Explaining the Norms Regarding School Buses

San Diego Car Accident Lawyers
Explaining the Norms Regarding School Buses

We have reached the time of year when schools are beginning to reopen for classes, and this means that those of us who drive regularly in and around San Diego will soon begin to share the roads with school buses once again.  While most of us have been exposed to traffic that includes school buses more times than we can remember, but the unfortunate reality is that especially at this time of year, school bus accidents do occur.  If your child has been harmed in this situation, seek the help of San Diego car accident lawyers immediately.  Below is an overview of some of the norms and potential problems that could arise as they relate to school buses in traffic.

Obeying the Stop Sign

Most of us have seen and even had to deal with the pop-out stop sign that tends to appear from time to time on the left side of a school bus.  There are only two reasons that this sign will appear, and one of them is because the school bus is either picking up or dropping off children.  The law requires us to stop when this sign appears, and when motorists fail to adhere to this directive, children can be seriously harmed, as they can pop out from in front of or behind a bus in almost any direction.

The other reason that the pop-out stop sign will appear is when the school bus approaches a railroad crossing.  School buses are required to stop at all railroad crossings in order to make sure that the passage across is safe.  Private vehicles do not have to do this, and those who do not remember this requirement of school buses will be surprised and perhaps fail to anticipate this type of stop.

Do Not Assume Competence in the Children

Over the years we’ve been driving, we’ve come to instinctively understand most of the traffic laws and nuances that arise on the road.  However, children are generally not aware of these realities, which means that when we see school buses and children in an area, we need to understand that mistakes can be made at any time.  The best way to avoid an accident is to be prepared for the possibility of danger, as school bus accidents almost always lead to disastrous results.

If your child has been harmed in a school bus accident, you need to take action.  Contact the San Diego car accident lawyers at Mitchell | Gilleon today to schedule a free initial consultation.