Are New York City school buses a safe mode of transportation for your child?

Every week day, thousands of New York City school children are picked up and dropped off by school buses. For parents, school buses are often regarded as a safe and reliable means of transporting their children to and from school. However, a recent investigation by NBC-4’s television news I-team revealed disturbing information about hundreds of traffic violations that are jeopardizing the safety of our city’s children.

Video camera footage of numerous intersections throughout the city captured school buses speeding, running red lights and failing to yield to pedestrians. Additionally, an investigation into several of New York City’s bus companies showed that roughly 50 percent had received “at least one ticket since 2013.”

For example, L&M Bus Corporation has approximately 300 buses in its fleet. During the last two years, records show that bus drivers received a total of 415 safety violation tickets. During this same time frame, another bus company that goes by the name the Little Richie Bus Company, racked up 500 violations which equates to “nearly nine violations for every 10 of their buses.”

School buses carry some of the most precious of all cargo and, if involved in a traffic accident, it’s likely that dozens of children will suffer painful and serious injuries. For a child, an injury suffered in a motor vehicle accident can adversely impact their health, ability to enjoy life and future career prospects in numerous ways.

Parents who have a child that suffered injuries in a bus accident may choose to discuss their questions and concerns with an attorney. An attorney who handles personal injury matters will investigate what factors may have contributed to an accident and, if appropriate, help families recover compensation to account for a child’s medical bills, disability and pain and suffering.

Source: NBC-4 New York, “I-Team: New York City School Buses Hit With Thousands of Red Light, Speeding Tickets Over Last 2 Years,” Pei-Sze Cheng, Evan Stulberger and Erin Pentenko, Oct. 22, 2015