St. Louis Injury Lawyer Blog

Your risk of an accident in St. Louis may be the scariest thing about Halloween.

St. Louis pedestrian accidents, slip and fall accidents and dog attacks are just a few of the premise liability claims that plague the week of Halloween.

And your odds don't get any better out on the road; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that Halloween is among the most dangerous weeks on the road, claiming an average of more than 500 lives each year over the past decade. Drunk driving was blamed for more than half of the 5,000 traffic deaths.

Nationwide, law enforcement will be conducting an "Over the Limit. Under Arrest" campaign to crackdown on drivers who climb behind the wheel after having too much to drink.

But children are frequently injured in many other types of accidents during Halloween. In fact, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons reports that Halloween is among the busiest holidays in the nation's emergency rooms, with patients ages 10 to 14 being the most frequently injured.

The Missouri Department of Social Services offers the following Halloween Safety Tips:

-Stay in familiar areas.

-Visit only homes with porch lights on.

-Avoid costumes that make walking or seeing difficult.

-Carry a working flashlight.

-Wear costumes that are easily visible after dark -- consider using reflective tape.

-Never leave children without adult supervision.

-Keep away from candles or open flames.

-Never go into a stranger's home.

-Do not eat candy until it has been checked by an adult.

Continue reading "St. Louis slip and fall, dog bite, premise liability concerns come with Halloween" »

St. Louis Today is reporting that a child has been hospitalized after being struck by a school bus on Tuesday at the intersection of South Grand Boulevard and Alberta Street.

As the school year gets underway, students are at high risk of injury from school bus accidents. Other common forms of injury on school grounds can include fall injuries, sport's related injuries, assault, negligent security and abuse by teachers, faculty or other students. In July, we reported on our St. Louis Premise Liability Lawyer Blog about a hazing incident in which several students were injured. And, of course we won't soon forget the horrific Missouri school bus accident that killed two students and injured 50 others who were on a field trip to an amusement park.

School districts have an obligation to keep students safe once they accept responsibility for them, whether that occurs at a bus stop or when a student is dropped off at the front door.

An average of 19 students are killed each year in school bus accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Hundreds more are injured. Many of these accidents are classified as pedestrian accidents as they occur as a student is getting on or off the bus.

The NHTSA reports students are most likely to be hit because:

-They are hurrying to catch the bus.

-They have little experience with traffic and act before they think.

-They assume motorists will see them and don't wait to cross.

-They don't remain within the bus driver's sight.

-They drop something under and into the path of the bus and attempt to pick it up.

Teach your child bus safety:

-Wait for the driver's signal and board the bus one at a time.

-Make sure no cars are passing on the shoulder before exiting the bus.

-Take five giant steps in front of the bus before crossing the street. Wait until the driver can see you and gives you the signal to cross.

-Look left-right-left before crossing the street. Look left first and last because that is the direction of oncoming traffic.

Continue reading "St. Louis school bus accident highlights risks faced by passengers and students" »