to operate their vehicle.
Many school bus collisions are due to drivers that follow the leave vehicle too closely. Pursuant to California Vehicle Code 21703, the driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than would be reasonable or prudent given the prevailing conditions of the roadway. There is a rebuttable presumption of negligence on the part of any driver that rear-ends another vehicle in their own lane. There are a number of steps that should be taken after a school bus collision.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- A thorough investigation should be conducted.
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 Rimforest school bus collision 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. A school bus accident attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating A San Bernardino County School Bus Accident
We at TorkLaw extend our best wishes to the Tesla driver injured in this Rimforest school bus crash. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. This was a preventable collision that should not have taken place.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a San Bernardino County school bus collision? Our team of school bus accident attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of help after a collision we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (888) 441-4991.
