School Bus Filled With Children Involved In Deadly Brooklyn Accident By The Intersection of Fort Hamilton Parkway and 41st Street
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK (September 24, 2023) – A cyclist has tragically died after being hit by a school bus by Fort Hamilton Parkway and 41st Street.
New York City police officials are saying that the collision took place around 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning. A cyclist was heading west on Bergen when a school bus made a right turn into the path of the cyclist.
Paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help the victim. He was transported to a local area hospital with critical injuries.
Sadly, he was later pronounced dead. The 66-year-old driver of the school bus remained at the scene and cooperated with police.
A full investigation into the collision remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Brooklyn School Bus Accidents
School buses are among the safest forms of transportation, but they do pose a number of unique hazards to pedestrians and those in passenger vehicles. According to data from the NHTSA, in 1019 alone 109 people died in the United States in accidents involving school buses. Around 86% of those fatalities either involved pedestrians or those in passenger vehicles. There are a number of ways that school buses can be particularly hazardous.
- School buses have large blind spots that can obscure the presence of cyclists.
- School buses can weigh many times more than a passenger vehicle.
- School buses take much longer to stop than passenger vehicles.
School bus drivers are required to get a commercial license and must undergo specialized training. According to the NYC.gov, “In New York State, any person that drives a truck or other commercial vehicle needs a commercial driver’s license (CDL). The CDL is issued by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). You will need a regular driver’s license before applying for a CDL.” Operating a large vehicle like a school bus poses a number of unique safety hazards.
School bus drivers must use a great deal of care to avoid hitting pedestrians or cyclists. Pursuant to New York Vehicle & Traffic Law § 1146(a), drivers must exercise due care to avoid hitting pedestrians and use their horns when necessary to alert others of their presence. If a school bus driver turns into the path of a cyclist, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. Several steps should be taken after any school bus accident.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- An experienced school bus accident attorney should be contacted.
If a school bus driver was working at the time of a collision, the company or municipal entity that they were working for could be held at fault. Generally speaking, companies are liable for the wrongful actions of their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. The family of any person that died in a school bus accident may have legal recourse through a wrongful death claim.
Investigating New York Car Accidents
We at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. extend our deepest condolences to the family of the cyclist killed in this collision. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. There needs to be some accountability for what happened.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a Brooklyn school bus accident? Our team of New York City bus accident attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any collision we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (516) 908-9792.
