Florida is one of five states and some districts that have implemented varying safety belt requirements for school buses, according to the National Coalition for School Bus Safety, a nonprofit advocacy group. However, most school buses in the United States do not have restraint systems or seatbelts. In a 2002 report to Congress, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommended against lap-only belts in school buses because they can be risky, especially in small children, by restraining them high on the abdomen, potentially causing internal injury in a crash.

More than 450,000 school buses transport children to and from school each day in the United States. According to NHTSA, school bus-related accidents send 17,000 children to emergency rooms each year. Nearly one-fourth of the accidents occur when children are boarding or leaving school buses, while crashes account for 42 percent of the injuries. On average, more than 10 children a year die as a result of school bus-related accidents, with 40 percent of those deaths occurring between the hours of 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.

We entrust school bus drivers with our children’s safety and their lives. The drivers must abide by all transportation laws, including laws that prohibit speeding and consuming alcohol before or while driving. In addition, drivers of school buses must abide by a higher duty of care for schoolchildren, who are seen to have a special status in the eyes of the law and deserve more than ordinary protection.

School bus accidents can be caused by such contributing factors as driver negligence, dangerous roadways, weather conditions, defective products and improper maintenance, among others. These accidents may lead to death or serious physical injury, including:

      Head injuries

      Burn injuries

      Brain and spinal cord injuries

      Fractured bones

      Cuts and bruising

      Amputations

      Internal injuries

A school bus accident can impact the lives of the victim and his or her family. Depending on the severity of the accident, the victim may need to undergo surgery or visit numerous specialists. Treatment for school bus-related injuries may be very expensive and cause financial stress on the family. If you retain a skilled bus accident injury lawyer you may be able to recover monetary compensation for your injuries and other accident-related costs.

investigation of the factors contributing to the school bus accident to better understand who should be held liable. You may be able to file a claim against the bus company to recover for your damages. If you were a passenger on a bus that was involved in an accident, the bus company, whether public or private, owes you the "utmost duty of care" associated with being a common carrier. This "duty of utmost care" is higher than the negligence duty owed by the bus company to drivers of other vehicles and pedestrians.

Claims for damages against a public entity or governmental entity are complex and have strict time limitations, and also vary greatly dependant upon the circumstances surrounding the accident.