Six students suffered injuries in a Fullerton car accident after the school bus in which they were riding collided with a pickup truck at a street intersection. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury collision occurred at the intersection of State College Boulevard and Dorothy Lane near Cal State Fullerton, the afternoon of February 16, 2012. The six victims, who were between the ages of 16 and 21 were special needs students from La Vista and La Sierra high schools. The injuries are not believed to be life threatening. Officials are investigating the cause of this street intersection accident.
My thoughts and prayers are with the injured victims of this bus accident. I wish them the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Car Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol's 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were five fatalities and 761 injuries involving Fullerton car accidents. During the same year, Orange County car accidents claimed 141 lives and injured 13,373 people.
Right-of-Way Issues
Based on this news report, it is unclear as to what caused the school bus and the pickup truck to collide. The intersection of State College Boulevard and Dorothy Lane is a busy one because it is right by Cal State Fullerton. This is an intersection, which is regulated by traffic lights. It is unclear whether one of the drivers in this case failed to yield the right-of-way at the intersection, ran a red light, or made an unsafe turn.
According to California Vehicle Code Section 21800 (a): "The driver of a vehicle approaching an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle which has entered the intersection from a different highway." Also, California Vehicle Code Section 21453 (a) states: "A driver facing a circular red signal shall stop at the limit line before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection, and shall remain stopped until an indication to proceed is shown."
Fault and Liability
If the driver of the pickup truck is determined to have been at fault, he or she can be held liable for the students’ injuries. If the school bus driver was at fault, then that driver, the bus company and the school district may all be held liable. Injured victims in such cases can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation and other related damages. Car accident victims and their families would be well advised to contact an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer, who will analyze all aspects of the incident and ensure that the negligent parties are held liable.
SLS Consulting