Six People Injured In Peoria School Bus Accident
Bus Accident - February 7, 2024
Truck Driver Cited For Peoria School Bus Accident By The Intersection of Allen Road and Dunlap Road
PEORIA COUNTY, ILLINOIS (February 7, 2024) – At least six people were injured when a pickup truck and school bus collided by Allen Road and Dunlap Road in Peoria.
Peoria County officials are saying that the incident took place on Monday afternoon. A school bus was involved in a collision with two vehicles before hitting the side of an Arby’s.
The school bus was carrying students from Dunlap Valley Middle School and Dunlap High School when it crashed. Peoria Fire Department officials and paramedics were called to the scene in order to help the victims.
Several students and two adults were taken to the hospital in order to receive treatment. Police cited the driver of the truck for failure to yield, speeding and failure to reduce speed.
Liability For Peoria County School Bus Accidents
School bus accidents are actually much more common than many people may realize. According to the National Safety Council, “School bus-related crashes killed 54 people nationwide in 2020, down by over 50% compared to 2019 according to National Safety Council (NSC) tabulations of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).” School buses can be particularly dangerous for pedestrians and those in passenger vehicles. Many different factors could contribute to a school bus crash.
- Speeding is one of the most common contributing factors for bus accidents.
- Bus accidents are much more likely to take place at intersections.
- School bus crashes are more likely to take place in the early morning and late evening when visibility is reduced.
School buses are considered “common carriers” and are held to strict safety standards set forth in the Common Carrier Liability Act (740 ILCS 25/). Any person that operates a school bus must exercise a great deal of caution in order to avoid injuring passengers. If a driver fails to slow down in order to avoid colliding with a school bus, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. Victims of bus accidents tend to suffer very serious injuries including:
- Broken bones
- Head injuries
- Lacerations
- Spinal cord injuries
- Organ damage
Even after the physical injuries of a bus accident may heal, many accident victims are left with long-term psychological injuries such as PTSD. It can be hard to know where to begin after any bus accident. Victims are often left with high medical bills and may need to take time off of work. Any person that is injured in a bus accident may be able to seek some measure of justice through a civil claim.
Investigating Illinois School Bus Accidents
We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to all of the people injured in this Peoria County school bus accident. It is our sincere hope that all of the victims will be able to make a full recovery. This was a preventable crash that should not have taken place.
Do you need more information about a Peoria County school bus accident? Our team of bus accident attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.
