Drivers Cited Following Atlanta School Bus Accident

By Grant Law Office on July 3, 2012

Citations have been officially given out to four drivers following the Atlanta school bus accident that resulted in multiple injuries. According to a news report in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the injury accident involving six school buses occurred on the I-20 in Atlanta on May 19. Officials say the first bus carrying students and chaperones from Burke County Middle School began braking for slowed traffic near a construction zone when the second bus rear-ended it. That started a chain-reaction collision involving all six buses and a 2011 Chevrolet HHR. One of the bus drivers suffered the most serious injuries, but 60 others were also injured. Three of the bus drivers and the driver of the passenger vehicle were charged with following too closely.

According to Georgia Code 40-6-49: “The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon and the condition of the highway.” Drivers who fail to leave enough space between vehicles will have difficulty avoiding a collision if traffic slows or if there is the need to take sudden evasive action. It is particularly important for drivers of large vehicles, such as buses and trucks, to leave enough space because heavy vehicles are a lot more difficult to stop.

When children are injured in a school bus accident, their parents can pursue financial compensation through civil litigation against the at-fault party. If the bus company fails to provide the utmost level of care to the young victim, then the victim’s family would be well advised to discuss their legal options with a skilled personal injury lawyer.

The knowledgeable Atlanta personal injury lawyers at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C., have a long history of handling bus accidents. We provide free consultations to anyone who has been injured in a Georgia bus accident, so call (404) 995-3955 to schedule your complimentary case evaluation.