Distraction is one of the biggest safety concerns on the modern roads. Drivers hear their phones alerting them to an incoming text message or start focusing more on their conversation with the passenger rather than on the road in front of them. Commercial drivers can potentially also be at risk of succumbing to distraction despite the extra training that should leave them aware of the risks of distracted driving.
Those in control of large vehicles like semi-trucks may use their mobile devices to maintain communication with their family members while on long trips or to confirm the next stop on their route. They violate the federal no-text rule by doing so.
Buses are also commercial vehicles, and they pose even more opportunities for a driver’s distraction.
Passengers and technology can distract bus drivers
Bus drivers need to focus to travel their routes safely and reach each stop on time. However, they are faced with constant distractions. Even if there is a sign advising passengers not to talk to the driver, many frequently attempt to do so anyway. People may ask for information about where they should get off the bus or inquire about where the route ends.
Beyond that, the driver may have to monitor behavior on the bus, such as when they witness one passenger assaulting another. Those forms of distraction could be dangerous enough. When you add in a driver’s mobile device, you may have the perfect recipe for a tragic outcome. Researchers have found that nearly 40% of collisions involving buses involved driver distraction.
Your rights after a crash caused by a bus
As with any other commercial vehicle collision, you potentially have the right to file and insurance claim following a collision where a bus hits your vehicle. In cases where the distraction of the driver is the direct cause of the crash and where you suffer major injuries, it may also be worth pursuing a civil lawsuit.
The driver or possibly the transit organization that employed them may ultimately be to blame for the wreck and the losses you suffered because of it. Recognizing when you have the right to file a civil claim can help you better respond to a recent crash with a bus.