A school bus carrying children from a Birmingham daycare was rear-ended on I-20 Friday afternoon, resulting in injuries. According to the Douglas County Sheriff Department, the accident occurred just before the Lee Road exit, when the bus driver slowed for traffic. The driver of a Honda Civic that was traveling behind the bus was unable to slow down quickly enough to avoid colliding with the rear driver’s side of the bus. The driver of the Honda was transported to the hospital with injuries. Some of the children on the bus also received minor injuries and were treated before being transported to the Sheriff’s Office to wait for another bus to be brought from Birmingham to pick them up.
No vehicle is able to stop instantaneously. Instead, braking is a process that requires a driver to first see a hazard on the roadway such as slowed traffic ahead, respond to the hazard by applying the brakes, and the vehicle to continue traveling until the brakes pull it to a complete stop. Drivers are required to provide ample distance between their own vehicle and the vehicle in front of them to ensure that there is enough time for this process to be completed. The National Safety Council recommends that drivers use the three-second rule to ensure that they have a safe following distance. In order to determine if there is three seconds’ worth of distance between your car and the vehicle traveling in front of you, find an obstacle on the side of the roadway, such as a street sign. Watch when the vehicle in front of you passes the sign and then count the seconds until your own car passes it. If there are less than three seconds between the vehicle, there may not be enough space for you to avoid a collision if the vehicle in front of you suddenly stops or slows.
Rear-end accidents are common, especially in situations where drivers fail to maintain a safe following distance or are distracted. For example, a multi-car accident near the Chattahoochee River recently resulted in several injuries, underscoring the importance of attentive driving and adequate spacing between vehicles.
Bus accidents, in particular, can have severe consequences due to the size and number of passengers involved. There are three common causes of Atlanta bus accidents that often lead to serious injuries: distracted driving, driver fatigue, and negligent driving decisions. Understanding these causes can help in preventing future incidents.
If you’ve been injured in a rear-end accident, contact the experienced legal team at Cambre & Associates to learn more about seeking compensation for the expenses and impacts of your injury. Knowing what the average settlement for a Georgia car accident can provide valuable insight into the compensation you may be entitled to.