While the first bus injuries that come to your mind may be associated with accidents like if a bus gets hit by or hits another vehicle, people can also suffer injuries when boarding or disembarking a bus.
Here, we’ll go into some of these bus injuries, how they can occur, some preventative measures you can take, and what you should do if you’ve been injured when boarding or disembarking a bus. Let’s get into it.
Are Bus Injuries More Severe?
Injuries resulting from bus accidents can be more serious than injuries from other types of accidents, depending on the circumstances of the accident. For example, the size and weight of the bus itself, as well as the fact that buses typically carry more people than passenger vehicles, are some factors that can increase the severity of an accident.
What Causes Bus Accidents?
Bus accidents can occur for all sorts of different reasons. Three common factors contributing to bus accidents include: driver error, mechanical failure, and external factors. A driver may not be as observant as they should be, the bus may not be well-maintained, or other drivers or factors like poor road conditions can all cause bus accidents.
As buses are usually slower than other traffic and on the road during rush hours, other drivers may not have the necessary patience to handle being around buses, which can result in reckless, dangerous behavior. However, bus drivers can also be careless, such as when they are fatigued or simply not focused enough. Sometimes, even if everyone on the road is being as mindful and careful as possible, weather conditions, such as ice on the roads, can lead to accidents.
What Causes Injuries While Boarding Or Disembarking A Bus?
Most injuries people suffer while boarding or disembarking a bus are minor, consisting of scratches and bruises, such as from roughhousing young people. Such minor injuries are usually nothing noteworthy. However, aside from horsing around, some other factors that can result in injury while boarding or disembarking a bus include:
- Slips and falls
- Sudden stops and turns on the bus
- Lack of consideration for passenger safety
- Reckless maneuvers
- Missing or broken handrails
- Malfunctioning doors
- Wet, slippery stairs/platforms
- Broken pavement or curbs
- Broken stairs
- People attempting to get on the bus before passengers have finished getting off
- The bus driver leaving before people have finished boarding
- And more
All of these and more can take something simple, like getting on and off a bus, into something hazardous. The bus driver and the parties responsible for maintaining the bus are responsible for ensuring that getting on and off the bus is as safe as possible. People must also exercise common sense and basic courtesy to others in order to reduce the risk of injury.
What Injuries Can You Suffer When Boarding Or Disembarking A Bus?
You can suffer all sorts of injuries. While minor injuries, such as scrapes and bruises, are most common, if the incident was serious enough to qualify for a personal injury claim, more severe injuries can occur, such as brain injuries, broken bones, and even death in the worst case scenarios.
Who Is Liable For Injuries From Getting On Or Off A Bus?
Depending on the circumstances of your injury while getting on or off a bus, you may or may not be able to pursue legal action. In order to take legal action, it would need to be proven that someone else’s negligence led to your accident. Multiple parties can be found responsible, as well.
If the bus driver started driving before you were finishing getting on or off of the bus, then they may be found liable, as can their employer. If the bus itself had issues, such as missing handrails, and the company didn’t repair the problem in a timely manner, the company could be held liable. If broken pavement contributed to the accident, a government agency may be liable. If another person pushed you, they could be liable.
In order to sort out liability in your specific circumstances, you will need to work with a personal injury attorney. It may not always be clear who was liable, or if multiple parties were liable.
Tips For Avoiding Injury While Getting On Or Off Of A Bus
While you cannot control what others do, there are some actions you yourself can take in order to make your public transportation experience a bit safer. Some of these actions are as follows:
- Getting to the bus stop early, so as to avoid rushing
- Waiting until the bus has come to a complete stop and opened its doors before approaching it
- Waiting until all passengers have gotten off of the bus before attempting to get on
- Being mindful of your step and the conditions, such as if rainy weather may have contributed to slippery stairs
- Not getting out of your seat until the bus has come to a complete stop
- Moving away from the bus to the sidewalk and waiting for the bus to depart before trying to cross the road
- And more
These are but a few of the ways in which you can be more mindful, which can help keep everyone safer.
Have You Suffered Injuries While Getting On Or Off Of A Bus?
If so, you may have a personal injury case on your hands. Consulting with a personal injury attorney will let you know whether or not you can make a claim. If so, they will focus on obtaining justice for you so that you can focus on healing from your injuries.
LeBaron & Jensen provides personal injury representation. Contact us today to schedule a free case consultation and let us see what we can do for you.
