Bus accidents can occur because of faults of other vehicles, mechanical issues in buses, and driver’s negligence. However, many companies take serious actions to investigate the problem to decrease the number of accidents.
Do Bus Drivers Get Fired For Accidents? Bus companies fire their drivers for accidents if they are found guilty. However, it depends on medical issues, drug intake, mechanical faults in the bus, accident causes, probation, and severity.
Buses are larger commercial vehicles that cause serious accidents when hit by cars or other smaller vehicles. It is better to maintain a few feet distance when driving in the same lane. I always carefully merge or leave the lane because commercial vehicles are larger and take longer to stop.
Do bus companies fire their drivers after accidents?
Bus accident law comes under the umbrella of common carrier law. Carriers are the drivers of the commercial vehicles who transport goods and passengers.
These carriers are of two types, including private and public. However, drivers of these common carriers require extra care during driving to ensure their and other people’s safety.
They always hire experienced drivers to reduce the risk of accidents. Sometimes, they also tend to suspend their employees for not following the rules and regulations on the road.
In addition, they also fire them because of frequent mistakes and negligence while moving on the road.
They cannot put the lives of school children at risk because their parents trust the organization for pick-and-drop services.
What factors affect the likelihood of drivers getting fired after an accident?
Bus companies usually prefer to give drivers penalties or suspensions of a few days so they do not repeat the mistake.
Medical issues
Medical issues are common with every person, which can affect their overall health. Moreover, you cannot perform your duty perfectly if you are not fine.
I was not fine last night and did not prefer to go to my duty because of weakness and distractions. However, many people do not bother with their health and go to their duty, which can cause compromised work.
Sometimes, drivers also have to drive the buses because of their restricted duty hours. The risk of collisions increases when they feel weak and cannot control the vehicle properly.
However, several companies always investigate the situation after the accident.
Drugs intake
Drug intake is a common issue for commercial vehicle drivers. In addition, they are addicted to alcohol to keep them fresh. Alcohol intake is common because of their long duty hours.
However, sometimes, they can fall asleep because of drug intake, and they lose control over their nerves. They cannot control the vehicles because of the distraction and falling asleep. They quickly run from the scene after the accident to get a refusal from the drug tests.
They are subjected to drug tests after minor collisions on the road to check their status. Several private and public carriers prefer to fire them if they drive while drinking alcohol.
Driving with alcohol is highly restricted because it can also compromise the safety of other passengers. School bus drivers are subjected to drug tests after a few months or weeks to check their status and ensure the safety of children.
Mechanical issues in the vehicle
Commercial vehicles are larger and lead to costly repairs. Mechanical issues are common in buses because of their poor maintenance and heavy hauling.
Many companies do not maintain their fleets daily because of the duty hours. Poor maintenance leads to mechanical issues, which can cause road accidents.
These companies do not fire their drivers if it happens because of mechanical issues in vehicles, including poorly inflated tires, less efficient braking systems, and issues with engine parts.
However, my friend was a bus driver, and he told me that his company always inspects their vehicles once a week so they do not cause an issue.
Cause of accident
Companies collect the evidence from the people who were present on the scene.
In addition, you can also collect data from the passengers. You can take information from passengers about the driving behaviors of the commercial carrier owner.
You are not responsible if an accident occurs because of negligence and fault of other drivers. Moreover, they collect information after inspecting vehicles to find mechanical issues.
Several companies prefer to perform drug tests to check the drug status. You can get fired because of negligence, distracted driving behaviors, and drug intake.
Probation period
Probation is the driver’s trial period, ranging from weeks to months. It is the period for newly recruited so companies can test their skills and experiences.
They hire them as their permanent employees if they perform their duties correctly. These companies often fire their drivers during probation periods because of their lack of skills and limited experience in driving, which can cause safety issues.
They can fire them if they are responsible for multiple accidents during their probation. Moreover, the final decision depends on the overall conditions and investigation reports.
Severity of accident
Drivers can get a suspension of a few days to months, depending on the severity of the accidents. In addition, you can also get fines and criminal charges for not following the rules while driving.
It was last year’s story, and I was working with a highly reputed busing company at that time. I mistakenly hit a bicyclist on the road while changing the lane. I have to pay a fine of hundreds of dollars for not driving carefully.
What safety protocols do school bus drivers have to follow after an accident?
Drivers have to follow different safety protocols if they are not responsible for the accidents. They should care for the passengers or school children if it is not their fault.
They must check children after minor accidents and call the emergency services in their nearby areas.
It is also better to call their companies so they can come here to investigate the situation. Tell them about your current location, vehicle number, severity of the accidents, and number of passengers.
They are equipped with medicine bocks so passengers can get first aid services quickly due to minor injuries. Ensure the safety of the passengers and provide them with first aid services.
It is also essential to inspect the vehicle to identify its damaged parts. Moreover, drivers can also continue driving on their route if the passenger and bus are safe.
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