Baltimore Bus Accident Lawyers: Bus Driver had History of Accidents

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When you put your child on a school bus, you are entrusting their safety to the bus driver. If the driver has a history of car accidents, or a health condition that affects his or her ability to safely operate a bus, he or she should not be given the responsibility of transporting children to and from school. Unfortunately, a Baltimore man with a history of seizures and over a dozen wrecks in five years crashed a school bus into a transit bus, fatally injuring himself and five other people. Fortunately, no children were on the bus at the time.

According to a report by the National Transportation Safety Board, the driver should not have been behind the wheel, as he had a history of accidents as well as diabetes, hypertension, and frequent seizures. Regardless of these red flags, the bus company failed to monitor him properly. In fact, at the time of the bus accident, the bus driver was not technically licensed to drive a school bus because he had not submitted the appropriate paperwork to the Maryland Vehicle Administration (MVA) certifying that he was in good health. As a result, the agency had been in the process of downgrading his license.

Unfortunately, this is not the only incidence of a fatal bus accident involving a driver with a questionable driving history. A bus driver in Chattanooga, Tennessee crashed a school bus carrying 37 children, fatally injuring six and sending 12 others to the hospital. Reports revealed that the children had complained about the man’s driving, and he had been in an accident only two months prior to the crash.

Communication Breakdown Can Have Fatal Consequences 

Dr. Stephen Richards, director of the Southeastern Transportation Center at the University of Tennessee, pointed to the lack of communication between the MVA and the school system as an area that needs improvement. With certain safeguards put into place, including improved communication and more proactive driver monitoring, these deadly accidents can be avoided.

Representatives of AAAfordable, the bus company that had the contract with the Baltimore City Public Schools, and who hired the bus driver responsible for the fatal crash, were not available for comment.

Baltimore Bus Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Represent Victims of Negligent Bus Drivers

 If a bus driver has a poor driving record, or a history of serious medical issues that could affect his or her ability to drive safely, that person should not be behind the wheel of a bus, particularly a school bus. If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, contact the Baltimore bus accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton as soon as possible. We will investigate the driver’s history, including any medical conditions that may have caused the accident, and hold the negligent parties responsible for their actions. We will seek the maximum financial compensation for your injuries. For a free consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.

Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie and Towson, allowing us to represent injured accident victims and their families throughout Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Parkville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.