Students in New York ride the school bus every weekday. The parents of those children and teenagers expect they will arrive at their destinations safely. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Motor vehicle accidents happen.
Recently, a bus accident occurred in Gerry, New York, on Route 60. The bus was transporting high school athletes to a track meet. Rather than finding their way to the track, they found their way to a hospital. So did two people in an SUV that was struck by the bus, officials say.
One individual on the scene immediately after the crash witnessed police officers and firefighters investigating and taking photos. Some were cutting the door from the passenger side of the SUV, suggesting serious injury
There were 22 girls on the bus. According to another witness, they were not seriously hurt, but many appeared to be shaken by the collision.
Police report the driver of the SUV was a 16-year-old girl who had only recently received her driver’s license. Both the driver and passenger of the SUV were airlifted by Star Flight to the Hamot Medical Center. Police confirmed that neither sustained life-threatening injuries, but the driver suffered a concussion, a broken thumb and wrist.
Police also claim that the SUV was turning left into a driveway. They say the 54-year-old male bus driver was evidently not paying attention and did not have sufficient time to stop. He then swerved left and slammed into the SUV.
While the driver of the SUV was seemingly new to the road, witnesses are not casting blame her way.
The frequency with which similar accidents occur in New York does not make dealing with them any easier. Careless drivers can cause serious injuries to others. When the root cause of the accident happens to be the negligence of another individual, that driver may be held responsible.
Aside from damage to the vehicle, a civil lawsuit can help recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and more.
Source: WIVB-TV, “Student athletes on bus during crash,” Emily Guggenmos, May 8, 2012
