The car in this Erie school bus accident, a Chevrolet Impala, was driven by an unidentified woman. The car was also occupied by two children, also unidentified and ages unknown. The Impala was eastbound on 23rd Street when the school bus slid through a STOP sign for traffic on Cascade and into the path of the Impala, which struck the side of the bus.
The bus driver told police that he initially failed to see the STOP sign because it was obscured by a tractor-trailer parked on the west side of Cascade. After the bus driver had pulled around the tractor trailer, he was able to see the STOP sign and tried to stop but a patch of ice caused the bus to slide into the intersection.
The driver of the Impala and the two children inside were taken to Hamot. Their conditions are not known.
An accident like this one raises a number of issues. If the bus was owned or operated by a governmental entity such as a public school district then the Pa. Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act may apply. While such governmental entities are immune from many injury claims there is fortunately a limited exception to that immunity for car accident cases that should allow the case to go forward, albeit with a cap on the total amount of liability.
The parked tractor trailer is another issue that bears investigation. If parked too close to the STOP sign or if it had parked frequently in that area and the owner knew or should have known that it obscured the STOP sign, the tractor trailer operator may be partially responsible for the accident as well.
Of course, all of these circumstances merely raise issues that will be resolved only after a thorough investigation by an experienced Erie injury lawyer.
Our hopes are with the Impala’s occupants for quick and complete recoveries.
For more information on Erie car collisions, visit our car accident page or take advantage of our offer to give you a free book, “The Ultimate Guide to Car Accident Cases in Pennsylvania: A Roadmap to Justice.” We are Erie car accident lawyers who believe in providing free information to the public about car accident injuries and the cases that result from them. To schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced Erie injury lawyers, call today toll free at 814-273-2010 or locally at 814-273-2010.