Bus transportation is a common form of transit for people all over the country. There are numerous types of buses, but the Code of Federal Regulations defines a bus as a vehicle designed to carry more than ten passengers. Millions of people utilize this type of transportation every day, whether city buses, school buses, charter buses, or intercity buses. Personal vehicles are still the most popular way to get around in the United States, and 73% of commuters drive their own vehicles to work. An estimated 13% of people in the US use public transportation to commute.
Bus transportation remains a relatively uncommon mode of transportation compared to driving a personal vehicle, but it is still a frequently used way for many people to travel. Accidents happen, and damage can be substantial because of the size of the vehicle and the number of passengers on board. Bus accident statistics can be difficult to decipher since reporting agencies often group bus and large truck data together, but below are some of the data involving bus collisions in the US and Georgia.
Bus Accident Statistics Across Categories
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) releases accident, injury, and fatality information on large trucks and buses in their annual Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts report. Data is sometimes divided into categories based on the type of bus, but some reports combine all the information into one comprehensive category.
For instance, Greyhound bus accidents and city bus collisions may be included in the same reporting category with no indication of which data points represent which buses. FMCSA provides some differentiated data.
How Many Community Bus Accidents Occur Each Year?
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, referred to by the acronym MARTA, operates over 550 buses and runs 101 transportation routes. Buses are a staple in urban transit, and MARTA transports around half a million people every week.
On average, across the US over the 11-year period from 2010 through 2011, transit buses were involved in 36% of all fatal bus accidents. In 2021, 78 transit buses were in accidents involving fatalities.
School Bus Accident Statistics
In 2021, 80 school buses were involved in fatality-causing accidents nationwide. Out of all types of buses, school buses were involved in 37% of the bus accidents that occurred across the country in the years 2010 to 2021. In Georgia alone, 29 school bus accidents fatally injured 31 people from 2017 to 2021. Seven of the 31 fatalities were school-aged children.
Georgia Bus Accident Attorney
The landscape of a bus accident’s aftermath is challenging to navigate from a physical and emotional recovery perspective and a legal standpoint. Handling an accident claim involving city or school buses often adds a layer of complexity involving the government, but any bus accident claim has the potential to include significant injuries, which can also complicate the claims process.
It is crucial that you work with an attorney who has experience with bus accidents in the Atlanta area. Flanagan Law has the expertise you can count on in your moments of need following a bus accident. Contact us to schedule a free consultation.