Watch Out For The Big Yellow Bus

Each day, some 480,000 school buses transport more than 26 million children to and from school and school related activities, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. An average of 19 school-age children die in school transportation-related traffic crashes each year – five occupants of school buses and 14 pedestrians. Most of those killed are children five to seven years old.

The “danger zone” for a school bus is the area 10 feet around the vehicle; the two most dangerous places are the front and the right rear tire area of the bus. Children must take care when boarding or leaving the school bus by following these simple rules:

• Always remain in direct eyesight of the bus driver;

• Be alert to traffic. Check both ways before stepping off the bus;

• Make eye contact with the bus driver, and wait for the bus driver’s signal     before crossing the street;

• Walk in front of the bus; never walk behind the bus to cross the street;

• Never go under the bus to retrieve something you’ve dropped;

• Get to the bus stop in plenty of time.

Local media sources had little information on a fatal Mini-Van/School Bus accident in Lawrence County Tennessee, on U.S. Highway 43 North near Etheridge, last week, but what I was able to find out was that the van collided with a school bus and the van driver, a 61-year-old woman died after being extracted from the wreckaage by emergency services personnel.

The bus was carrying 34 students and four were transported as a precaution. The bus driver was not injured. If you or a family member is injured or killed in Tennessee school bus accident contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and put a Board Certified Civil trial lawyer on your side. Call 615-356-2000

Motorcycle + Speed Kills

As an experienced Tennessee motorcycle accident attorney I am concerned that while all other types of fatal crashes involving cars, trucks and pedestrians are on the decrease, motorcycle fatalities continue to rise. What lies at the cause of this phenomenon? Several things come to mind.

First of all manufacturers continue to make motorcycles bigger and faster. Sometimes known as “crotch rockets” these high-powered bikes require more skill and unfortunately anybody with the money or credit can buy one and without any specialized training, take to the highway.

Reference a motorcycle fatality that occurred in Gallatin the other day. The motorcyclist was traveling at a high rate of speed and slammed into a school bus. What is there to say? A human body slamming against a large yellow, clearly marked school bus isn’t going to win the match. This driver didn’t make it.

In 2007, 5,154 motorcyclists were killed, an increase of 7 percent over the 4,837 motorcyclists killed in 2006. There were 103,000 motorcyclists injured during 2007.

In 2007, 2,641 (50%) of all motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with another type of motor vehicle in transport. In two-vehicle crashes, 78 percent of the motorcycles involved were struck in the front. Only 5 percent were struck in the rear.

As is the case here, motorcycles are more likely to be involved in a fatal collision with a fixed object than are other vehicles. In 2007, 25 percent of the motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with fixed objects, compared to 18 percent for passenger cars, 13 percent for light trucks, and 3 percent for large trucks.

Motorcycles made up nearly 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2006 and accounted for only 0.4 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee motorcycle accident caused by a careless driver, contact the experienced Nashville motorcycle accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.

Nashville’s WTVF News Channel 5 reported this morning on a Nashville school bus accident. According to Channel 5 a car pulled out in front of a School bus and the driver had to slam on the brakes to avoid colliding with the other vehicle. Luckily the driver was able to avoid the collision but several children were injured when they were thrown around the bus. Four students were transported to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital with minor injuries and were released to their parents.

A school transportation-related crash is a crash which involves, either directly or indirectly, a school bus body vehicle, or a non-school bus functioning as a school bus, transporting children to or from school or school-related activities. Since 1996 there have been about 417,705 fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Of those, 0.33 percent (1,387) were classified as school transportation-related.

Since 1996, 1,536 people have died in school transportation-related crashes — an average of 140 fatalities per year. Most of the people who lost their lives in those crashes (72%) were occupants of other vehicles involved. Non occupants (pedestrians, bicyclists, etc.) accounted for 20 percent of the deaths, and occupants of school transportation vehicles accounted for 7 percent.

Since 1996, 159 school-age pedestrians (younger than 19) have died in school transportation-related crashes. Over two-thirds (67%) were killed by school buses, 6 percent by vehicles functioning as school buses, and 28 percent by other vehicles involved in the crashes. One-half (50%) of all school-age pedestrians killed in school transportation-related crashes were between the ages of 5 and 7.

The Tennessee School Bus Stop Law

Meeting A School Bus: Any driver meeting a school bus or church bus on which the red stop warning signal lights are flashing should reduce his speed and bring the vehicle to a complete stop while the bus stop signal arm is extended.  The vehicle must remain stopped until the stop arm is pulled back and the bus resumes motion.

Overtaking A School Bus: Any driver approaching a school bus or church bus from the rear shall not pass the bus when red stop warning signal lights are flashing.  The vehicle must come to a complete stop when the bus is stopped.  The vehicle must remain stopped until the stop arm is pulled back and the bus resumes motion.

School Bus Warning Lights: It is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that has stopped to load orunload students. Neverpass on the right side of the bus, as this is where the children enter orexit. This is illegal and can have tragic results.  You must stop and remain stopped until: The bus has started moving, OR The driver motions for you to proceed, OR The red flashing lights go off and/or the stop arm is pulled back.

When a school bus is stopped at an intersection to load and unload children, drivers from ALL directions are required to stop until the bus resumes motion (as shown by the red vehicles in the diagram at left).  Adriver can be fined between $250 and $1,000 for not stopping for a stopped school bus.

When driving on a highway with separate roadways for traffic in opposite directions, divided by median space or a barrier not suitable for vehicular traffic, the driver need not stop, but should proceed with caution.  A turn lane in the middle of a four-lane highway is NOTconsidered a barrier, but a fifth lane that is suitable for vehicular traffic.  Drivers meeting a stopped school bus on this type of road would be required to stop in both directions.

As an experienced accident attorney I can tell you for certain that you don’t want to be involved in, especially if you are the cause, of  a school bus accident in which children are injured. There are serious consequences for drivers who drive aggressively around school  buses, loss of your license, jail time, lawsuits.