Every day throughout United States, millions of Americans take some form of public or mass transportation system, whether it is a taxi, bus, shuttle, train, airplane, or boat. Within Las Vegas, there are various methods of mass and public transportation available to residents and tourists daily. These include public buses, shuttles, taxis, Ubers, trains, and the monorail. Las Vegas’ Regional Transportation System ranks as one of the 50th largest transportation agencies in the country. In 2011, passengers travelled more than 200,000 miles, which ranked Las Vegas 38th in the country.
Public Transportation Safety in Las Vegas
How safe is public transportation? Relatively speaking, public transportation is fairly safe when considered against the number of accidents involving motor vehicles generally. For example, according to the American Public Transportation Association, from 2003 to 2008, transit bus travel across the United States resulted in 0.05 deaths per 100 million passenger miles, compared to 1.42 deaths for motor vehicles. Furthermore, during the same period, Amtrak and commuter rail also had low fatality rates of 0.03 and 0.06 per 100 million passenger miles.
Nevertheless, accidents still occur on public transportation in Las Vegas and occur far too often. Earlier this year, five people waiting at a Las Vegas bus suffered injuries after being struck by a car. This type of accident is not an uncommon occurrence. In 2009, a car crashed into a Citizens Area Transit bus stop, a CAT bus and a light pole. And in 2012, a man killed four and injured several others after crashing into a bus stop on Spring Mountain Road near Decatur Boulevard.
Causes of accidents involving public transportation typically vary depending on the type of transportation, but common causes of public transportation accidents include:
- Failure to properly maintain entrance and exit ways;
- Failure to properly maintain vehicles in good working condition;
- Failure to provide adequate security for passengers; and
- Failure to hire properly trained drivers or failure to properly supervised drivers.
What Type of Damages May I Recover?
If you suffer an injury while taking public transportation, you may be able to recover compensation. Examples of recoverable damages include:
- Physical pain and suffering;
- Emotional pain and suffering, including mental distress, anxiety, depression, loss of enjoyment of life;
- Past and future medical expenses, as well as rehabilitation costs;
- Lost past and future wages, as well loss of earning capacity; and
- Out-of-pocket expenses.
Contact a Las Vegas Public Transportation Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury while taking public transportation, an experienced Las Vegas injury attorney can help you with your case. The Ladah law firm has extensive experience helping accident victims recover compensation for their injuries, and we want to help protect your rights.
Contact our public transportation accident attorneys today for a free initial consultation and case evaluation. You can call us at 702-252-0055 or visit our office at 517 South 3rd Street in Las Vegas.