The Metropolitan Transportation Authority/New York City Transit Authority (MTA/NYCTA) serves over 15 million people in New York City. It is easily the largest public transportation network in North America. With such large gatherings of people boarding its subways and buses every day, injuries are bound to occur in their system.
Bus drivers face their fair share of struggles when it comes to navigating traffic and dealing with a high volume of commuters. Unfortunately, the MTA/NYCTA (like many public transit networks) do not always adequately train and prepare drivers for work. Bus accidents in New York City are a harsh reality—yet the sheer number of incidents we see is unacceptable.
Bus drivers that maneuver oversized vehicles carrying numerous passengers have a tremendous amount of responsibility—and that responsibility includes more than just keeping the passengers inside the bus safe. Pedestrians and other drivers also face safety hazards when sharing the roads with MTA/NYCTA buses. When you break down the math, there are many people endangered by negligent bus driving, which makes having qualified representation after an accident essential.
In the wake of an injury in a bus accident, there is no substitute for strong legal representation, especially if your injuries call for medical treatment, rehabilitation, and/or time off from work. In such situations, you stand to benefit immensely from the legal guidance that can be provided to you by an experienced and successful New York City personal injury lawyer at Greenberg & Stein, P.C.
In an era in which we constantly assess the risk and reward of just about everything, we often ignore the dangers of operating vehicles on roads and walking/jogging on sidewalks. People risk getting seriously injured or even dying every time they simply sit in the driver’s seat or ride as a passenger. Despite this reality, very little thought is given to the risks involved in driving, much less those presented by public transportation.
Bus accidents rarely get attention unless it’s a high-profile example involving several casualties that makes the news. Regardless of this lack of coverage and public awareness, bus accidents—especially in places like New York City where countless people depend on public transit—should not be ignored.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reports that over 700 million passengers board city buses every year. Though the majority of passengers travel without incident, there are still hundreds of fatalities and thousands of injuries. Commuters in high traffic, high volume places like New York City have a higher risk of being involved in an accident.
The statistics on New York City bus accidents inform us that, while these types of incidents are not as high as traditional car accidents, they still occur each year with some degree of regularity.
While citizens throughout the United States are less likely to get killed or seriously injured in a bus accident compared to a car accident, it’s a different story for people in New York City. New Yorkers face a higher risk of danger, considering the city’s population density, the number of pedestrians, number livery vehicles and reliance on public transportation. The training and ability of the bus driver also play a role in the likelihood of an accident. Others on the roadway, and not directly linked to the bus, may also be injured or even killed as a result of a bus accident.
Filing a claim against the owner of the bus involved in injuring you is your only option for securing compensation for damages caused by an accident. These damages can help cover your medical bills, missed time from work, pain, suffering and emotional damages caused by the accident.
Too often, the MTA/NYCTA rushes to put drivers behind the wheel that are not prepared or equipped to handle busy NYC roads and pedestrians. Though mistakes and accidents are part of the world in which we live, lack of training and negligence are not acceptable excuses—particularly when they directly affect your wellbeing.
To legally operate a bus, a driver must have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and meet certain vision and hearing requirements. A high school diploma is often required, as well. However, very little training is required for a position of this nature.
Typically, bus driver training can be completed within one to three months, which means that new bus drivers often have little to no experience. Even seasoned bus drivers can have a difficult time maneuvering the large vehicles that they are responsible for operating, and accidents happen far more regularly than they should.
If you were injured or otherwise harmed in a bus accident that could have been prevented, then you should waste no time in speaking to a New York City bus accident attorney at our office. When we represent you, all possible causes of the collision will be carefully reviewed, and a thorough investigation of the accident will be conducted early on in the process. During this time, we will be looking for signs/evidence of the following:
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority MTA/NYCTA is the largest public transit network not only in the United States, but all of North America. It takes care of 15 million passengers in New York City and the surrounding area.
The MTA/NYCTA is truly massive, employing more than 74,000 people with an operating budget of nearly $17 billion. But despite having a large budget and payroll, the MTA/NYCTA is not always prepared or equipped for the dangers present on NYC roadways.
Though the MTA averages 2.65 billion rides a year and 8.6 million per week, , there is a constant threat of danger both for onboard passengers and commuters not associated with the specific bus who are in the general vicinity. Using common sense and exercising caution around public transit in New York City goes a long way but can’t completely protect you from serious injury.
There are many factors outside your control, including the faulty buses and poor decisions made by bus drivers. Though your daily ride on a bus should go without incident, there is no clear guarantee that you will make it to your destination safely.
Regardless, most New Yorkers rely on public transportation as the only reasonable way to get around the city. Therefore, the responsibility to create a safe environment on public transit falls upon the bus drivers and the MTA/NYCTA. If they fail to act responsibly, the MTA/NYCTA is acting negligently, and a bus accident claim may be necessary to receive justice.
Taking legal action after a bus accident in New York City can provide you with the compensation that you need to be able to afford the recovery process. When you work with a bus accident lawyer from our firm, you stand a much better chance of being successful in your pursuit of monetary judgments. We are prepared to put our 75+ years of experience to work for you, and we will do so with the integrity and professionalism needed to yield the successful results that you deserve.
Do you have a question after recently being injured in a New York City bus, subway, or train accident or negligence? View our video library of commonly asked questions related to bus, subway, and train accidents.
Contact a New York City bus accident attorney from Greenberg & Stein, P.C. for 24/7 support.
