Public transport has made the headlines again this week when the driver of a Lothian Bus collided with an overhead walkway at the Western General Hospital resulting in the roof of the bus being torn off.
Accident’s involving passengers travelling on buses are, fortunately, rare therefore when they do occur, it can call into question the safety of using public transport. Public transport is regarded as being one of the safest modes of transport across cities as it results in fewer injuries and deaths compared with car travel. However, the result of being involved in an accident on a bus can be devastating with injuries ranging from whiplash to serious head injuries.
The incident occurring at Western General Hospital resulted in eight people being taken to hospital because of their injuries. It is understood that the passengers travelling on this bus avoided serious injury however this would, no doubt, have been a very distressing ordeal for them. Being involved in an accident while travelling on public transport can result in anxiety when having to get on a bus again which can have a terrible impact on a person’s day to day life.
It is thought that the driver of the Lothian Bus took a wrong turn in the hospital and then failed to observe warning signs on approach to the bridge regarding the height restrictions resulting in the accident. The driver of the bus has now been charged with dangerous driving because of the incident.
Those travelling from the bus who sustained injuries would be able to make a claim for compensation against Lothian Buses. The bus company are liability for the actions of their employees and they are responsible for the safety of their passengers. In this case, the actions of the driver may be deemed to be negligent if he has failed to observe road signs and markings.
If you have been involved in an accident while travelling on a bus, contact our specialist team on 0800 0891331 to obtain more information on pursuing compensation.
Blog by Eilish Lindsay
