My car is in for a service today. Granted, that's not exactly earth-shattering news for you I know, but it has given me the opportunity to try out a local legend; The 'Guided' Bus!
For those of you that aren't aware, May I Claim are based in St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, which, according to Wikipedia, is at one end of 'the longest guided bus route in the world' - the other end being just over 16 Miles away in Cambridge (which also has the shortest double-yellow lines in the country!). Specially adapted guided buses are able to make use of the normal roadway where needed, but also have access to a special concrete 'track' with raised kerbs, which 'guides' the buses using - what I can only describe as 'roller blades' - fitted to the sides of the buses, allowing them to travel up to 55 miles per hour.
Image may be NSFW.
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It's a great alternative to getting stuck on the notorious A14, which the track bypasses using the route of the former Huntingdon - Cambridge railway. It's part of a wide variety of measures around Cambridge aimed at reducing the amount of traffic in and around the picturesque city.
Cambridge already has a well-established cycling culture, and with the rising costs of fuel, more and more people are turning to Public Transport for other forms of cheap, environmentally friendly ways to get around. Of course there are added benefits to using Public Transport; for one, you don’t have to worry about parking (always a bonus!) and statistically Public transport is also far safer than travelling by car or motorbike.
Public Transport accidents do still occur however, even on a guided bus when it's far removed from everyday traffic - and when they do, the number injured per accident tends to be higher than in a car or bike accident.
Regular readers will by now be familiar with the 'Duty of Care'. When you are travelling on any form of public transport, the operators of it have a duty of care to you. This means that their vehicles, equipment and facilities should be properly maintained and their staff fully trained to ensure public safety. If there is a public transport accident due to a driver's negligence or the condition of the vehicle and you were injured, you may be entitled to make a personal injury compensation claim. Even if the accident was not the fault of the driver, then an accident claim can be made against the motorist who was responsible for causing the accident.
Modes of Public Transport include:
- Bus
- Train
- Tram
- London Underground
- Coach
- Private Hire Vehicle (Taxi)
- Ferry
There were an estimated 5.2 billion bus passenger journeys in Great Britain in 2011/12, this accounts for around two-thirds of all public transport journeys, so it is not surprising then that bus accidents are the most common type of public transport accident. Due to the lack of seatbelts on buses these accidents can result in serious injuries to the face, legs or arms and can also result in whiplash. Injuries can occur as a result of being thrown from your seat or off your feet due to the driver braking or accelerating unnecessarily hard, they can also be sustained when leaving or entering the vehicle, or on double-decker buses when going up or coming down the stairs.
Defective equipment can also cause accidents, for example broken luggage racks or steps on a train can result in injuries, as can a broken or missing seat belt in a taxi.
What to do If You are Involved in a Public Transport Accident
- Notify the driver that you have sustained injuries
- Make a note of the journey details for example bus route number / train time & destination / driver name / vehicle registration.
- If there are witnesses, write down their contact details.
- If possible take a photo of the scene of the accident
- Keep hold of your travel ticket / travel receipts.
- Seek medical attention for your injuries, either by visiting your GP or the local A&E depending on their severity.
If you have been involved in a public transport accident in the last 3 years that wasn’t your fault you may be entitled to make a personal injury claim for compensation for any financial losses and/or bodily injury which may have occurred. Financial losses as a result of the public transport accident may include: loss of earnings, travel expenses, payments for medicines and / or medical treatment, to name but a few.
If You Have a Genuine Claim, Contact a Genuine Company.
May I Claim, is a trading name of R Costings Limited and our CRM number is 25770
If you’ve had an accident that wasn’t your fault and suffered an injury - you can trust us to handle your claim professionally.
Call us now on 0800 756 7774 and talk to us to find out if you have a claim - or fill in our Quick Claim form (on the right of this page).
http://info.mayiclaim.co.uk/personal_injury_compensation_claim_news/bid/282084/Bus-Accidents-The-Most-Common-Type-of-Public-Transport-Accident Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.