Bus Accident

Illinois Bus Accident Injures 13 High School Volleyball Players

October 29, 2011 | By Dave Abels

A recent school bus accident in Illinois injured 13 kids on the Liberty High School volleyball team, according to Daily Herald. The driver of the bus has been cited for the accident. The accident happened just before 8:00 a.m. on Route 3 at Washington Street in Grayslake, Illinois.

Eleven of the players were transported to various local hospitals. Two additional students and the drivers of the vehicles were treated at the scene.

It all happened when the bus driver failed to yield when making a left-hand turn. He is scheduled to be in court in Round Lake Beach on November 23, according to officers.Our Chicago bus accident attorneys understand that children across the country ride the big yellow school bus to and from school every day. These same buses are used to travel to sporting events and other school-related activities as well. We trust that drivers and the buses are safe for passengers and for motorists traveling among the fleet. Drivers, school districts and busing companies are responsible for the safety of students.

“District 128 is pleased to report that all of the students and the coach involved in this morning’s bus accident in Grayslake have been treated and released from area medical facilities and that no one suffered serious injuries,” said Director of Communications Mary Todoric.

Every year, there are more than 20 million students ride school buses to get to and from school, sporting events and other school-related activities. On the 450,000 school buses that travel through the U.S., too many people are injured in preventable accidents. About 12,000 kids are injured every year because of school bus accidents. Since 1990, there have been nearly 1,500 fatalities resulting from bus accidents in the U.S.

School bus statistics:

-Nearly 400 million people ride the bus every year.

-All these riders travel 30 billion passenger miles. Motorcoach riders make up about 950 million of these miles.

-In addition to the 450,000 school buses, there are about 30,000 commercial buses in the U.S. used for charters, tours, regular route services and special operations.

-The U.S. is the home of approximately 4,000 motorcoach companies.

Unfortunately, many school buses and commercial buses across the U.S. don’t have seat belts.

If you’re involved in an accident while riding on a school bus or a commercial bus, you may be able to file a claim against the busing company or against the school district or other responsible parties. You can experience more than physical pain from injuries sustained in a bus accident. You may be able to collect compensation for medical expenses, emotion distress and for pain and suffering.

Keeping your child safe is one of the most important jobs as a parent. We’d like to believe that this is the most important job for school districts and bus drivers as well.
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9 injured in Chicago school bus accident

May 21, 2011 | By Dave Abels

An Illinois school bus crash that occurred Thursday morning on the South side of Chicago resulted in nine people being injured, and several hurt were special education students, the Chicago Tribune is reporting. All of the injured were taken to area hospitals after two school buses and a truck were involved in a traffic collision.

The three vehicle accident took place around 7 AM in the area of Ashland Avenue and 76th Street. Chicago Fire Department ambulances took five of the injured to Holy Cross Hospital, 2 to St. Bernard Hospital and 2 to Little Company of Mary Hospital. There were reportedly no life-threatening injuries, and all were in good to fair condition.

The two school buses involved were from two different companies contracted by the Chicago Board of Education. What caused the accident has not been reported.

Chicago tour bus accident results in death of pedestrian

May 5, 2011 | By Dave Abels

A 26-year-old woman has been killed in a downtown Chicago pedestrian collision, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The victim was crossing Columbus Avenue at East Illinois Street in the Streeterville neighborhood when she was struck by a tour bus just before 7 PM on Tuesday evening.

The pedestrian was crossing with a green light, but the driver did not yield as he turned onto Columbus. A witness to the accident believed the driver never saw the pedestrian, as he looked shocked and was crying afterwards. The driver reportedly told police he heard a bump, thought it was a curb, but then stopped the bus when he heard a second bump.

According to WGN-TV, other witnesses to the accident said they could tell that nothing could be done to help the victim, and that they were upset about what they had witnessed.

CTA bus accident on Lake Shore Drive injures 5 people

December 9, 2010 | By Dave Abels

For the second time in the last few months, a CTA bus crash has resulted in injuries on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, according to Fox news. The accident has injured five people, three of which were children. The incident occurred Wednesday evening around 6:30 PM near LSD and 43rd St.

The accident involved a number 6 Jackson Park express bus and one other vehicle. What caused the accident has not yet been reported, however the passenger vehicle was allegedly in back of the CTA vehicle and then struck the left side of the bus.

Five people involved in the accident were hospitalized. Three children were transported by ambulance to University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital, reportedly in good condition. Two adults were transported to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in good condition.

Illinois school bus crash – vehicle hits school building

November 5, 2010 | By Dave Abels

A Chicago area school bus accident occurred on Thursday around 5 PM when a bus drove through a brick wall into a classroom in South Suburban Orland Park. Trib Local in Orland Park is reporting that the accident occurred at Central Junior High School, part of Orland School District 135. The bus was on school grounds for a volleyball game.

The crash reportedly occurred when the accelerator pedal stuck to the floor and would not release. By Thursday night maintenance crews started work to repair the damage.

The Orland Park Police Department is investigating the accident. No injuries have been reported and no children were on the bus at the time of the incident.

Chicago truck driver sentenced for causing accident with fatalities

October 21, 2010 | By Dave Abels

A trucker from Chicago, Illinois is been given a sentence of 30 days in jail for his role in an accident that occurred in Ohio, according to the Washington Post. His truck was involved in a collision with a special needs bus during a snowstorm. Four people were killed.

The 60-year-old Chicago resident apologized in court on Wednesday to the families of the victims. Three special needs adults and the bus driver died in the accident that occurred in January, 2010 on Interstate 70 in the area of Springfield, Ohio.

The Illinois truck driver pleaded no contest to four counts of vehicular manslaughter back in August. He was released yesterday after the hearing in court, pending appeal.

Chicago area school bus accident injures 12

September 30, 2010 | By Dave Abels

An Illinois school bus crash in South suburban Orland Park has resulted in injuries to 12 people, including nine grade school students, according to CBS News in Chicago. The students were from High Point School, a school for third, fourth and fifth graders. The accident occurred around 3 PM at 147th St. & Lagrange Road, and involved a school bus and a car.

The bus had 20 students on board at the time of the accident. Nine were injured were taken to area hospitals. The injuries are reportedly non-life-threatening

School administrators reportedly came out to the scene to help police. The Orland Park Fire Department also responded. Some parents drove out to the scene of the accident to pick up their kids, while others were taken away by another bus.

Accidente de autobús de CTA en Chicago – nueve personas enviados al hospital

September 27, 2010 | By Dave Abels

El Sun-Times informo que hubíeron heridas múltiples el sábado por la tarde en un choque en Chicago de carro vs. autobús de CTA en el lado sur. El accidente de automóvil de Illinois ocurrió cuando el conductor de un 1993 Buick Park Avenue choco el autobus por de tras.

El accidente sucedió alrededor de 12:45 P.M. en la 66th Street y Avenida Racine. El autobús fue número 44 Wallace/Racine que fue dirigido al sur en Racine, que fue parado en un semáforo, según una vocera para la Autoridad de Tránsito de Chicago.

Nueve pasajeros en total resultaron heridos y fueron trasladados a hospitales del área, incluyeron ocho del autobús y uno del carro. Se ha reportado que cuatro del los heridos fueron llevados al Hospital Jackson Park y dos fueron llevados a St. Bernard Hospital. Ninguna de las lesiones se supone que ponga la vida en peligro

CTA bus accident in Chicago – nine people sent to hospital

September 27, 2010 | By Dave Abels

The Sun-Times is reporting that there were multiple injuries on Saturday afternoon in a Chicago car vs. CTA bus crash on the South Side. The Illinois motor vehicle accident occurred when the driver of a 1993 Buick Park Avenue rear-ended a bus.

The accident happened around 12:45 PM at 66th Street and Racine Avenue. The bus was a number 44 Wallace/Racine that was headed south on Racine that was stopped at a traffic light, according to a spokeswoman for the Chicago Transit Authority.

Nine passengers in total were injured and taken to area hospitals, which included eight from the bus and one from the car. It is being reported that four of the injured were taken to Jackson Park Hospital and two were taken to St. Bernard Hospital. None of the injuries are supposed to be life-threatening.

Prevention of Chicago car accidents to target trucks, buses, trains and automobiles

September 24, 2010 | By Dave Abels

Fewer Chicago bus accidents and trucking accidents should result from distracted driving as a result of a federal ban against text messaging that is now in place nationwide, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced at the nation’s second annual Distracted Driving Summit in Washinton, D.C.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood also announced the law is being extended to train operators and those in-state truckers engaged in hauling hazardous materials.Additionally, employer-backed anti-distracted-driving campaigns will enroll another 1.5 million motorists in the workplace within the next year. And a pilot program in Connecticut and New York — called “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other” — has been proven to increase compliance in much the same way as seat belt campaigns like “Click it or Ticket it.”

All of the measures are part of an aggressive push by the federal government to combat the dangers of text messaging and other forms of distracted driving. As our Chicago accident lawyers continue to report, recent statistics suggest about 5,500 motorists were killed and 500,000 were injured last year in accidents caused by distracted driving. Only speeding and drunk driving were responsible for more carnage on the road.

“We are taking action on a number of fronts to address the epidemic of distracted driving in America,” said LaHood. “With the help of the experts, policymakers, and safety advocates we’ve assembled here, we are going to do everything we can to put an end to distracted driving and save lives.”

The laws aimed at truckers, bus drivers and train operators are important because they create a uniform standard. Part of the concern over laws governing text messaging and cell phone use by drivers is that they create a confusing patchwork of legislation from state to state and even city to city.

Meanwhile, the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, an entity created by the government to work with private sector businesses, announced that nearly 1,600 U.S. businesses have instituted distracted driving policies covering 10.5 million workers with another 550 organizations adopting plans that will cover an additional 1.5 million workers in the next year.

“I am thrilled that businesses across the country are making anti-distracted driving policies an integral part of their employee culture,” said Secretary LaHood. “President Obama led by example last year by banning four million federal workers from texting behind the wheel. Employers across America are doing the same to help us set an example and keep our roads safe.”

The “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other,” campaign also proved that the combination of law enforcement efforts and public service announcements improved compliance with local cell phone ordinances in Hartford and Syracuse. Each municipality issued about 5,000 tickets during a two-week enforcement blitz. Subsequent observation reported a decline in cell phone use and text messaging of between 38 and 68 percent.
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