Bus Accident attorney in Los Angeles, California

Bus drivers are responsible for maneuvering their vehicle safely through traffic. A bus driver who allows his or her attention to be distracted by anything other than the road and traffic ahead endangers not only everyone on the bus, but also everyone on the roadway. Distractions can include dealing or talking to passengers, using smartphones (an especially dangerous and increasingly common distraction), and much more. If your bus driver was distracted prior to a collision or an accident, talk to an experienced Los Angeles bus accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Because bus drivers are professional drivers, the law takes a clear-cut view—and a zero-tolerance position—regarding impairment. Drinking and driving are always a dangerous combination, and this is a practice that no professional driver should ever engage in. Unfortunately, some do. If you have been injured by an impaired bus driver, turn to a reputable Los Angeles bus accident law firm for the legal help you need.

When we are exhausted, it is difficult to successfully accomplish any task at hand, and this extends to driving. When a bus driver operates their vehicle in a drowsy state, he or she greatly increases the risk that an injury-causing accident will occur.

Aggression has no safe place behind the wheel. In fact, aggressive drivers are among the most dangerous motorists on our roads. The most dangerous and most prevalent form of aggression is excessive speeding, and a bus that barrels forward at excessive speeds is obviously a serious concern. The immense size and bulk of these vehicles that are intended for mass transit make aggressive driving practices—such as tailgating, weaving in-and-out of traffic, and passing unsafely—that much more dangerous.

The bus company can also be responsible for dangerous bus accidents. If the bus is a city bus, the legal logistics of the case are even more complicated, and the amount of time allotted to bring a successful bus accident claim against the city is far more limited than in cases involving commercial bus lines. The bus company’s responsibilities extend to all of the following:

• The bus company is responsible for hiring bus drivers who are well suited to the job and who have the necessary experience, skill, and licensure.
• The bus company is responsible for not pushing its drivers to drive outside the boundaries of hours-of-service requirements, which are intended to help keep professional drivers who are dangerously fatigued off the roads.
• The bus company is responsible for keeping a well-maintained and safely operating fleet of buses
• The company must implement regularly scheduled safety and maintenance checks.
• The company is responsible for hiring professional mechanics with the appropriate training and licensure to work on their buses, and for providing them with high-quality tools and bus parts with which to work.

It is important to recognize that the manufacturer of the bus can also be implicated in a bus accident. The bus's manufacturer is responsible for ensuring its buses are safely designed and manufactured, and that they incorporate safe, high-quality parts.

Buses come equipped with some inherent dangers that make accidents more likely when bus drivers do not exercise the necessary level of caution. These inherent dangers are all related to the immense bulk, size, and weight of buses, and include:

• Bus drivers experience considerable blind spots along all four sides of their buses.
• Buses require much longer stopping distances than most of the other vehicles on the road do.
• Buses are more difficult to maneuver safely through traffic.