A lawsuit has been filed over a suburban Chicago school bus accident by a mother who claims her child was injured when the driver fell out of the bus while trying to vomit, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. With the school year set to begin, school bus safety will be back in focus. The causes of school bus accidents can include new or inexperienced drivers, faulty or poorly maintained equipment, unruly passengers, distracted driving, driving under the influence or the driving behavior of another motorist on the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that school buses remain among the safest modes of transportation, with an average of just 19 deaths reported each year.
However, many others are injured in school bus accidents and school-related transportation crashes each year. And the fall brings increased risk as motorists get used to watching for buses and students as the school year begins.
In this case, a mother of a child who was injured has filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court, claiming the driver of the Illinois Central School Bus opened the door to vomit, and then fell out of the bus. The bus continued on and crashed into a nearby ditch. The crash reportedly occurred as the bus approached an intersection in Pembroke Township in Kankakee County.
The personal injury lawsuit reports that the child was injured; it does not say whether other students on the bus were also hurt.
The Illinois Central School Bus company would not comment on the lawsuit but said safety was a top priority. Based in suburban Montgomery, the bus company claims to be the 7th largest school bus transportation company in the United States.