Nine Missourians Injured in Kansas School Bus Accident
A school bus from Missouri crashed in eastern Kansas during a return trip from a church camp, according to an article in USA Today.
The accident happened on I-35 near Wellsville when the bus rolled off the highway. No other vehicles were involved. There were 34 people on the bus, which included 29 children, four teenage counselors and the bus driver. Eight children were taken to area hospitals in ambulances. Their injuries included back and neck pain and possibly some broken bones. One child was airlifted to a hospital in Kansas City. The crash is under investigation.
This type of tragic bus accident is rare as school buses have a reputation for being exceptionally safe. Each year school buses carry 24 million students and travel more than 4 billion miles. School buses have a rate of only .02 deaths per 100 million miles traveled. Between 1994 and 2004, only 71 passengers on school buses died in crashes. In 2004 alone, 31,693 people were killed in automobile accidents.
However, since 1996 the American Academy of Pediatrics has been urging that school buses contain three point harness seat belts for passengers. The Academy points out that although buses are designed with “compartmentalization”, which are thickly padded bench seats close together with high backs in order to protect passengers; children are still at risk if a school bus were to tip over.
Although injuries in a school bus accident are uncommon, they do happen. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Missouri school bus accident, it would be in your best interest to contact an experienced Missouri bus crash attorney. The legal team at Page Law can help you understand and protect your rights. Call us today for a free consultation at 314-322-8515.
