Personal Injury Lawyer

Residents and visitors routinely rely on buses and trains to get where they want to go. Commercial carriers ease traffic tie-ups and eliminate the cost associated with maintaining a car or paying for parking. However, in addition to the downside of working around a train or bus schedule and having to sit through multiple stops, there are dangers that passengers face. Mass transit accidents are rare but can cause catastrophic injuries, as even minor incidents aboard buses and trains can cause major harm. The following highlights some of the more common dangers and what you can do to protect yourself.

Mass Transit Hazards
Crossing train tracks and waiting at bus stops or rail stations is one of the most common places for mass transit accidents to occur. Mishaps can happen due to overcrowding, rushing to get to a stop in time, and ignoring warning signs and signals. Other common mass transit hazards include:

• Slips and falls when boarding, exiting, and navigating aisles
• Being jolted or slammed into seats and windows due to sudden stops or turns
• Being struck by passenger bags or mass transit equipment
• Falling victim to random acts of violence caused by other passengers

To protect yourself, it is important to pay attention to what is going on around you both at the station and on board. Stay seated when possible while the bus or train is moving. If forced to stand, make sure you are holding onto something. Wear the proper shoes, keep your bags to a minimum, allow yourself plenty of time to reach your destination, and avoid reacting or responding aggressively to other passengers on board.

Making Mass Transit Safer
In an attempt to increase passenger safety, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently released a list of safety assessments and improvements for transit officials to implement. One of the biggest factors contributing to passenger injuries is a lack of seat belts and lax regulations regarding their use. 

Mass transit riders should always wear their seat belts, however, unlike the laws for other vehicles on the road, the majority of states do not mandate that seat belts be worn on buses or trains.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney for Help
Whether you suffer minor injuries aboard public transit or are involved in a major accident, a lawyer, like a personal injury lawyer from Johnston Martineau, LLP, can help you get the compensation you need to recover. If you or a family member has suffered injuries in a bus or other mass transit accident, call a law firm to schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced attorney.