Bicyclist Injured In North Sacramento School Bus Collision While Riding Bicycle By Northgate Boulevard and Curran Avenue
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA (March 29, 2022) – A boy riding a bicycle was injured in a Sacramento school bus accident near the intersection of Northgate Boulevard and Curran Avenue.
Sacramento police officials are saying that the accident took place around 8:00 p.m. on Friday. The boy was riding a bicycle when he was hit by a school bus.
Paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help the victim. It remains unclear if the school bus driver will face any citations following the crash.
Liability In Sacramento School Bus Crashes
Bus accidents are extremely safe for passengers. But they pose a number of hazards to pedestrians and bicyclists. According to Journalist’s Resource, on average there are around 63,000 bus accidents of all kinds per year. Around 325 people are killed in those crashes and 50 of those tend to be bus passengers. The rest of the victims were pedestrians or those in smaller vehicles. Buses can be difficult to operate for a number of reasons.
- Buses have large blind spots that can obscure the presence of bicyclists and pedestrians.
- Buses have a wide turning radius and are often involved in side-impact collisions.
- Buses can weigh as much as 40,000 lbs and are difficult to stop.
Buses are considered “common carriers” under the law 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].” Common carriers are responsible for even the slightest negligence. See, for example, Acosta v. Southern California Rapid Transit Dist. (1970) 2 Cal.3d 19, 27.
Bus drivers must do everything in their power to avoid colliding with pedestrians in the roadway. Pursuant to California Vehicle Code 21950, the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing in a marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. Drivers must reduce the speed of their vehicle and take any necessary action to safeguard the wellbeing of the pedestrian. Failure to exercise due care to avoid hitting a pedestrian could form the basis of a negligence claim.
The company or municipal entity that employed a school bus driver could also be liable for an accident. Generally speaking, companies are vicariously liable for the negligent actions of their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. However, some bus drivers do work as “independent contractors.” It’s important to determine the employment status of a bus driver at the time of a collision. There are number of other things that should be investigated.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Photos of the accident site should be taken.
The FMCSA requires buses that can transport 16 or more people to have at least $5,000,000 worth of liability coverage. Any person that is injured in a bus accident may be able to seek aid through a bodily injury claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. Even seemingly minor or moderate injuries can turn out to be more serious. A bus accident attorney can examine all of the facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating A California School Bus Accident
We at TorkLaw extend our best wishes to the child injured in this North Sacramento school bus accident. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. There needs to be some accountability for what happened. Someone could have easily been killed.
Have you or someone that you love been injured in a school bus accident? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of personal injury attorneys are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims get the support and justice that they are owed under the law. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free investigation into an accident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (888) 441-4991.
