With the wide variety of travel options available, you may choose to take a car, plane, bus or train to many destinations. While many people have a fear of flying, traveling by bus is generally considered a safe way to go. However, buses might not always be as safe as many people believe. If you have been involved in a bus accident in Louisiana or known someone who has, you may be wondering how common these incidents are. The Journalist Resource reports on studies showing just how safe buses really are.
One study, completed in 2012, showed that 250 people lose their lives in bus accidents each year. Another 20,000 people were injured. While this number may seem small when you consider the fact that the number of people transported by bus each year is nearly the same number of people that live in Europe, the totals add up year after year. Between 2000 and 2007, a total of 1,315 people were killed in bus accidents.
A major misconception is that buses are safer than cars. While this may be true in some situations, the number of accidents involving buses per million passenger miles is almost the same as the number of car accidents per million miles driven. Age proved to be a factor, with young drivers and those over the age of 65 showing the biggest likelihood to be involved in an accident.
While drivers who crash are often exhibiting risky behaviors, bus drivers are found to generally be driving safely when involved in an accident. This information is intended to educate and should not be taken as legal advice.
