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San Bernardino County Bus Accident Leaves Three Injured

Three occupants of a sedan received non-life threatening injuries on the morning of January 31st, 2013, in the city of Montclair in San Bernardino County after the sedan collided with a city bus. According to reports, the accident happened just after 11 a.m.at the intersection of San Bernardino St. and Fremont Ave. There were six passengers on the bus at the time, none of which reported any injuries. Apparently, the sedan ran a red light before colliding with the bus which, in turn, collided with a power line pole.

Fortunately, No Major Injuries

While this accident did not involve any fatalities, it could have been much worse, especially since collisions involving power lines pose a risk of death by electrocution to those who inadvertently come in contact with a live power line, and since most buses do not feature seat belts.

Following a collision in which a power line has been struck, those involved in the collision are advised to stay in their vehicles until emergency responders arrive to make the scene safe. In fact, following any kind of collision on an open road, the best and safest place for those involved to remain is inside their vehicles, as this also reduces the risk of a person being struck by another car on the road whose driver may not be aware of a pedestrian’s presence. If a vehicle can be safely navigated to the shoulder or side of the road to clear a path for oncoming traffic, then it should be done, otherwise, the vehicle and occupants should stay put and immediately call for assistance.

Basic Bus Safety

Many people don’t think about safety when they board a bus, but due to the fact that most bus passengers remain unrestrained while on board a moving bus, safety is something that should be on the mind of everyone who ever rides the bus. Despite the lack of restraints, most buses have an ample supply of handlebars which passengers should hold on to while a bus is in motion. This way, if a bus comes to a sudden stop or becomes part of a roadway collision, the person won’t be thrown from their seat or otherwise jostled about the cabin. Maintaining firm physical contact with a handlebar or wrist strap on-board a moving bus will drastically reduce the risk of injury if that bus loses control.

Following a collision on a bus, as with any other type of vehicle, it is best to stay in the bus and wait for emergency responders. A bus driver, following a collision, knows exactly what to do in the situation as they are trained on this aspect of the job. Even though passengers might be hurt or curious about what all the commotion is about, in no instance should a passenger speak to or otherwise distract the driver. Instead, the driver should be allowed to respond to the situation as trained and spoken to only if he or she directly engages passengers (which might be done to determine if anyone is hurt).

Bus Injury Lawsuit

In cases where the bus is at fault in an accident, claims could be made against the bus company depending on whether the bus was operated by a private or public carrier. In any case, a vehicle accident lawyer should be contacted promptly to preserve the integrity of current or future claims.