The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round and So Do Workplace Injuries – Understanding School Bus Drivers and Workers’ Compensation
Bus drivers transport people between various places close destinations such as work and shopping centers to further ones across state and national borders. Some drivers drive regular routes and others transport passengers on chartered trips or sightseeing tours. Additionally, some bus drivers spend their careers transporting children to various schools around our nation – something we are all witnessing as children in our respective communities have started heading back to school. As children are roughly 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a bus versus traveling by car, this is one of the most important, if under-recognized, roles of employment in our country. Unfortunately, this doesn’t make it any safer for the drivers themselves.
How Dangerous Can Workplaces Be For School Bus Drivers?
School bus drivers face significant workplace risks as do those working in many other careers that involve large amounts of time driving on the road do. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has indicated that almost 5,800 transit and intercity bus drivers experienced a days-away-from-work injury or illness while on the job in 2013 alone.
How Can Drivers Help Avoid School Bus Stop Accidents?
The silver lining of these kinds of workplace accidents is that many of them are totally preventable. School bus drivers can help avoid workplace accidents by undertaking behavior such as:
- Avoiding distracted driving factors such as cell phones, makeup, food, etc.
- Obeying posted speed limits and other traffic laws
- Reacting proactively when at or approaching a bus stop with the understanding that children are unpredictable
- Allowing space between you and the bus so that children can safely enter and exit the vehicle
Do School Bus-Related Accidents Have Any Other Risks?
Because school bus drivers are common carriers who regularly transport some of the smallest members of our society, it is also essential to understand that the injuries and illnesses that endanger bus drivers represent not only a threat to their own lives but also the lives of their passengers.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, well over 100 school-age pedestrians under the age of nineteen have died in school-transportation-related crashes since 2003. This is just one example of how school bus-related accidents can have an impact not only on bus drivers, but also on other members of our society.
Have You or Another Beloved School Bus Driver Been Injured in a Workplace Accident?
The process for obtaining workers’ compensation benefits can be overwhelming and challenging for anyone who has been injured at work. Further, because understanding where to turn after being involved in a workplace accident aboard a school bus can be extremely difficult, it is imperative that you choose your legal help wisely before beginning to pursue the workers’ compensation benefits that you deserve after being injured during the scope of your employment. Fortunately, the Miami workers’ compensation attorneys at Payer & Associates have significant experience helping people like you and you should allow us to help you get the benefits you deserve. Begin by contacting us today to schedule a free consultation.
Resource:
nhtsa.gov/road-safety/school-bus-safety
