Man Pinned Under Shuttle BusFebruary 17, 2012--San Francisco, CA--On Tuesday, a paratransit shuttle bus owned by BayMed Express ran over a pedestrian, pinning him under the bus and causing severe injuries. However, the driver was not charged, prompting outraged responses from several groups. According to witnesses, the shuttle turned right at the intersection of Leavenworth Street and Eddy Street in San Francisco. An unidentified man with a cane was attempting to cross the street at that intersection. Witnesses stated that the man clearly had the right of way, a theory supported by police who investigated the scene. However, the bus driver was not charged with a crime. The man was pinned under the bus’s wheels for several minutes until he could be extracted by rescue workers and taken to a hospital. Authorities confirmed that the man had several broken bones but there is no further word on his condition at the present time. I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy to the victim and his family and wish him a very speedy recovery from his injuries. Accident Statistics With the high number of privately-owned shuttles operating in the San Francisco, crashes are becoming more common between these vehicles and the public. Two fatalities involving shuttles have occurred in the past two years. Although BayMed Express claims that the company receives good ratings from the state for the safety of its buses, shuttle companies do not have uniform driving record requirements for their employees. Under state law, every shuttle bus driver must possess a Class B license, but little attempt has been made to regulate other requirements for these drivers. What Happened In This Accident It is unclear why the driver in this case was not charged, as he was observed by witnesses in a “great hurry” and was “honking at other drivers.” However, it is possible such charges will be forthcoming after more information is gathered from witnesses and the victim’s condition stabilizes. Witnesses claim that the driver simply did not look carefully enough when entering the intersection. This leads to the conclusion that the driver was hurrying to finish his route, and this is confirmed by comments from various organizations interviewed after the accident about their shuttle bus security and protocol. Most agreed that drivers have a “hectic schedule” and are in a hurry to meet pickup and dropoff deadlines. Liability Issues Though the police failed to charge the driver with any criminal activity, he and his company are in no way released from civil liability for this accident. A professional personal injury attorney should be involved from the beginning to be sure the victim receives fair compensation for his injuries. |

February 17, 2012--San Francisco, CA--On Tuesday, a paratransit shuttle bus owned by BayMed Express ran over a pedestrian, pinning him under the bus and causing severe injuries. However, the driver was not charged, prompting outraged responses from several groups.

According to witnesses, the shuttle turned right at the intersection of Leavenworth Street and Eddy Street in San Francisco. An unidentified man with a cane was attempting to cross the street at that intersection. Witnesses stated that the man clearly had the right of way, a theory supported by police who investigated the scene. However, the bus driver was not charged with a crime.

The man was pinned under the bus's wheels for several minutes until he could be extracted by rescue workers and taken to a hospital. Authorities confirmed that the man had several broken bones but there is no further word on his condition at the present time.

I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy to the victim and his family and wish him a very speedy recovery from his injuries.

Accident Statistics

With the high number of privately-owned shuttles operating in the San Francisco, crashes are becoming more common between these vehicles and the public. Two fatalities involving shuttles have occurred in the past two years.

Although BayMed Express claims that the company receives good ratings from the state for the safety of its buses, shuttle companies do not have uniform driving record requirements for their employees. Under state law, every shuttle bus driver must possess a Class B license, but little attempt has been made to regulate other requirements for these drivers.

What Happened In This Bus Accident

It is unclear why the driver in this case was not charged, as he was observed by witnesses in a "great hurry" and was "honking at other drivers." However, it is possible such charges will be forthcoming after more information is gathered from witnesses and the victim’s condition stabilizes.

Witnesses claim that the driver simply did not look carefully enough when entering the intersection. This leads to the conclusion that the driver was hurrying to finish his route, and this is confirmed by comments from various organizations interviewed after the accident about their shuttle bus security and protocol. Most agreed that drivers have a "hectic schedule" and are in a hurry to meet pickup and dropoff deadlines.

Liability Issues

Though the police failed to charge the driver with any criminal activity, he and his company are in no way released from civil liability for this accident. A professional California pedestrian accident attorney should be involved from the beginning to be sure the victim receives fair compensation for his injuries.