An accident in another part of New Mexico left a school bus resting on its side after the driver of a passenger car stuck the bus. Police recently issued a citation to the woman who hit the bus, accusing her of careless driving. Police made it clear that the woman was not going to be placed under arrest.
According to reports, the car crash happened just south of a small city in New Mexico at an intersection. Reportedly, the woman missed a stop sign and went in to the intersection, striking the approaching school bus in a T-Bone fashion. It was not clear why the woman did not heed the stop sign.
While, thankfully, none of the students on the bus were seriously physically injured, both the driver responsible for the accident and an adult aide on the school bus had to be taken to a nearby hospital. Police said that both parties are expected to survive, but the aide eventually had to be flown to a larger hospital for additional treatment.
Usually, when we have talked about accidents involving large commercial vehicles, it is the smaller passenger car and the occupants thereof, who wind up worse for wear after the accident. However, in this case, the bus and at least one of the occupants of the bus bore the brunt of the collision.
In any event though, it is important to remember that to a great extent, the same rules apply to everyone. If the driver of a large commercial vehicle causes an accident with a smaller car, that driver is responsible. Likewise, if the driver of a smaller car collides with a truck or, in this case, a school bus, and causes injuries as a result, that driver may be held financially accountable in a civil action.