School Bus Driver Responsibilities

 Posted on April 05, 2017 in Personal Injury

Looking at an 18-wheeled commercial transport vehicle, you know that it has the potential to cause catastrophic damages if something goes awry. Looking at a school bus—the vehicle that children ride on five days a week throughout the school year—it is often seen as an icon of safety and security. These vehicles weigh anywhere from 6,000 to 33,000 pounds, with the traditional style weighing in at a whopping 26,000 pounds—13 tons! Compare this to a regular passenger car weighing around 3,000 to a maximum of 6,000 pounds. If the two collide, a school bus has the capability of demolishing a passenger vehicle based on weight alone. With great risks come great responsibility leaving bus operators responsible for upholding the law and maintaining the safety of both the passengers on board and other drivers on the road. What requirements are in place to avoid a school bus accident?

Bus Operator Responsibility

The operator is the bus driver. However, there is more to driving a bus then pressing the gas pedal and brake when necessary, maneuvering roadways, and opening and closing a door. The list is comprehensive, and if the driver fails to observe any item on the list, they are negligently putting safety at risk. A few of the requisites mandate that a bus operator:

• Arranges an annual state inspection of the vehicle before transporting children;
• Observes and adheres to legal road requirements and reports any infractions immediately;
• Completes a complete comprehensive checklist for bus inspection daily;
• Ensures a communication device is in proper working condition before departing on each trip;
• Schedules and completes routine bus maintenance such as oil changes and tire rotations,;
• Provides fresh drinking water on the bus daily;
• Ensures routes are safe and that no child remains on the bus over an hour time;
• Maintains clean and debris-free environment; and
• Routinely inventories emergency and first-aid kits as well as all other safety equipment.

School Bus Accident?

If your child suffered injuries while riding a school bus, you likely have a variety of thoughts running through your mind. How to proceed is typically at the forefront of such an unforeseen event. Although school bus accidents are not as prevalent as car accidents, they do occur and when they do, you want someone to fight aggressively on behalf of your family. If you are interested in discussing your case with an experienced DuPage County auto accident attorney, contact Martoccio & Martoccio today. Call 630-920-8855 to schedule your free, confidential consultation. We proudly offer two convenient locations to serve our clients better.

Sources:

https://www.reference.com/math/much-school-bus-weigh-b393cf668ec02168

http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=51334

https://www.isbe.net/Documents/transportation_admin_manual.pdf