Aubelia Rivera-Zamora, of Salem, Oregon, Injured In Turlock Bus Accident At Crosswalk By North Olive Avenue and North Avenue
TURLOCK, CALIFORNIA (October 12, 2023) – A 62-year-old pedestrian identified as Aubelia Rivera-Zamora was injured in a Turlock school bus accident by North Olive Avenue and North Avenue.
Stanislaus County officials are saying that the incident took place around 11:27 a.m. on Monday. A 2005 Thomas school bus was attempting to make a left turn when the bus driver struck Aubelia Rivera-Zamora.
A CHP officer said that the victim was in the crosswalk in a lawful manner when she was hit. Paramedics were called to the scene in order to help the victim.
Aubelia Rivera-Zamora was taken in an ambulance to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto. There were 40 students on the bus at the time of the collision.
Liability for Turlock School Bus Accidents
Thousands of people are injured every year in bus accidents. According to The Journalist’s Resource, “on average, about 63,000 buses [of all kinds] are involved in an accident each year; about 14,000 result in an injured person, and 325 result in a fatal injury. About 50 passengers (including the driver) are killed, on average, in a given year.” A disproportionate number of the victims are pedestrians. There are a number of steps that bus drivers should take in order to avoid hitting pedestrians.
- Bus drivers should check their blind spots before making turns.
- Bus drivers should slow down when they are going through school zones.
- Bus drivers should continuously scan the road ahead of them for pedestrians.
Bus drivers are considered “common carriers” under the law. They must operate with an abundance of caution in order to avoid accidents. According to California Vehicle Code 21950, the driver of any vehicle shall yield the right of way to any pedestrian crossing within any marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. If a driver fails to yield the right of way to a pedestrian, this could create the basis of a civil claim.
When a school bus driver is negligent, the school district that they work for could be held at fault. Generally speaking, employers are liable for the wrongful actions of their employees insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. For example, a school bus driver may have been transporting students when they crashed. Victims of bus accidents tend to suffer very serious injuries including:
- Broken bones
- Head injuries
- Lacerations
- Spinal cord injuries
The vast majority of pedestrian accidents are preventable. They tend to involve drivers that are either distracted or failing to pay adequate attention to the road ahead of them. In particular, drivers are often distracted while making left turns because they are paying attention to cross traffic. It is easy for them to miss pedestrians in the roadway. Any person that is injured in a school bus accident may be able to seek some measure of justice through a civil claim.
Investigating Turlock School Bus Accidents
We at the Sehat Law Firm extend our best wishes to Aubelia Rivera-Zamora as she continues to recover. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. There needs to be some accountability for what happened.
Have you or someone that you care about been harmed due to the negligence of a school bus driver? Our team of pedestrian safety advocates are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (949) 825-5200.
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