Some parents in Hawaii Island are unhappy about the manner in which two school bus drivers handled the situation when they collided. When auto accidents occur, and there is any possibility of injuries, one would expect the drivers to alert authorities. However, when two buses that belong to the same company recently crashed, the drivers did not even advise the school of the accident.
Reportedly, both buses, each with 25 students, were heading in the same direction on Queen Kaahumanu Highway when the one rear-ended the other. The drivers failed to call police or emergency services and ordered two replacement buses instead. One parent heard his daughter speak on her phone to a friend on the bus, and he immediately called his son who was also a bus passenger.
After learning what happened, the parent called the school who was unaware of the accident. Apparently, the drivers decided that nobody suffered injuries, and merely loaded the children into two other buses without calling EMTs. It was reported that the crash was only reported to police approximately two hours after it happened. The parent who called the school says his son experienced back and neck pain — which suggests a whiplash injury. He took his son to the emergency room, and so did many other parents.
As with any auto accidents in Hawaii that are caused by another party’s negligence, these parents can pursue recovery of any medical expenses that resulted from the crash. Personal injury claims can be filed in a civil court, naming the drivers and their employer as defendants. Some people choose to utilize the skills of an experienced personal injury attorney to help them establish negligence and present the case on their behalves.
Source: khon2.com, “Investigation launched after school buses collide on Hawaii Island, police not called until hours later“, Elyssa Arevalo, Sept. 11, 2017
