The accident rate for school busses is thankfully, very low. Considering the sheer volume of school busses that transport children to and from school daily, school busses are relatively very safe.  This is probably due in part to their large size and design, and the lower speeds in which they tend to travel. However, motor vehicle accidents do still occur on school busses, and when they do, the consequences can be overwhelming for everyone involved.

The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Science and Engineering reports that there are approximately 6,000 injuries and 20 deaths annually in the USA due to school bus accidents.

School bus designs have not been changed since 1977, which means that many of them are not equipped with seat belts.  Although 3 states - New York, New Jersey and Florida - require new busses to have seat belts, only New Jersey and Florida actually require riders to use them. Safety advocates have been fighting to make seat belts and seat belt usage a standard in all new busses across the country.

Out of the estimated 20 deaths that occur annually due to school busses, an incredible 15 of them are due to children being run over by the busses in the process of boarding or exit them. Safety laws have been implemented in all states to remedy this problem, but pedestrian accidents still remain.

The issues surrounding school bus accidents can become quite complicated. Personal Injury Lawyers / Accident Attorneys who have experience with liability laws can be very helpful in sorting out the legal matters surrounding this type of accident. Many factors must be taken into consideration when deciding fault in a school bus accident. Although infrequent, school bus accidents do occur, and a lawyer specializing in school bus accidents can help determine the negligent party and assess any damages that may be claimed.