Five Children Injured In Chicago School Bus Accident
Bus Accident - June 13, 2023
City Baptist Schools Bus Crash On The Dan Ryan Expressway In Chicago Injured Five Children
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (June 13, 2023) – Five children were injured when a Chicago school bus rolled over on the Dan Ryan Expressway not far from 35th Street.
Cook County police officials are saying that the accident took place around 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday. A school bus with the label “City Baptist Schools” rolled over under uncertain condition.
Chicago firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene in order to help all of the victims. The children on the school buses were between the ages of 12 and 16.
A total of five children were taken to the Comer Children’s Hospital and University of Chicago Medical Center with moderate to serious injuries.
It remains unclear what may have caused the rollover accident.
Liability For Chicago School Bus Accidents
School buses tend to be very safe for children. According to the NHTSA, “The school bus is the safest vehicle on the road—your child is much safer taking a bus to and from school than traveling by car.” However, school buses are also top heavy which makes them much more prone to rollover accidents. There are a number of steps that bus companies should take to prevent collisions.
- Buses should be periodically inspected and well maintained.
- Bus drivers should be well trained to handle all different types of scenarios.
- Bus drivers should never be pressured to compromise safety during their trips.
School buses are considered “common carriers” and are held to strict safety standards set forth in the Common Carrier Liability Act (740 ILCS 25/). Bus drivers must operate their vehicles with the highest vigilance and utmost care in order to protect their passengers and those on the roadway. A large number of rollover collisions are due to speeding. If a bus driver was traveling too fast for the prevailing conditions prior to a crash, this could form the basis of a negligence claim.
The company or school district that a bus driver worked for could also be held at fault for a crash. In general, employers are liable for the wrongful actions of their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. For example, a school bus may have been transporting children when it crashed. Victims of school bus accidents tend to suffer very serious injuries including:
- Broken bones
- Head injuries
- Lacerations
- Spinal cord injuries
Victims of bus accidents may not realize the full extent of their injuries for some time after any incident. Any person that is injured in a school bus accident may have legal recourse through a civil claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. It is important that all evidence is properly preserved after any incident. Evidence is what will ultimately be needed to identify liable parties.
Liability For Chicago Rollover Accidents
We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to all of the injured people after this City Baptist Schools bus rolled over. It is our sincere hope that everyone is able to make a full recovery. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a school bus accident on the Dan Ryan Expressway? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of bus accident attorneys are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.
