The National Center for Transportation Research conducted a study of bus crashes over a four-year period using data from different state agencies within a particular geographic location. The purpose of the study was to determine how common it was for buses to become involved in rear-end crashes.
An experienced rear-end accident lawyer knows that rear-end crashes are one of the most common types of accidents on the roads in San Antonio, Alamo Heights, Olmos Park, Terrell Hills and surrounding areas. Buses are not immune from being rear-ended, and when a bus is hit from the back, the passengers aboard could be at risk. However, motorists in the striking vehicle will typically face the highest risks of serious or fatal injury.
How Do Rear-End Bus Accidents Happen?
When buses rear-end other motorists, there is also significant risk the motorists will be badly hurt due to the size of the bus. Buses can rear-end other vehicles for many reasons, including driver error, problems with brakes and bad weather. Because of the size of commercial motor vehicles, buses have long stopping distances. Bus drivers must be careful and must have special commercial licenses to ensure they know how to safely operate their vehicles to reduce the chances of a rear-end crash.
Drivers who are behind buses can also put themselves and passengers at risk. Buses are rear-ended regularly and passengers are endangered. The National Center for Transportation Research revealed that in the majority of situations where buses were rear-ended, the cause was that the rear driver failed to use due care, or that the rear driver failed to use due caution. Neither distraction nor drugs were listed as top causes of crashes in which buses were rear-ended. In 74.5 percent of the reported rear-end bus crashes, no distraction was suspected and in 76.3 percent there was no indication of drug use. The data may not have been entirely accurate about drug use or distraction because drivers are not always tested for drugs and may not report that they were distracted at the time of the crash.
The National Center for Transportation Research did identify risk factors that increased the likelihood a bus would be rear-ended. One big issue was the location of the bus stop.
Bus stops that are located on the far side or mid-block are much more likely to be areas where a bus is rear-ended, as compared with situations where a bus stop is located on the near-side. Near-side bus stops cannot typically be placed on six lane roads, which helps to explain why buses were more likely to be rear-ended on six lane roads than on either two or four lane roads.
Bus stops located in the middle of traffic lanes were also more likely to be the site of rear-end bus accidents. While there was only one reported rear-end crash in a bus bay (and it was because the driver was trying to avoid a different collision), there was significant likelihood of bus accidents when the bus stop was in a traffic lane since the bus was essentially a sitting duck.
Contact a San Antonio accident lawyer at the Herrera Law Firm. Call 800-455-1054 or visit https://www.herreralaw.com for a free case consultation. Serving San Antonio, Alamo Heights, Olmos Park, Terrell Hills and surrounding areas.
