If you’ve been injured in an accident that involved a bus, then you may be wondering if that bus was following all required federal, state, and municipal regulations. Unless you’re an expert on legal matters, you likely don’t know. That’s why you should always consult with a personal injury attorney who has experience with auto accidents.
When you work with Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas, one of the first things we’ll do is to gather evidence. What we must prove is that another person or company was negligent or reckless, which led to the accident. One of the things we’ll do is to make sure that their equipment meets the minimum requirements. If the accident involved faulty or misbehaving brakes, then we’ll make sure that the bus’s brake system complies with requirements.
Any bus that transports people on roads must meet requirements
It’s up to the FMCSA to set regulations for both brake systems themselves and their maintenance. They’ve set out the absolute minimum general requirements, though some areas have more strict requirements.
The entire brake system is considered
First, any commercial vehicle on the road – whether it’s a bus or any other – must have brakes that can stop and hold the vehicle. This includes the emergency brake system as well as the parking brake system.
The brakes must be working at there must be warning signs if they’re not
Next, brakes must be operable 100% of the time. To ensure that’s the case, every bus must have an internal warning system that will clue the diver in that the brakes are failing or that they need attention. This braking system should be checked on a regular basis, but sometimes commercial companies will bypass it to avoid maintenance. If they do so, and it leads to a bus accident, then there is likely a personal injury case waiting to be filed.
The correct brakes must have been installed
The bus or commercial vehicle must have had appropriate brakes installed in the first place. For example, they must be capable of a braking force that’s up to a specific percentage of its total gross weight. The specifics will vary based on the vehicle and its size, but you can count on Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas to look into this issue if you’ve been injured in a bus accident.
Brakes must be inspected regularly
Buses, along with numerous other mechanical systems on buses, must be inspected regularly. In fact, any vehicle that’s used commercially to transport people can be subject to a random roadside inspection.
It’s easy to see from these rules and regulations that the government takes bus safety seriously. So do the professionals at Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas. We are here to make sure that victims of accidents involving buses get their fair compensation. If you’ve been injured in this type of accident, or a loved one has, then we invite you to call our offices at 909-982-0707 for your free case evaluation. You don’t have to deal with medical debt and long-term lost wages. We may be able to help.
