Collision Between School Buses Injures Students in Atlanta

ATLANTA, GA- 11alive.com writes that two school buses were involved in a collision while driving students home this week in Atlanta. The incident occurred in the afternoon on Defoor Avenue and Collier Road. According to the Atlanta Public School System, one of the buses struck the back of the other bus.*

Both vehicles were able to pull off the road and into a parking lot after the crash. Images taken of the scene show three fire trucks and one ambulance responded. Parents were notified of the collision, and many arrived on the scene to pick up their children. There were over 50 children on the buses, and seven were transported to local hospitals for treatment. 

School buses are designed for safety, and according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), these buses are safer than any other vehicle on the roadway. The buses are designed to protect the occupants in the event of collisions and rollovers. 

While the NHTSA states that the children who take a bus to school are around 70 times safer than students who take other means of transportation. Many people think that the buses should have seat belts, but school buses in most parts of the country have no restraints for students. 

The seatbelt debate is one that has been ongoing for many years. Those who oppose seat belts on school buses often say that the cost is high and that the benefits are minimal. The biggest risks to students are when they are trying to get on or off of the bus and walking near or on the road. A safety measure that lessened risks to students when getting on and off the bus would save more lives than adding seat belts. 

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Sources:https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/students-injured-after-school-buses-crash-in-atlanta/85-11b6f15d-1033-4c8d-800b-bdaaa01e1a49 and https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/school-bus-safety and https://www.napt.org/Files/Advocacy/NCSL%20School%20Bus%20Safety%20LegisBrief%20Dec%202018.pdf