Dangerous 2019 for NYC Bus Riders

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) provides transportation services for millions of people every day. While public transit is an excellent mobility service for people without personal vehicles and reduces vehicle congestion on the roads, the riders of MTA buses are not safe from physical harm.

Injuries and deaths in MTA buses occur every year, but 2019 saw a spike in passenger injuries, excluding cases that involved collisions. According to the MTA, 494 individuals were injured in bus accidents in 2019, indicating an overall surge of roughly 11% from 2018. 

With the increase in bus-passengers getting injured without the buses being involved in collisions, it's fair to say that riding the MTA buses has become more dangerous. Mishaps during bus rides have inflicted severe injuries to passengers, many of who have filed personal injury lawsuits against the authority. 

New York City Bus-Passenger Injury Statistics

Bus riders face multiple dangers during their journeys, including in-bus accidents and traffic collisions. The MTA reported that most of the incidents where bus passengers get injured involve 'throwing movements.' In 2019, 207 of the 494 injuries involved throwing movements -  a 5.5% increase from 2018.

Throwing movements contributed roughly 42% of the on-bus mishaps overall, making it the leading source of injuries to bus passengers. Slipping and falling while boarding or exiting the bus is the second biggest source of on-bus injuries. It was held responsible for 160 injuries in 2019, a slight drop from 163 in 2018.

And when it comes to bus-related traffic-collisions, the number of accidents involving injuries increased by 1.8% in 2019, whereas reported collisions increased by 1.2%. 

Assessment of Bus-Related Injuries

According to the MTA, the biggest causes of bus-related injuries are pedestrians, traffic on the roads, and the bus drivers themselves. The reasons are strongly co-related since Robert Diehl, a safety official, found that the MTA bus incidents happen "mostly due to operators trying to avoid cars, pedestrians, or bicyclists." 

The swerving of the buses to avoid collisions with ongoing traffic is what usually injures bus passengers if there is no traffic collision. In the case of collision-related events, the injuries could result from a fault of the bus driver or the driver of the other vehicle involved in the accident.

The MTA has taken certain measures to reduce the number of injuries involving their buses. For example, the authority has started information campaigns targeted at bus drivers. It is also making efforts to closely monitor the behavior of its bus drivers.

The Legal Aspect

MTA buses are a significant contributor to traffic accidents and passenger injuries in NYC. The injuries sustained and possible deaths could warrant financial compensation. If you or a loved one has got injured in the MTA bus, be sure to hire an experienced personal injury attorney to file a strong lawsuit. 

The accident lawyers NYC have their own fields of specialization within the personal injury domain. It is a good idea to hire a lawyer with extensive experience, whether it's a personal injury lawyer, a car accident attorney, or a pedestrian injury lawyer.

Contact a personal injury lawyer NYC to file a lawsuit and increase your chance of getting compensation.