Los Angeles Bus Accident Statistics
Taking the bus can be an easy and cost-effective solution for getting around the Greater Los Angeles Area without having to drive or find parking. Every year, however, traffic accidents and criminal incidents are reported that involve LA County buses. If you get injured in any type of bus accident, legal help from bus accident attorneys in Los Angeles is available at Rose, Klein & Marias, LLP.
LA Metro and City Bus Accident Facts
In 2022, 213 fatal accidents in the United States involved buses, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Intercity buses accounted for about 10 percent of all buses involved in deadly accidents from 2010 to 2022.
LA Metro buses are involved in traffic accidents every year. In 2024, the LA Metro reported six public transit accidents involving its buses, with 18 related hospitalizations and 1 death (a pedestrian was fatally hit by an LA Metro bus in the City of Industry).
Many other accidents are reported in Los Angeles annually that involve buses outside of the city’s jurisdiction. For example, in 2024, 55 people were injured when a Metro rail train collided with a USC shuttle bus near Exposition Park.
Crime on the LA Metro
Getting into a traffic accident is not the only potential risk for those who choose to ride LA Metro buses around Los Angeles; crime is also a serious consideration. LA Metro safety data from 2024 found a 15.6 percent increase from 2023 in crimes against people on the city’s buses and rail trains. In 2024, seven deaths occurred on the LA Metro system (including four fatal shootings and one fatal stabbing), in addition to seven nonfatal passenger stabbings.
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How Common Are School Bus Accidents in the Los Angeles County Unified School District?
According to the California Department of Education, in the past 11 years, there has been an annual average of 26,000 accidents involving school buses in California, resulting in an average of 10 deaths per year. The majority of those killed (75 percent) were passengers, while the remaining 25 percent were drivers. Frontal school bus accidents account for about two passenger deaths annually.
Nationwide, school bus-related accidents killed 128 victims in 2023, up 23 percent from 2022 (source: the National Safety Council). School buses accounted for 38 percent of fatal bus accidents from 2010 to 2022. The majority of fatalities (71 percent) were occupants of vehicles other than the school bus, 16 percent were pedestrians, 6 percent were school bus passengers, 4 percent were bus drivers and 3 percent were bicyclists.
Common Causes of Bus Accidents in LA
Bus accidents in Los Angeles are caused by many of the same issues as typical car crash incidents. Human error is the number one problem. If a bus driver is negligent or does not act with proper care when operating a city transit bus or school bus, he or she can cause a serious accident.
Top bus driver mistakes are:
- Distraction or failure to keep a proper lookout
- Cellphone use or texting while driving
- Drowsy driving
- Exceeded hours-of-service regulations
- Violating other federal safety laws
- Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Speeding
- Red-light running
- Reckless driving
Additional causes include bus equipment breakdowns, tire blowouts, defective auto parts, poor vehicle maintenance, dangerous roadways, poorly trained drivers and negligence by drivers outside of the bus. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a bus accident in the Los Angeles area, contact us for a free consultation. Our Los Angeles based injury attorneys can help you understand your legal rights.