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Michigan Car and Auto Accident Compensation

It is terrible to hear about bus accidents, especially because they usually transport children. Because they carry large numbers of passengers, bus accidents often result in multiple injuries and fatalities. Unfortunately, the majority of busses do not provide seatbelts to their passengers, and injuries are often caused by this lack of safety restraints.

• Ask your bus company or school system to install seatbelts in busses
• Talk to your children about following all safety rules
• Remain seated while the bus is in motion
• Listen to the bus driver’s directions
• Stay quiet so the driver can concentrate
• Look both ways when leaving the bus and entering the roadway

Van accidents can be especially dangerous. Vans are typically used to transport large amounts of people, and crashes often result in multiple injuries and even fatalities. Also, vans have a higher risk of rolling over; more than 10,000 people die each year from rollovers due to:

• Dangerous road conditions
• High winds
• Excessive driving speeds
• Defective tires
• Vehicle manufacturing and design

Brake failure can cause a terrifying experience. When car and truck brakes fail, drivers lose control and can’t stop. This can result in serious and fatal collisions.

Getting your brakes checked regularly is extremely important…every six months if possible. Usually, a squealing or grinding noise will alert the driver that breaks need to be repaired, or the brake light will show up on your dashboard. 

Thankfully, there are a number of mechanical back-ups that will help you if you do experience brake failure. For example, anti-lock breaks will pulsate if you press down hard, and they will usually bring you to a stop even if they have failed. If you don’t have anti-lock breaks, pump the breaks to build up pressure. Also, remember to downshift as much as you can so the transmission can assist in the slowing-down process. Once you have stopped the vehicle, do not drive it! Put on your flashing hazard lights, call for a tow truck, and call 911 if you are stopped in a dangerous area.

Other options to get stopped include pulling the emergency brake, or even throwing the car in reverse. However, both of these options can seriously damage your car, so only use them in emergency situations. Alert other drivers by flashing your lights, putting on your hazard lights, and even honking your horn.

Unfortunately, brake failure can often be caused by defective brakes, parts, and even poor mechanical service. If you experience brake failure, contact a personal injury attorney immediately.

Brace yourself…or don’t. Airbag injuries are serious and can be fatal, and many injuries can be prevented if drivers and passengers don’t put their hands and arms in front of them to brace during impact. Thumbs and fingers can be torn off and arms can receive multiple bone fractures. People can also receive serious eye, face, head and brain injuries when airbags deploy.

Many injuries and fatalities can also be prevented if people of small stature, including children, the aged, and the infirm, avoid sitting in seats with airbags. Airbags are designed for people who are 5′8" tall and weigh 180 pounds. Unfortunately, smaller drivers, often women, must sit closer to the airbag in order to reach the steering wheel, and there have been numerous cases in which the airbag was the primary cause of serious injury, not the car collision.

Airbags also malfunction. When this happens, they either go off for no reason, or they fail to release when they are needed. When airbags release, they do so at more than 200 miles per hour with greater than 1200 pounds of force. Even when drivers don’t brace and don’t get their fingers caught by the exploding airbag, they risk concussions, brain damage, and even suffocation if they can’t get away from the bag.

There are some steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones from airbag injury:

• All children, aged, and smaller people should ride in back where there are no airbags.
• Use the airbag "off" switch if smaller passengers ride in front.
• Passengers and drivers should never brace themselves against the dashboard or steering wheel during an accident.
• Drivers should drive with their hands on the sides or bottom of the steering wheel…never the top.
• Don’t cross your arm over the steering wheel when turning.
• Don’t honk the horn at the beginning of an accident.
• Push your seat as far back as possible when driving.
• Check with the CPSC at www.cpsc.gov to find out about recalls involving your auto’s airbags

If you are injured by an airbag, defective airbag, or faulty installation, contact a personal injury attorney immediately.

Although transporting children to school by bus is one of the safest means of transportation, school bus accidents can happen and are devastating. Children are often scared and confused after a crash, and they are away from their parents. An average of 20 children die each year during school bus accidents, either while riding the bus or by getting run over while getting on or off the bus. Here are some solutions to help you keep your child safe while riding the bus:

• Consider asking your school board to install seat belts in busses.
• Explain to your child why it is important to stay seated while the bus is moving.
• Talk to your child about the steps he/she should take if there is a crash, including staying calm, following orders from adults, moving away from danger, calling 911 and you.
• Consider giving your child a cell phone for emergency use.
• Explain to your child why it is important to avoid distracting the bus driver while driving.
• make sure your school system buys newer busses and keeps up with bus maintenance.
• Consider driving your child yourself or staying home from school during bad weather.
• Teach your children to “stop, drop and roll” in case of fire.
• Make sure all bus drivers receive appropriate training.
• Help your child onto the bus at home, and ask your child’s teacher to give assistance when your child comes home.
• Greet your child’s bus driver in order to be aware of possible fatigue, intoxication, etc.
• Teach your child to get on and off only when the bus is at a complete stop.
• Teach your child to get on and off the bus by looking at the bus driver, waiting until the bus driver makes eye contact, and saying “hello” or “goodbye” to make sure the driver knows the child is there.
• Teach your child to look both ways before crossing a street, and to look around the bus for oncoming traffic.

Children can die during school bus accidents, or they can receive serious injuries such as brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and broken arms and legs. Medical expenses can be astronomical. School bus accidents can happen because of driver negligence, bus malfunctions, or manufacturer and employee negligence. Causes of accidents include fatigued or intoxicated drivers, drivers who mismanage children on the bus, negligence on the part of drivers of other vehicles, mechanical failure and product malfunction. Contact a personal injury attorney who specializes in auto accidents immediately if your child is involved in a school bus accident.

Thousands of people are killed every year in automobile accidents, and thousands more are seriously injured. Automobile accidents can be costly both financially and emotionally. There are medical bills to be considered, as well as insurance, auto repair, and costs relating to loss of income and also mental anguish. Financial costs relating to car accidents are in the billions of dollars every year. Automobile accidents occur whenever an automobile collides with another object. That other object can be stationary, such as a tree or telephone pole, or it can be another vehicle, train, bus or anything else that is also moving. Automobile accidents are more common during the winter months and during bad weather when roads are slippery and visibility is low. Here are steps to take if you are involved in a car accident:

• Assess your injuries first, and stay calm.
• If you are able to move and you are in a safe location that allows you to get out of your car, get out and assess other people’s injuries as you call emergency services.
• Even if there is only minor damage and no injuries, call the police in order to file a claim. Filing a claim is very important for insurance and legal purposes.
• Call your insurance agent. Describe the accident. Take pictures. Allow the agent to talk with police.

Here’s what not to do:

• Do not hesitate to call 911 if there are injuries.
• Don’t leave all the work for the police. If you are able, get the vehicle descriptions, license plates, and contact information for everyone involved.
• Do not discuss the accident with anyone but the police.
• Do not let anyone else tell you or convince you who was at fault. 

If you witness an auto accident but weren’t involved, here are the steps to take:

• Move your vehicle to a safe location.
• Immediately assess the injuries to everyone involved in the accident.
• If there are injuries, call emergency services.
• Take notes. You are a witness, and police will ask you what you saw. Record license plates, car descriptions, location, etc.

Afterwards, immediately call your auto accident attorney to help represent you and answer any questions you may have. Auto accident attorneys and motorcycle accident attorneys can answer any questions relating to the accident, and help you determine your rights and what compensation you are entitled to.