Authorities in Georgia have reported that 11 children and two adults required hospital treatment following a motor vehicle accident in Barrow County involving a school bus on the afternoon of March 19. Initial reports suggest that none of the accident victims were seriously hurt. The Georgia State Patrol is investigating the crash, which took place near the intersection of State Route 81 and State Route 316 at approximately 6:40 p.m.
According to a preliminary report, a school bus carrying students from an Atlanta high school was proceeding eastbound on State Route 316 when its front struck the passenger side of a car. Troopers determined that the car had been attempting to turn left onto State Route 81 from the westbound lane of State Route 316. State troopers believe the 27-year-old man behind the wheel of the car acted negligently. Initial reports do not reveal whether or not the man was cited for failing to yield.
The man who allegedly caused the crash was one of two adults to suffer injuries. He was transported to a local hospital along with a woman who had been travelling on the school bus and 11 female students. The accident came just hours after a car stuck a school bus in Madison County and became lodged underneath it. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene, but no injuries were reported.
The conclusions drawn by police officers at crash scenes can be compelling testimony in car accident lawsuits even when no charges were filed and no tickets were written. When preparing litigation against negligent drivers and their insurance companies, experienced personal injury attorneys may look for comments made by police officers when scrutinizing media accounts of the accident in question.
Source: 11 Alive, “School bus wreck sends 11 students, 2 adults to area hospitals”, Christopher Buchanan, March 19, 2019
