Fresno Unified School Bus Involved In Car Accident with Jeep by the Intersection of Palm Avenue and Holland Avenue

Following an initial accident with the Fresno school bus at the Palm Avenue and Holland Avenue intersection, we saw a number of students suffer from accident-related injuries. 

Officials from the Fresno County indicated that the unfortunate incident took place early Thursday in the wee hours before 8.00 am. The vehicle, belonging to Powers-Gingsburg Elementary School, was on its usual round of picking students in the morning. It met the unfortunate incident when making a turn onto the Palm Avenue intersection. 

A jeep, approaching the same intersection, hit the institution’s bus that had already boarded 19 pupils. Fortunately, an emergency call to the paramedics was put through to ensure that all the victims received sufficient aid soon after the accident. According to reports, a majority of the students sustained injuries but they were able to receive treatment for their injuries. 

Fresno School Bus Accident Liability 

According to statistics, student transport accidents are rather common having recorded minor to serious injuries each year. In more serious incidents, this type of accidents has recorded death. Fortunately, the incident in question did not record any death or severe injury at the moment. 

Despite the fact that bus-related crashes have realized a decrease in the year 2022 as compared to the year 2021, we are still in a position to further reduce possible accidents. The law is looking to provide strict regulations to ensure road safety and in turn reduce the number of fatalities. 

Fresno Unified School Bus Involved In Car Accident – School Bus Crash Facts 

• In the year 2022, the National Safety Council recorded about 104 deaths from school transport related crashes. 
• In the year 2021, the National Safety Council recorded about 108 deaths 
• A comparison of the two years (2021-2022) shows a decline of 3.7% on the number of deaths recorded as provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  

Measures to Prevent Bus Accidents 

In an effort to prevent these accidents, it is recommended that the following steps be adhered to. 

• Regular vehicle maintenance and inspection 

The ideology behind regular maintenance and inspection is to ensure that the bus in question is in good condition and that its functionality is up to standard. This reduces the possibility of a bus breaking down or part dysfunction, which is a high cause of accidents on our roads. 

• Thorough training of drivers’ skills. 

Even with a vehicle in good conditioning, we need a perfect match with a reliable expert driver. Testing and sharpening of their skills on a regular will help reduce accidents on our roads. In addition, drivers should be updated on any road safety measures as soon as they are legally passed by the state. 

• Elimination of left turns on routes commonly used by school busses.  

According to the California Vehicle Code 21801, many collisions are noted to occur on left turns and it therefore provides drivers with the necessary considerations when taking left turns or a U-turn.  

Considering that school buses are a common source of transport for students, it is important to uphold safety measures. Appointed institution transport drivers must also hold high standards of road safety to prevent collisions. 

California Vehicle Code 21801

 Code 21801 comes with two subdivisions in summary as below: 

21801. (a) indicates that a vehicle that is seeking to turn left or make a U-turn is expected to give way to the vehicles being driven from the opposite direction. This rule will be upheld until it is clear and the path does not constitute a hazard. 
21802. (b) indicates that the driver having abided to the first subsection of this code and having clearly signaled as required, he or she may proceed while the drivers who are approaching the intersection from the opposite direction are called to give way to the vehicle making the turn. 

Liability for a school bus collision could also be aligned with the school district or company that operates the vehicle. This, in simple terms makes companies liable for any wrongful actions enacted by their employees as long as they act in the capacity of their employment.  

Related Vehicle Collision Injuries

Under many circumstances, a majority of the injuries sustained from such collisions may not be evidenced immediately after the accident. For example, some victims suffer from internal bleeding, and depending on when it is realized in a patient, it comes with various complications. The longer it takes to diagnose it, the more the possibility of a life-threatening condition which may end up as death. Other injuries may include:     

• Fractures 
• Spinal cord injuries 
• Soft-tissue damage 
• Damage to body organs
• Psychological injuries such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and anxiety 

 Accident victims must understand their rights during such incidents to help recover claims. Therefore, injured persons from this type of accident have the right to demand compensation through a civil claim. The best alternative is to seek the services of a school bus accident attorney to examine the outstanding facts of the arising case to help identify the possible legal options you can exploit. Different scenarios call for a different approach to providing legal solutions. 

Obtaining Legal Assistance after School Bus Accidents 

At Big Ben Lawyers, we seek to console with the families impacted by the accident. As a law firm, it is crucial that investigations are underway to realize the faults that may have occurred to cause the accident. To the students involved in the crash and who suffered injuries, quick healing and recovery.

Persons that incurred injuries in the Fresno school bus accident can seek our services as reliable and knowledgeable attorneys in the field. Our professional team of lawyers, including experienced Fresno Bus and Car Accident Lawyers, will avail themselves to not only guide the individual in the legal proceedings but also answer any concerns the plaintiff may have. Our key objective is to ensure that victims know and understand their rights. In addition, individuals must be aware that school districts should be liable for negligence where applicable. Our offices and contacts are open to everyone seeking legal guidance as well as seeking support.