Public Transport Accidents

Submitted by: carolyn

The term public transport can cover a number of ways we use to get around, such as taxis, aircrafts and boats however the most common form of public transport accidents involve trains and buses/coaches.

Although all coaches that have been built since 2001 have to be fitted with seatbelts; buses still don’t. So if a bus brakes hard or is involved in an accident the result is passengers being thrown from their seats and suffer whiplash, leg injuries and arm injuries.

In London alone 5 million people step onto buses on a daily basis. If one of these buses is running late the driver may be tempted to go that little bit faster to make up for lost time; this could result in the driver losing control and causing a collision, which could injury the passengers on board, leaving the driver/bus company liable for compensation claims. This compensation would be to cover pain and suffering, treatment costs and physiotherapy costs as well as loss of earnings.

If you are involved in a bus/coach accident and sustain personal injury you should make sure that the driver knows about it. It is advised to get the drivers name, the bus route number and the bus/coaches registration number. You should also keep hold of your bus ticket as well as writing a statement about the accident, including everything you can remember about it. Also you should get an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible so that there is a medical record of your injury. All of this will be vital to you if you wish to pursue a compensation claim.

The outcome of a compensation claim that involves passengers on public transport is favourable as the passenger is rarely responsible for a bus/coach becoming involved in an accident. The public transport company will be held liable when it comes to compensation with their insurance policies covering them and ensuring that claims are fairly straight forward.

In 2003 there were 9,068 passenger casualties in Britain due to bus accidents alone. The two main reasons for public transport accidents involving buses and coaches are the driver falling asleep at the wheel or the driver going to fast if the mode of transport is running late.

Unfortunately public transport accidents come in more forms than just bus/coach accidents. Train accidents cause numerous injury and even deaths every year. Train accidents are very serious and very controversial. On October 17th 2000 four people were killed and 35 were injured when a GNER London to Leeds train; travelling at over 100mph derailed at Hatfield, Hertfordshire. Although the death toll of this accident is low in comparison to others, this crash holds significance as the crash occurred due to a broken rail. This broken rail was the result of cracks that occur due to heavy loads, when the cracks reach a critical point the rail brakes. There were over 300 cracks found at the Hatfield crash and what makes it worse is these cracks were known about and replacement rails were available but never installed.

Also on 10th May 2002 seven people were killed and over 70 injured when a service from London to Kings Lynn crashed in Hertfordshire, just a few miles from Hatfield. Three of the four carriages derailed, with one of them smashing into the platform and a bridge.

A personal injury due to a public transport accident can cause severe injury. You have a right to claim for compensation after an accident that wasn’t your fault. It is advised that you speak to a lawyer about your case before you pursue it.

About the Author

Helen Cox is the web master for Accident Consult; experts in Public Transport Claims. Please feel free to republish this article providing this resource box remains intact with a working hyperlink to our site.

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