Bus Accident Claims in Georgia & South Carolina
Bus accidents — involving private shuttle buses, charter buses, tour buses, hotel courtesy vehicles, airport shuttles, and church buses — can cause devastating injuries due to the size and passenger capacity of these vehicles. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), thousands of bus crashes occur annually across the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities and thousands of injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the lack of seat belts on many bus types as a significant factor in passenger injury severity.
At Roden Law, our bus accident lawyers represent passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, and other motorists injured in crashes involving commercial and private bus operations throughout Georgia and South Carolina. These cases involve heightened standards of care, complex regulatory requirements, and often multiple responsible parties.
Common Carrier Duty of Care
Under Georgia and South Carolina law, commercial bus operators are classified as “common carriers” — meaning they owe the highest duty of care to their passengers. Unlike ordinary drivers who must exercise reasonable care, common carriers must exercise extraordinary diligence for the safety of their passengers. This heightened standard means that bus companies are held to a stricter standard of liability when passengers are injured.
Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 46-9-132) requires common carriers to exercise “extraordinary diligence” to protect the lives and persons of their passengers. South Carolina similarly imposes a heightened duty of care on common carriers, requiring the highest degree of care consistent with the practical operation of the vehicle.
Types of Bus Accidents We Handle
- Charter and tour bus crashes: Long-distance tour buses and charter services operating on highways and interstates
- Hotel and resort shuttle accidents: Courtesy shuttles operating between hotels, airports, and attractions
- Airport shuttle crashes: Private airport shuttle and car services transporting passengers
- Church and organization bus accidents: Buses operated by religious organizations, schools, and community groups
- Party bus and limousine crashes: Vehicles often operating with inadequate safety equipment and undertrained drivers
- Employee shuttle accidents: Buses transporting workers to and from job sites
FMCSA Regulations for Bus Operations
Commercial bus operations carrying passengers for hire must comply with FMCSA passenger carrier safety regulations, including:
- Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with passenger endorsement for the driver
- Hours-of-service limits to prevent fatigued driving
- Regular vehicle inspections and maintenance records
- Drug and alcohol testing programs for drivers
- Minimum insurance requirements of $5 million for buses carrying 16+ passengers
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) provides additional safety oversight for transit bus operations. FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System (SMS) tracks bus company safety records, and poor safety scores can indicate a pattern of regulatory violations.
Bus Passenger Injuries
Bus passengers face unique injury risks because most buses do not have seat belts for passengers, seats may not have adequate head restraints, standing passengers have no restraint protection, and the large size of buses can result in rollover or multi-vehicle crashes. Common bus accident injuries include traumatic brain injuries from striking seats or interior surfaces, spinal cord injuries, broken bones from being thrown within the bus, and severe lacerations from broken glass.
Liability in Bus Accidents
Bus accident cases may involve multiple liable parties including the bus driver, the bus company or charter service, the vehicle maintenance provider, other motorists who contributed to the crash, the bus manufacturer (if a defect contributed to the accident), and government entities responsible for road conditions. The common carrier standard of care strengthens passenger claims and makes it easier to establish liability compared to standard car accident cases.
Pursuing Maximum Compensation
Our attorneys investigate every bus accident case by obtaining the bus company’s FMCSA safety records, reviewing the driver’s CDL status and driving history, examining vehicle maintenance and inspection logs, analyzing hours-of-service records for fatigue violations, and consulting with transportation safety experts. Bus companies are required to carry substantial insurance — $5 million minimum for larger passenger carriers — providing greater recovery potential for injured victims.
