A school bus reportedly struck several vehicles in a chain-reaction crash that occurred in suburban Niles. According to Park Ridge Fire Deputy Chief Jeff Sorensen, at least five crashes took place on Oakton Street between Prospect Avenue and Greenwood Avenue along the border between the towns of Park Ridge and Niles. Sorensen said the westbound bus allegedly hit several vehicles and kept traveling. In addition, at least one vehicle was reportedly struck head-on and another caught fire. Still another automobile was allegedly forced into a nearby house where it purportedly caused structural damage to the garage.
The exact cause of the incident is now under investigation by the Park Ridge Police Department. Authorities stated the chain of crashes may have resulted from a medical emergency that involved the school bus driver. Thankfully, the school bus was not carrying any children at the time of the traffic wreck. Sorensen stated paramedics transported at least one adult to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge with undisclosed injuries following the accident.
Although there were no children on board the school bus involved in this particular incident, a situation like this could have resulted in tragedy. Data from the Illinois Department of Transportation states there were 2,418 school bus crashes throughout Illinois in 2008. As a result of those accidents, 123 students and 99 school bus drivers were injured. Since students generally do not wear seat belts while riding school buses, the injuries children may suffer in a collision can be catastrophic or fatal. Common injuries children may suffer during a school bus crash include back, neck, and traumatic brain injuries, and fractured bones. The parents of a student who was injured while riding a school bus in Illinois may bring a lawsuit on behalf of their child in order to recover medical expenses, suffering and pain, loss of normal life, and a number of other damages. If your child was hurt in a Chicago area school bus wreck, you are advised to discuss your case with a skilled personal injury lawyer immediately.
If your child was hurt or killed in a school bus or other traffic wreck in Chicago, please contact the hardworking attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. Our dedicated Chicago area school bus accident lawyers are available 24 hours per day, seven days of the week to answer your questions and help you file your personal injury or wrongful death claim. Our knowledgeable attorneys have years of experience advocating on behalf of clients who were injured in motor vehicle collisions throughout the Chicago area. To speak with a capable car accident attorney, please give the lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. a call at (312) 924-7575.
More Blogs:
Senior Citizen Dies Following Negligent Pedestrian Accident in Palatine, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, February 24, 2013
One Man Killed, Two Others Critically Hurt When Elderly Driver Loses Control of SUV on the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, February 20, 2013
Additional Resources:
Cops: School bus accident in Niles, by Jonathan Bullington and Sally Ho, Chicago Tribune