The thought of a crash involving a bus is an alarming one. An accident involving a bus can mean a large number of individuals are seriously injured. A bus accident involving children of special needs is even more concerning as these children are often particularly vulnerable. One potentially negligent, or distracted driver, may have caused such an event last week.
On Wednesday morning, October 16, in Fairfield, Connecticut, a bus carrying four special needs students was traveling to a cultural arts school in Bridgeport. The bus was traveling on Kings Highway at the time of the incident. A woman, attempting to turn left onto Kings Highway, turned in front of the bus. The bus crashed into the vehicle. After impact, the woman’s vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic and hit a third car.
While authorities are still investigating the accident, the woman was cited for failing to grant the right of way at a stop sign. The woman claims she did not see the bus at the time she was turning. According to the bus driver, he could not have avoided hitting the woman when she turned left in front of him.
All four of the children were brought to local hospitals for precaution. Bus accidents in the Connecticut area do not occur often, but when they do, the incident should be taken seriously. A pattern of negligent drivers in the vicinity of school busses is a problematic event.
School children should be able to travel to school and school events safely. In the unfortunate event that children are injured in a school bus accident, they, or their parents, may be entitled to seek monetary compensation from the individual who caused the injury.
Source: Fairfield Patch, “Cops probe accident involving bus with special needs student,” Caitlin Mazzola, Oct. 17, 2012.
