A collision between a school bus transporting special needs children and a pickup truck on Staten Island happened Oct. 30 just before 8 a.m. at an intersection neighbors say they have been complaining about for years. The bus driver, a matron and the four children on the bus were all hospitalized with serious, non-life-threatening injuries. The truck driver, a New York Fire Department captain, and his teenage daughter, who was a passenger in the truck, were also hospitalized. All are expected to make full recoveries.
The crash happened at the intersection of Oakdale Street and Preston Avenue where the mini-bus carrying young special needs children was broadsided by the pickup truck, causing the bus to flip over. According to a relative, the truck driver attempted to avoid colliding with the bus, which failed to stop at a stop sign and was unable to avoid the collision. A video of the accident scene showed the bus on its side and the truck with heavy front-end damage.
Speed is not believed to have been a factor in the incident. However neighbors say they have been requesting that speed deterrents be installed at the intersection due to a speeding problem. They say their petitions to get the area designated a slow zone have been ignored for years, and they hope this accident will draw the attention needed to get the help they have been petitioning for. An investigation is underway, but no charges have been filed.
Passengers on buses involved in crashes with other moving vehicles often sustain catastrophic injuries requiring immediate and ongoing medical care. These accident victims are entitled to recover economic damages for the losses they incur as a result of the accident, including fair and adequate compensation for pain and suffering and medical expenses. A personal injury attorney might be able to help identify, calculate and pursue these losses.
Source: CBS New York, “8 Hurt In School Bus Crash On Staten Island“, October 30, 2013
