School bus accidents in Missouri have claimed several young lives in recent months
Jessica Brinker, 15, was killed and 64 others were injured when two school buses were involved in a chain-reaction accident on I-44 near Gray Summit in Villa Ridge, Missouri, last August. The two buses carried high school band students headed from St. James for a day at Six Flags. The accident happened after a truck driver slowed in the right lane of the highway for a construction zone. A pick-up truck driven by Daniel Schatz, a 19-year-old college student, hit the truck, and Katherine Shackleford, the driver of the first bus, tried to change lanes and hit two stopped cars. The second St. James bus smashed into the back of the first, killing Brinker. Schatz, the son of a state senator, was also killed in the accident. According to a report from KMOV.com, the Missouri Highway Patrol crash report found that Shackleford, 75, was “inattentive.” If you have been hurt, or someone you love has been injured or died as the result of a bus accident, contact the Missouri bus accident injury lawyers at the S.E. Farris Law Firm to learn how or whether you have a personal injury or wrongful death claim. Call 314-A-LAWYER today for a free consultation or fill out our online contact form.
Missouri bus accident
The highway patrol’s crash report also said that Kelly Mcennis-Mullenix, the 38-year-old driver of the second bus, was “following too closely” when she plowed into the first bus. In January, 6-year-old Hunter Pitt of Callaway County was killed when he apparently crossed into the path of his school bus as the bus began to pull away. Willie R. Leonberger, 77, was the driver of the bus. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that an average of 10 school-age pedestrians are killed by school buses each year and four are killed by other vehicles involved in school bus-related crashes. Since 2000, there have been 1,386 fatalities resulting from school transportation-related accidents. More school-age pedestrians have been killed between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. than any other time of day.
Bus driver licensing
Public and private school bus drivers in Missouri must have a school bus endorsement on their commercial driver’s license. Drivers over the age of 70 must submit proof that they have taken the school bus skills test to keep their “S” endorsement. Also, Missouri law requires drivers transporting pupils for a public school district to complete at least eight hours of training annually in school bus driving. It is the responsibility of the employer or school district to verify that the required training has been completed. Our firm has successfully handled several claims for bus driver misconduct, one involving sexual misconduct by a driver rather than dangerous driving. At The S.E. Farris Law Firm, our practice is focused on the needs of injury victims. We guarantee our clients that our dedication is more than just a motto. At the end of your case, we measure our success not by the amount of money we have recovered for you but by whether you would give our name to others as good lawyers to have on their side. If you have been hurt, or someone you love has been injured or died as the result of a bus accident, call 314-A-LAWYER today for a free consultation or fill out our online contact form.