Bus Accident

A 43-year-old driver was cited for improper passing on a double-yellow line, leading to a car wreck between a tractor-trailer and school bus Thursday morning. One student was injured in the crash along Highway 45 in St. Stephen. South Carolina Highway Patrol assisted at the scene of the wreck, which happened just after a school bus had picked up a student on Highway 45. The suspect’s Nissan tried passing and hit the back of the bus. A tractor-trailer then hit the vehicle, sandwiching it between the truck and bus. 19 students were on-board at the time of the wreck, according to news reports.

As a Sumter auto accident attorney, I hope that nobody is adversely affected by this product. If you or a loved one were hurt by a defective product, discuss your case with a personal injury attorney who can evaluate your claim, assess your case, help defend your rights, and answer any legal questions you have concerning your case.

Two students suffered minor injuries and a motorist was cited Friday morning when a Blythewood High School bus was rear-ended, report media sources.

According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, at approximately 8:05 a.m. A school bus, driven by a 66-year-old Columbia woman, was traveling was traveling eastbound on Eagles Ridge Drive, and a Honda vehicle carrying a driver and a passenger was traveling behind the bus. The bus slowed to stop and was rear-ended by the Honda.

Two students suffered minor injuries—one complained of neck pain, the other suffered a knee injury—and were taken to a local hospital for treatment, said a Richard District 2 spokesperson. The remaining students transferred to another bus and continued on to school.

The Highway Patrol cited the driver of the Honda for driving too fast for conditions. Neither occupant of the Honda was injured in the collision.

Being a Moncks Corner car accident lawyer, I am well aware of the types of injuries that can be suffered in a rear-end collision. I wish the injured students a rapid recovery from their injuries. Because of my experience as a Moncks Corner personal injury attorney, I am very aware of the split-second difference between everything seeming fine and a terrible vehicle crash. I urge motorists always to practice safe driving habits and to stay alert to changing road and traffic conditions.

According to news reports, a safety defect/noncompliance notice received by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that Navistar, the manufacturer of MaxxForce brand diesel engines, school and commercial buses, trucks, personnel carriers and vehicle parts, is planning to initiate a recall of several school bus models due to safety defects.

The reports states that Navistar planes to recall certain models year 2011 and 2012 IC RE school buses produced from February 4, 2010 until June 16, 2011 and 2011 and 2012 bus models IC RE made between August 24, 2010 and June 8,2011. These models have a positive battery cable that may rub against the hydraulic cooler reservoir-mounting bracket. This defect could result in an electrical short, which in severe cases could result in a vehicle fire. No information was provided as to how many buses may be afflicted with this defect.

Navistar also plans to recall around 340 buses with model years 2011 and 2012 CE and RE made from October 8, 2009 until April 14, 2011 because they were manufactured without, or with incorrectly installed, floor channel reinforcements. This means the buses fail to conform with seat back rear force displacements requirements and increase the risk of passenger rearward ejection.

These recalls are expected to begin September 16 of this year. No injuries have been reported in association with these recalls. The company plans on notifying owners and working with them to repair the buses free of charge.

As an Orangeburg personal injury attorney, I’ve seen similar recalls in the past and know the inherent dangers of these safety issues. If you have been injured in an accident that was the result of a defective auto part, it may be in your best interests to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area to discuss your case.

While we don't handle this type of case, we feel that it's important to educate the community that there has been a recall to help protect your safety. If you have been injured by any defective item, you may want to search for a lawyer who handles these types of cases.

With kids heading back to school in the coming weeks, I’ve been continually trying to keep an eye out for safety tips for students, parents and teachers. As a Charleston personal injury lawyer, I came across these tips that I thought would be useful. According to news reports:

If your child will be walking or riding a bicycle to school:

• Teach your child to obey all traffic signals and signs and to look left, then right, then left again for moving vehicles before he or she crosses the street orintersection and to never dart into the street from behind objects, such as bushes or parked cars.

• Make sure your child knows to look out for cars because even though adults in cars should be sure to look out for children while driving through school zones, this does not always happen.

Don’t allow your child to wear headphones or play hand-held video games while walking to school.

• If you drop your child off at school, stay until he or she makes it in the building. Don’t feel pressured to drive off just because other cars are waiting.

• If your child is riding a bike, make sure he or she wears a helmet that meets safety standards.

• Map out his or her route to school before the first day. Make sure you know who lives along your child’s path to school.

Parents can visit the local police station to see if there are any registered sex offenders along their child’s route.

Other safety issues to consider when sending your child back to school include:

• Buy jackets and sweatshirts without a drawstring around the neck or hood. Drawstrings can get caught in car or school bus doors or on playground equipment.

• Check playground surfaces at your child’s school to make sure there is a 12-inch depth of wood chips or other padding.

• If your child rides a school bus, make sure he or she knows to remain seated at all times, to keep the aisles clear, to not throw objects, to not shout or distract the driver and to keep his or her hands and arms inside of the bus.

And teach your child the driver has a blind spot and to be careful when boarding or exiting the bus.

• Teach your child to resolve problems without fighting. Talk with your child about other ways to work out problems, such as talking about the problem, walking away from the problem or telling an adult.

• Ask your child’s school if the computer equipment is monitored and if computers are equipped to block access to explicit sites.

• Find out about safety and emergency plans in your child’s school.

Check your child’s school for potential hazards, and make sure the school’s administration is aware of any problems.

While we don’t handle this kind of personal injury case we feel that it’s important to educate the community to help protect their health and safety. If you have been injured by a school bus accident, you might wish to contact a Charleston personal injury lawyer who can help.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol is working to make sure the roadways are safe for students heading back to school, according to news reports.

The S.C. Highway Patrol has begun increased enforcement along school bus routes around the state, including those in The T&D Region, according to news reports.

Troopers urge parents and teachers to teach children how to get on and off the school bus safely. The also are urging motorists to use extreme caution when nearing a school bus stop or school loading zones.

“Motorists must always stop when they are traveling behind a bus with flashing amber or red lights. Motorists who approach a stopped school bus with flashing red lights from the opposite direction must stop if they are on a two-lane road,” according to news reports. “The fine for passing a stopped school bus can be as much as $1,000 and up to 30 days in jail for a first offense.”

As an Orangeburg car accident attorney, I urge drivers and students to be safe while traveling to and from school.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, contact a personal injury lawyer in Orangeburg.

As a Charleston car accident attorney, I know back-to-school time can be stressful with parents whse kids take the bus. I want driver and students to be safe while traveling to and from school.

ConsumerReports has released some tips for drivers and students to stay safe on the school bus, according to news reports.

Tips for drivers:

• When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch out for children walking or bicycling to school. Better yet, walk around your car or out to the sidewalk to check for any children walking in your path before you get in.
• Drive slowly and watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks. Also be aware of children playing or waiting around bus stops.
• Be alert and aware on the road. While children are typically taught about looking both ways, they could dart into the street without looking if they are late or distracted.
• Learn the school bus laws in your state. Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to stop to pickup or drop off children. Drivers need to slow down and prepare to stop. Red flashing lights and an extended stop arm signal indicate that the bus is stopped, and that children are getting on or off. Cars must stop a safe distance away and not proceed until the red lights stop flashing, the stop sign folds back, and the bus continues on its way.

Tips for children:

• Get to the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
• When the bus approaches, stand at least 6 feet away from the curb, and line up away from the street.
• Wait until the bus stops, the door opens, and the driver says that it’s okay before stepping onto the bus.
• If you have to cross the street in front of the bus, walk on the sidewalk or along the side of the road to a point at least 10 feet ahead of the bus before you cross. Be sure that the bus driver can see you, and you can see the bus driver.
• Use the handrails to avoid falls. When exiting the bus, be careful that clothing or backpacks don’t get caught in the handrails or doors.
• Never walk behind the bus.
• If you drop something near the bus, tell the bus driver. Never try to pick it up because the driver may not be able to see you.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, contact personal injury attorney in Charleston who might be able to help.

A teen actress and singer was injured in a tour bus accident Thursday in Illinois, prompting her to postpone her tour, according to news reports..

Miranda Cosgrove, Nickelodeon’s “iCarley” actress, was injured when her tour bus crashed with a semi truck on Interstate 70 near Vandalia, 70 miles northeast of St. Louis. It is unclear exactly how the collision occurred.

The 18-year-old broke her ankle in the crash. She and the other five passengers on the bus are expected to be OK.

The singer’s “Dancing Crazy Summer Tour” is postponed until further notice, according to news reports. Her next concert was scheduled for Kentucky.

“Cosgrove stars as Carly Shay, the daughter of a colonel serving overseas, on “iCarly.” Her album is “High Maintenance.” She also featured in “The School of Rock” and voiced the character Margo in “Despicable Me.”

As an Orangeburg car accident attorney, I’m saddened to hear about this tour bus incident. I hope Cosgrove is able to make a full and speedy recovery from her injuries and continue her tour in the near future. My condolences go out to the victim’s friends and family who are dealing with this tragic accident. I hope investigators are able to determine how this bus accident exactly occurred so an incident like this can potentially be prevented in the future.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, contact a personal injury lawyer in Orangeburg.

Eight tour bus companies in one of the most popular tourist destinations in the county are being suspended for violating safety rules, according to news reports.

The move comes as tour bus accidents have killed at least 23 people this year and injured more than 100 others, making it necessary for government inspections, according to news reports.

Busses belonging to the eight companies have allegedly failed three or more roadside inspections in the last six months, or failed their semi-annual bus inspections or received a federal “out-of-service” order.

Earlier this year, federal officials asked Congress for authorization to “randomly pull over tour buses on the highway in an effort to catch rogue carriers who use a variety of schemes to evade safety enforcement,” according to news reports.

Currently, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is unable to make safety checks on tour buses. Officials also complain it’s difficult for the government to inspect some carriers who have no fixed base of operation.

As a Charleston car accident attorney, I think it’s important to ensure all vehicles on the roadway are safe, including tour buses. The government needs to ensure that tour busses and other large vehicles are safe, to ensure safety of passengers and other vehicles near the busses. I’m saddened to hear about the number of deaths that have occurred in bus accidents this year.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, contact a personal injury lawyer in Charleston.

One man was injured in a crash with a school bus that was possibly caused by driving under the influence, according to news reports.

The accident occurred around 3 p.m. when a 24-year-old man was reportedly driving a Chevrolet pickup in Berkeley County. As he was traveling, the man allegedly tried to cut in between a Berkeley County school bus and a Ford Expedition on Old Whitesville Road, according to news reports.

“Troopers say the pickup clipped the right rear of the school bus and then hit the Expedition before it ran off the road, struck a tree and overturned,” according to news reports.

Police are charging the 24-year-old man with DUI, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

Thankfully, none of the four students onboard the school bus were injured in the collision.

The alleged drunken driver sustained some injuries and was transported to the Medical University of South Carolina.

As an Orangeburg car accident attorney, I’m saddened to hear about this bus accident, especially because it may have involved driving under the influence. I’m glad to hear that none of the children were injured. I hope the driver who was injured is able to make a full and speedy recovery. I urge drivers to never drink and drive.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a drunken driving car accident, contact a personal injury lawyer in Orangeburg.

A bus driver crashed into a ditch early Tuesday morning in Bluffton, S.C., injuring at least one child, according to news reports.

The school bus accident occurred around 7 a.m. Tuesday when a 29-year-old bus driver from St. Helena Island was transporting children to Bluffton Middle School. The driver was on Old Miller Road when she reportedly lost control of the bus and crashed it into a ditch.

At least one of the 18-19 children on the bus was transported to a hospital. The bus driver was “pinned for about 45 minutes” inside the bus.

According to news reports, the bus driver said she was trying to avoid a herd of deer.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol, however, charged the bus driver with driving too fast for conditions.

As a Moncks Corner personal injury lawyer, I’m saddened to hear about this school bus accident. I’m glad to hear that there were not more serious injuries involved in this incident. I hope the child who needed medical attention is able to fully and quickly recover from their injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, contact aGreenville personal injury lawyer personal injury lawyer in North Charleston.