Distracted Truck Driver Crashes Into School Bus

When it comes to car accidents, weight is what determines each driver’s survival rate. The physics are simple: The heavier a vehicle is, the more damage it will cause to smaller vehicles. Of course, this idea is most easily seen in crashes between tractor trailers and small cars. A truck with a full load is 20 times heavier than the average passenger car. However, even small differences in weight can increase the risk of a fatality. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted a study on the relationship between vehicle weight and fatality risk. The agency surveyed thousands of accidents between cars and small pickup trucks. Researchers determined that 80 percent of people who died in the accidents were occupants in the smaller vehicle. Given that information, a group of school children are fortunate to be alive after a tractor trailer struck their bus. 

Most full-sized school buses weigh approximately 28,000 pounds, whereas any given tractor-trailer will weigh 80,000 pounds. Last week, a truck rear-ended a school bus. The bus was carrying more than a dozen children at the time. 

Witnesses Say the Circumstances Surrounding the Accident Were Bizarre

According to FOX News, witnesses suspect the truck driver of being distracted. They say that the male driver was carrying a female passenger in his cab, and she was not wearing any clothes during the accident. Furthermore, investigators determined that the truck driver did not even press his brakes before colliding with the bus, possibly indicating that he did not see the vehicle. Paramedics took 10 of the children to the hospital with varying degrees of injury. Officers say that the accident would have been much worse had the bus driver not seen the truck and sped up at the last moment before the impact. 

If you’ve been involved in a car accident with a distracted driver, you are likely looking for justice. At Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, PLC in Cedar Rapids, we are proud to help our clients as they seek compensation through personal-injury lawsuits. To speak with a truck-accident lawyer about your crash, please call 319-393-1020. 

Another Bus-Truck Accident Ended in Tragedy

The NY Post reports that the occupants of another bus were not as lucky as the children. Police say that a tractor trailer veered into oncoming traffic and struck a bus carrying a college softball team. The collision sent more than a dozen people to the hospital, and four members of the softball team died from their injuries. Police are not sure what caused the truck driver to leave his lane, but they have drawn his blood to test for intoxication. 

Negligent driving takes many forms. If you have been injured by a driver who was distracted, impaired or reckless, we can help. Our personal-injury lawyers have a combined 75 years of experience with injury accident lawsuits. To arrange a consultation with a truck-accident lawyer from our firm, please call 319-393-1020.