Texas Accident & Injury News
Do you know when to stop for a school bus in San Antonio?
William Tutt, 54, Dies in School Bus Accident on the Northeast Side
According to a KSAT News report, a man died in an accident with a NEISD school bus on Tuesday.
Police reported the accident happened at around 5 p.m. on Tuesday in the 2400 block of Northeast Loop 410 near Perrin Beitel Road. For unknown reasons, a sedan crashed into the back of an NEISD school bus that was stopped at a bus stop. No one inside the bus was injured. William Tutt, 54, was pronounced dead at the scene. A statement from George Gervin Academy explained that Tutt worked at the charter school. Ariana Solis, a MacArthur High School student who was exiting the bus at the time, told KSAT that she hadn’t heard any speeding or anything unusual before the accident happened.
Did You Know?
Between 2012 and 2021, there was an average of 111 school bus accident fatalities per year.
What to Know About School Bus Accidents in San Antonio
School buses are the safest form of transportation for children to get to school, safer than both walking and driving in a passenger vehicle.
But that doesn’t mean that your child can’t be injured in a school bus accident.
While not super common, school bus accidents are more common in Texas than in other states and can cause serious injury (and even death) to your child. Getting compensation for a child’s school bus injury can be complicated, depending on the circumstances of the accident.
How Common Are School Bus Accidents?
School bus accidents are classified by the NHTSA as any accident involving a school bus, either directly or indirectly. Children getting off and on the school bus are included in this accident classification.
There were 1,323 school bus accidents in Texas in 2023, according to TxDOT data.
- 860 happened in urban areas,
- 463 happened in rural areas.
These numbers have been fairly consistent in the past 5 years, excluding 2020, when most schools moved to online learning. Considering that the NHTSA estimates that there are 484,177 school buses transporting students across the U.S., these numbers are fairly low.
Why Do School Bus Accidents Happen?
Like every other kind of accident, driver error is the top cause of school bus accidents in Texas. There are many types of driver errors that contribute to school bus accidents, the most common being:
- Failing to stop for a school bus (caused 47 school bus accidents in 2023),
- Distracted driving,
- Failing to yield the right of way to a pedestrian,
- Disregarding a stop sign or light,
- Ignoring reduced speed limits in school zones.
Compensation for School Bus Accidents in Texas
If your child is hit by another driver, either as a school bus passenger or as a pedestrian at a bus stop, compensation will come from the at-fault driver. These accidents are usually straightforward, though hiring the help of an attorney is still highly recommended.
However, if your child is injured:
- Because of a negligent school bus driver,
- As a pedestrian hit by a school bus,
- Or left behind in a school bus (yes, that happens),
Then, compensation will be more complicated to pursue.
Public schools are protected by sovereign immunity as they are run by the government. Pursuing a lawsuit against a public school is not impossible, but it is extremely difficult and requires the assistance of an experienced attorney.
Was Your Child Injured in a School Bus Accident in San Antonio? Call Shaw!
If your child was hurt in a school bus accident in San Antonio, you could be entitled to compensation for things like:
- Ambulance Costs,
- ER Treatment,
- Medical Bills,
- Surgeries,
- Pain and Suffering,
- Trauma/PTSD,
- Missed Work,
- Loss of Earning Capacity,
- And More.
We’ll help you find out if you have a case for free.
Call Shaw today at 800-862-1260 to schedule your free consultation with an experienced school bus accident lawyer. There are no fees and no obligations attached, just the expert legal advice you need. Carabin Shaw has been a trusted name in San Antonio and across Texas for over 32 years because we put our clients first. We look forward to serving you.