Florida School Bus Accident Highlights Zoning Issue

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on November 19, 2015

A school bus accident early Wednesday morning has many parents questioning whether the bus trip should have even occurred. The school bus was traveling southbound on I-95 shortly before 7 a.m. when it left the pavement and entered the grassy shoulder. It hit several trees before coming to rest. Four children were injured in the accident, one of them seriously. The driver was shaken up, though not injured. It is unknown at this time when the driver veered off the road.

For many parents, this is one of their worst nightmares. The child leaves home for school aboard a school bus, and is supposed to be safe in good hands until they come home in the afternoon. However, a phone call a short time later informs you that your son or daughter has been in an accident. The panic and frustration that families feel in the aftermath of such an accident can be overwhelming. Fortunately, all of the children and the driver in this accident are expected to fully recover.

At the heart of this situation is the fact that the children on this bus were from the Sandy Creek neighborhood, and the nearest elementary school is just 3 miles away. The bus was headed to a school 11 miles away, where the children attend due to zoning laws. Parents are angry that their children have to be bused down a busy interstate corridor to get to school, when there are several closer in the area. School officials have blamed the situation on overcrowding. Parents disagree.

The Florida Highway Patrol acknowledges that I-95 along this particular stretch does get very crowded during the morning and afternoon commutes, a situation that is not going to go away. Perhaps the smartest remedy is to try to reduce the number of cars, trucks and school buses that need to use the road.

If you or someone you love has been injured as a passenger in a vehicle accident, please contact us today at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587).

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.