Atlanta School Bus Accident Lawyer
A car accident between multiple passenger vehicles can have terrible consequences, but as parents, one of the most tragic types of collisions we are afraid of is any type of crash involving a school bus.
A school bus accident places a bus full of bright, young lives at risk, as well as anyone else who’s on board or involved in the crash. It’s almost every parent’s nightmare.
Georgia families depend on the state’s Department of Education to safely transport our children to and from school, field trips, and sporting events. Our school districts work with Georgia’s highway and safety patrols to ensure our bus drivers are capable and experienced.
Sometimes, however, tragedy strikes, and school bus accidents occur.
Some traffic accidents are just unfortunate accidents and cannot be helped. More often than not, however, someone can be placed at fault.
Many of Georgia’s accidents result from negligence. Negligence can take the form of anything from failing to properly signal before a turn or slowing down during a traffic jam to having a few drinks before getting behind the wheel, checking a social media feed while driving, or not getting enough sleep and driving while drowsy.
School bus crashes are no different. Many occur due to negligence, whether by the school bus driver, a passenger vehicle driver, or the school bus manufacturer. If your child was involved in a school bus crash that caused the children on board to suffer and/or become injured, it’s natural to wonder if negligence played a role.
Under U.S. laws, citizens have a legal right to file what’s known as a personal injury lawsuit against a guilty individual, group, or corporation if negligence played a role in an accident where injuries occurred. This includes school bus accidents.
If you believe your child’s accident was ultimately caused by a negligent driver, a careless driver trainer, or even the manufacturer of a school bus, you need the help of an Atlanta, GA, school bus accident lawyer. Together, we can discover who caused the accident and ensure other children are not similarly harmed.
First, let’s learn more about school bus accidents in Georgia.
School Bus Accident Statistics
According to a 2025 report by the National Safety Council (NSC), school bus crashes averaged about 960 fatal incidents and 1,070 total deaths over the last decade; this translates to roughly 107 to 111 fatalities annually.
This includes school buses, as well as non-school buses operating as school buses to transport students to or from school or school-related functions and activities.
Even though school bus crash fatalities are rare in comparison to passenger vehicle/truck accident fatalities, stop and think about the numbers for a second. Between those years, 102 school bus accidents led to deaths. In some of those accidents, multiple children perished.
We need to do everything we can to drive this number down even lower. Deaths of young children should never be acceptable—not when most causes can be prevented.
Atlanta Personal Injury Practice Areas
Medical Malpractice
Every time we enter the doors to a hospital, doctor's office, or other medical facility, we expect safe, competent care. When that doesn't happen, you deserve answers.
Car Accidents
A car wreck can change your life in the blink of an eye. If you’ve been seriously injured because of another driver’s negligence, you need help now.
Truck Accidents
Large truck and commercial truck accidents are some of the most devastating accidents we see across the United States and in Georgia.
Wrongful Death
The unexpected loss of a loved one is one of the most traumatic experiences a family can go through. When the death should have been prevented, the loss devastating.
Work Injuries
If you’ve been seriously injured while on the job, you’re likely already aware that your employer doesn’t make providing for your family a simple task.
Nursing Home Abuse
Even if you’re confident you’ve found a safe environment for them, it’s important to remember that there are negligent care facilities that abuse their residents.
Common Causes of School Bus Accidents
In Georgia, the Department of Education governs school bus regulations.
The council’s primary goal is to establish rules to ensure the safety of school bus passengers and minimize school bus crashes (O.C.G.A. § 160-5-3). The Department of Education works with every school district and Georgia’s transportation officials to ensure that rules are followed and that consequences are enforced when mistakes occur.
Some of the most common causes of school bus accidents in Georgia include the following:
- A school bus driver who fails to know their surroundings causes a crash.
- A passenger vehicle driver who fails to give proper right-of-way to the bus driver.
- Inadequate school bus driver training and/or driving credentials.
- A bus driver who violates traffic laws and/or specific bus regulations (this includes driving while distracted/under the influence).
- Driving the bus at a higher speed than is permitted.
- Inadequate bus maintenance.
- A defective school bus.
As you can see, most causes are directly related to negligence. When school buses are not properly maintained and lack the latest technological upgrades, they are more likely to cause accidents.
Older school bus models may not even feature upgraded mirrors that bus drivers can use to see fully around the bus. This can lead to accidents involving pedestrians. If a defective school bus is found to have caused an accident, the manufacturer can be held liable for negligence in court.
Similarly, when a school bus driver is inadequately trained or fails to follow traffic laws, they may be found negligent if they cause an accident. School bus crash claims can be challenging to fight in court since the Department of Education must be involved.
To improve your chances of succeeding with a school bus accident lawsuit, you’ll want the help of an attorney experienced in investigating these types of cases.
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