[06-23-2022] Sonoma County, CA – Bus Driver and Passenger Injured in Traffic Collision in Petaluma

A Petaluma Transit bus was involved in a traffic collision that left the driver and a passenger hurt at a Petaluma intersection on Thursday, June 23, 2022.

According to a news release from the Petaluma Police Department, the collision occurred at 7:23 a.m. on Maria Drive and East Washington Street.

The crash resulted in minor injuries for the bus driver and the only passenger on board.

According to a warning from the Petaluma Police Department, the bus left the road and struck a fence on the south side of Marie Drive as it was approaching East Washington while traveling south on Marie Drive.

There was just one passenger on board when the collision occurred. Both the driver and the passenger had minor wounds. Both were treated by paramedics from the Petaluma Fire Department and then released.

The collision caused damage to the traffic control system that manages the intersection’s signal lights.

The crash also hit a power pole, which knocked out the neighborhood’s power.

The Petaluma Police Department is still investigating the crash.

Bus Accident Statistics

Different Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and California laws apply to the business of commercial transportation, and buses are no different. Buses are common carriers because they are hired to take people from one place to another. Under California law, people who drive for a living as common carriers have to be more careful than other drivers.

Because of this, people who take public transportation are more likely to get hurt or die because bus operators and drivers don’t follow the rules of the road.

The FMCSA says that 232 people died in bus accidents in 2017. This was 1% less than the 234 bus accidents that killed people in 2016.

From 2007 to 2017, 13% of all bus accidents that killed people in the U.S. were caused by intercity buses. About 40 percent were school buses, and 35 percent were public transportation buses. In the United States, 13 intercity buses were in accidents that killed people in 2017. This was the lowest number of bus accidents since the FMCSA started keeping track.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC) study, 117 people died in school bus accidents in 2018. In the meantime, about 277 people were killed, and 3,939 were injured in California.

The study found that bus and truck accidents in California killed 277 people and hurt 3,939 more.

Most bus accidents happen because people make mistakes. Accidents can happen when bus drivers aren’t paying attention or don’t do what they’re supposed to do. Other carelessness could also cause a bus accident, like not keeping the bus in good shape or not giving bus drivers the right training.

Sonoma County Bus Accident Lawyers

It is vital to contact a bus accident lawyer as soon as possible after your accident. Insurance companies and other parties on the bus company’s side may try to influence your decision and force you to accept far less compensation than you are entitled to.

Determining liability in bus accidents is frequently more difficult than in collisions involving regular vehicles. Aside from the driver, many other parties may be liable for your damages, and multiple parties may share a percentage of the blame.

Our Sonoma County bus accident lawyers at Arash Law will examine all the evidence to determine who is responsible for your losses.

Our attorneys will explain the steps you should take (and the mistakes you must avoid) to give your claim the best chance of success during your consultation.

Contact Arash Law if you or a loved one has recently been involved in a bus accident anywhere in California. We want to assist you in asserting your rights as an injured victim. Call us at (888) 488-1391 or fill out our online intake form to schedule your case evaluation with one of our attorneys.