Buses as a growing mode of transportation in Louisiana

As the New Orleans population grows, more people are relying on mass transit as their source of transportation on a daily basis. Buses are a reliable mode of transportation every day for people living in New Orleans suburbs and around other large Louisiana cities. Many parents rely on school buses to get their children to and from school. Additionally, more businesses are providing buses and shuttles as a means of transporting their guests from location to location. With these increases, it is important that bus drivers know the importance of keeping their passengers safe.

A Louisiana bus driver's responsibility to prevent a bus accident

Louisiana Bus drivers are not only obligated by their employers to keep passengers safe. Legally, drivers owe their passengers the highest duty of care. Compared to drivers with passengers in an ordinary car, bus drivers have a much higher level of responsibility when it comes to the safety of those on the bus. This responsibility arises because a bus falls into the category of a common carrier. A carrier is anyone who transports materials, freight or passengers. Because a bus driver owes this high duty of care, it may be easier to establish liability against him or her than it would be to establish liability against the other driver in an accident between two cars.

Although carriers can be public or private, the duty of care owed by the driver does not change. Louisiana city buses and school buses are examples of public transportation while shuttles hired by hotels and commercial tour buses are private. No matter which type of carrier is involved in an accident, it is important that the victim has a representative working to preserve their rights.

When a bus driver breaches his duty of care, passengers, pedestrians, and other individuals on the road can be injured or even killed. If you've been the victim of a bus accident, the attorneys at Bachus & Schanker can make sure you get the compensation you deserve.