Louisiana school bus drivers have a solemn charge: take our children to school every morning and bring them home safely every afternoon. Most bus drivers take this duty seriously and drive the school children as if they were their own. Unfortunately, not all of them share this sense of responsibility and perhaps as a result of this, accidents happen.
In May, a bus with students on board veered into oncoming traffic and collided head on with another vehicle. The driver of that vehicle was cut from the wreckage and rushed to an area hospital where he eventually died from his injuries.
Now, the man’s father has sued the bus driver as well as several members of the school board and the superintendent. The wrongful death suit alleges negligence for their part in the crash. Subsequent investigations have revealed that the 20-year-old bus had in excess of 237,000 miles on it. Reports on this particular school district revealed that they operate some of the oldest buses in the area. In addition, a recent audit uncovered numerous issues with the way repairs are handled.
Investigators have not revealed whether a mechanical issue or driver error caused the wreck. Children on board the bus suffered minor injuries.
School districts have a responsibility to vet their employees, especially ones whose charge is the safety of our children, but, with tight budgets, sometimes corners are cut and unqualified or unstable individuals end up in the job. They also have a duty to ensure the mechanical safety of their fleet of buses. One slip up could mean the difference between life and death.
If you feel you were injured as a result of the negligence of a bus driver, a Louisiana attorney may be able to help you get compensation for your damages.
Source: lex18.com, “Lincoln Schools, Bus Driver Sued Over Man’s Death in School Bus Crash,” June 4, 2014
