bus accident

A male pedestrian was killed in a bus accident after a Long Beach Transit Bus struck him, the night of March 6, 2012. According to a news report in The Press-Telegram, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred when the man stepped into the westbound lanes of the Second Street Bridge or Davies Bridge. The victim, who was about 50 years old, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Officials say the collision occurred just west of the bridge on the down slope. The passenger bus struck the pedestrian in the right front area of the bus. An investigation is ongoing.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of this deceased victim. Please keep this grieving family in your thoughts and prayers.

Long Beach Pedestrian Accidents

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were nine fatalities and 211 injuries involving Long Beach pedestrian accidents. In Los Angeles County as a whole, pedestrian accidents claimed 179 lives and injured 4,918 people, during the same year.

Laws Relating to Pedestrians

Based on this news report, it is not clear exactly where the man was walking at the time of the collision. Was he in a marked or unmarked crosswalk? Motorists are required under California law to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks.

California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states: “The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.” The same section also states: “This section does not relieve a pedestrian from the duty of using due care for his or her safety. No pedestrian may suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. No pedestrian may unnecessarily stop or delay traffic while in a marked or unmarked crosswalk.”

Liability Issues

In such cases, families of deceased victims would be well advised to contact an experienced Long Beach personal injury lawyer, who will stay on top of the official investigation and ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected. If the bus driver is determined to have been negligent, both the driver and his or her employer can be held liable for the victim’s wrongful death. The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation to accident victims or their families.

Six students suffered injuries in a car collision in Fullerton, CA, 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.

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Five people were injured, one severely, in a Santa Ana car accident involving a car and an Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) bus. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury collision occurred the night of October 31, 2011 at the intersection of Westminster Avenue and Clinton Street. Officials say the male driver of the vehicle that hit the bus was transported to a trauma center in serious condition. Four passengers in the bus suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The cause of this collision is under investigation.

My heart goes out to the injured victims of this car versus bus accident. I wish them all the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

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Six students from Central High School were injured in a Fresno car accident when their school bus was rear-ended. According to a news report in The Fresno Bee, the injury bus accident occurred at Belmont and Brawley avenues near Fresno the morning of April 7, 2011. Police say that the female driver who crashed her vehicle into the back of the school bus may have been under the influence of narcotics. The six high school students suffered minor injuries. The driver of the car was hospitalized for her injuries as well. She is under investigation for driving under the influence.

My thoughts and prayers are with the injured victims of this Fresno bus accident. I wish them all a complete and speedy recovery from their injuries.

Fresno Car Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 81 people were killed and 1,362 were injured as a result of car accidents in the unincorporated areas of Fresno County. During the same year, there were 127 fatalities and 3,323 injuries reported as a result of Fresno County car accidents. Read the rest »

Namar Burton, 22, was injured in a Los Angeles bus accident when the party bus he was trying to catch ran him over. According to an Associated Press news report, the injury pedestrian accident occurred at McCadden Place and Yucca Street in Los Angeles the night of March 12, 2011. Burton was trying to catch the bus when it turned left and struck him. Burton is in grave condition after suffering severe injuries. An investigation is ongoing.

My thoughts and prayers are with Namar Burton and his family following this major injury bus accident. I wish him a complete and speedy recovery.

Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 104 people were killed and 2,716 were injured in Los Angeles pedestrian accidents. During the same year, there were 214 fatalities and 4,985 injuries reported as a result of Los Angeles County pedestrian accidents. Read the rest »

A fatal San Bernardino bus accident, which occurred the morning of February 21, 2011, was caused by the bus’ driver, Won Seok Chae, 61, who died in the crash. California Highway Patrol officials said Chae lost control of the church bus, which was carrying 18 teens and four adults from the Light of Love Mission Church and heading back to Pasadena from a winter retreat. The bus crossed over the double yellow line on Highway 189 and struck a San Bernardino County Fire Department SUV.

Chae sustained fatal injuries. Eleven people are still hospitalized, three of them with critical injuries. A 12-year-old girl identified as Jae-Yun Ha sustained severe head and abdominal injuries. Doctors are doubtful if her brain will function normally again. Caleb Kim, 17, and a 28-year-old woman are in critical but stable condition. Two others sustained broken bones. Six others remain hospitalized with serious injuries.

My heart goes out to all the injured victims and their families. These are youngsters who were out having a good time and learning. What an unfortunate tragedy! Please keep these young victims and their families in your thoughts and prayers. Read the rest »