New Jersey prides itself on having stringent school bus safety legislation and a rigorous inspections process. All public vehicles used to transport children to and from schools, day camps and nurseries are subjected to a check-up every six months to ensure their safety. Upon completion of the test, a bus will receive one of three stickers:
- An approval sticker – the bus is certified as safe and does not need another inspection for six months
- A rejected sticker – remedial works are required for the bus to be used as a school bus but it can be used to transport other passengers
- Out of service sticker – the bus cannot be used for any passenger transportation until all remedial works are carried out
Accidents still happen despite safety regimes
Despite a strong safety regime, accidents involving school buses do occur and can be tragic, even fatal. An accident in Newark in 2012 resulted in the death of 11-year-old Isabelle Teszla and injuries to her triplet sisters. The accident happened when a dump truck drove into the back of the school bus on which the girls were travelling, that then collided with a pole. Injuries sustained in the accident ranged from cuts and bruises to broken limbs. It was unclear whether all of the bus passengers were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident.
The accident is now being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board to establish the precise cause and to see what lessons can be learned to further improve safety. Once the investigation has concluded, the cause of the crash may become clear, allowing the injured passengers and their families to take appropriate legal action for recovery of their losses.
Hoffman DiMuzio is a New Jersey law firm with many years of experience in handling personal injury claims. Our team of attorneys is dedicated to provide a caring sensitive service to every client while having the backing of a well-resourced large law firm.
Publication approved by Robert P. Grossman, Esq., Associate of Hoffman DiMuzio