On Thursday morning, a veteran bus driver sent four high school students to the hospital after a rear end collision with a semi truck. For Bernard Gant, the driver, the second chances finally ran out after his 11th preventable crash since becoming a driver over two decades ago.
For many of us, putting our children on a bus every morning is a routine. We trust that the drivers that we entrust our children’s safety with are properly vetted and take every precaution necessary. Sometimes accidents are out of our control. Sometimes we sit back and let the accidents keep rolling in. It seems like the latter in this situation.
Crash, Crash, and Crash Again
Gant was first hired in 1994. It was also the year of his first crash as a school bus driver. Between 1997 and 2014, he was given eight written warnings for accidents. In 2015, he was suspended from his job for three days following another accident.
This Thursday marked the 11th accident in Gant’s career since 1994. Perhaps what’s most troubling is that 8 of the 11 involved Gant rear ending a vehicle in front of him. Are we looking at a pattern of carelessness and distraction?
Pinellas school officials were quick to point out all of the accidents have been “minor.” Gant’s collisions over the years also include two parked cars and a curb. Despite all of this, Gant continued to be employed by the district as a bus driver.
How to Keep a Job
I can’t emphasize enough that accidents happen. They are often out of our control. Can we really believe that 11 accidents, almost all rear end collisions, were unavoidable? Of course not. These accidents were preventable, and yet nothing changed for decades.
It’s a bus driver’s sole duty to protect our children and get them safely to where they need to go. They are carrying incredibly precious cargo, and we should demand the best from them for this reason. We can’t turn a blind eye to continual mistakes when it’s a matter of children’s safety.
Sadly, it took sending four high school kids to the hospital for changes to be made. Four kids that were sent to the hospital after their bus struck a stationary heavy truck stopped for a red light.
Finally, school officials stepped in and barred him from driving, pending a drug test and investigation of the crash. Gant resigned shortly after.
Contact Brooks Law Group
We can’t always trust the people above us to have our best interests in mind. If they did, a bus driver with 10 previous accidents wouldn’t have the chance to crash again. If you or a loved one has been injured due to someone’s negligence, you deserve to be heard. Contact our offices at 1-800-LAW-3030 today or fill out the form on our website for your free, no obligation case evaluation. Our attorneys and staff strive to provide the best customer experience possible for everyone who walks in our doors, and you’ll owe us nothing unless we recover money for your case. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Look to Brooks!
