Public transportation has many benefits. It is an affordable and efficient way to get from point A to point B. However, when buses are involved, the potential for injuries in the even of an accident is high. Buses carry a great number of people, and do not usually have the same safety features (airbags, etc.) that are commonly found in individual passenger vehicles.
Bus accidents can be especially devastating when they involve school buses. School bus drivers are tasked with transporting the most precious passengers, our children. But sometimes, things go wrong.
On June 21, two school buses crashed in Des Plaines. The accident occurred on East Touhy Avenue in the 1000 block.
At about 10:30 in the morning, the two buses collided. Emergency services were dispatched, with three ambulances diverted to the scene.
There were children passengers involved in the crash. Fortunately, Des Plaines police officials said that only minor injuries were reported.
This story could have turned out much more tragically. There is great potential for injury or even death any time a bus collides with another vehicle.
One of the potential downsides of travel via bus is that you have no control over the safe operation of the vehicle. Most bus drivers are highly experienced and safety conscious. But, even a momentary lapse in judgement by a bus driver can put the safety of dozens in jeopardy. What’s more, when a bus accident occurs due to the negligence of the operator of some other vehicle, there may be nothing the bus driver can do to protect passengers.
Source: NBC Chicago, Minor Injuries Reported in School Bus Crash, June 21, 2013