Detroit bus accident statistics show that Detroit city buses averaged more than 1 bus accident per day in 2023, resulting in a total of 369 collisions involving Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) bus drivers, according to The Detroit News and Axios Detroit.

It is estimated that 174 of those Detroit bus accidents that occurred in 2023 were preventable. In other words, nearly every other day in 2023, a DDOT bus was involved in a crash that could have been prevented.

If you or a loved one has been  injured in a Detroit bus crash, you need an experienced bus accident attorney who will fight to get you the full compensation you deserve and the best possible settlement in your case.

Are the Detroit bus accident statistics going to improve?

According to the Detroit bus accident statistics, in 2022, there were only approximately 129 preventable DDOT bus crashes. But that number shot up approximately 35{c9b670b3c77d807bdd7060c9fc0a99121cc6b184676c9335f3481a95c383dd4c} between 2022 and 2023. More than two-thirds of the Detroit bus crashes in 2023 involved other vehicles. Meanwhile, 113 of these crashes involved immobile objects, and another six involved pedestrians. 

As bad as the Detroit bus accident statistics were for 2023 – and they were bad! – early indications as of June, 2024 show things are getting worse rather than better. So far for 2024, the one-bus-crash-per-day trend is continuing.

According to DDOT itself, one of the biggest contributors to these preventable crashes is distracted driving. Issues have also been raised about driver training, experience, and qualifications. 

Additionally, more scrutiny is being given to DDOT’s procedures and policies for dealing with “problem” drivers who have repeatedly been involved in accidents. For instance, news reports indicate that one DDOT bus driver has been in 19 bus accidents, one of which killed a bus passenger and one of which killed a pedestrian.

Hopefully, the statistics will see a decrease in the number of bus accidents in Detroit. DDOT is projected to hire 200 more bus drivers, and hiring additional drivers will help, assuming these new drivers are adequately trained, monitored and properly supervised.   

Can I sue?

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident in Detroit involving a DDOT vehicle, you may be able to sue the at-fault driver as well as the Detroit Department of Transportation for noneconomic damages – such as compensation for your pain and suffering – and economic damages to help pay for your future medical bills and lost wages as well as medical expenses and lost earnings that are not covered by No-Fault auto insurance benefits.  

Economic damages include your medical bills, lost wages, lost earning capacity, reimbursement for household replacement services. 

Noneconomic damages include pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and more. To recover noneconomic damages, you must prove that your injuries caused you to suffer a serious impairment of body function, which means that your injuries affected your general ability to lead your normal, pre-accident life.   

If you lost a loved one in a fatal Detroit bus accident, you may be able to bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the at-fault driver and DDOT. A wrongful death case allows family members to sue for their loved one’s pain and suffering, their own loss of their loved one’s companionship and financial support, and medical, hospital, funeral and burial expenses. 

An experienced Detroit bus accident lawyer will know how to calculate all your damages and get you the compensation you deserve.

How much will I get in compensation for my injuries?

Several key factors will determine how much compensation you may be able to recover in a settlement or from a jury verdict. Those factors include:

• Your attorney – The attorney you choose can make all the difference in your case. An experienced auto lawyer with a strong reputation for going to trial and a track record of successful settlements and verdicts will be able to get you a much larger settlement and faster. 
• Your injuries – Your injuries and their effect on your life and your ability to live your normal, pre-accident life play a significant role in determining the full compensation you are entitled to.  
• The insurance policies providing coverage for the bus – The amount of liability insurance coverage that the DDOT is carrying for its buses and drivers as well as the liability coverage of other responsible parties will help determine how much compensation is actually available to pay out for a settlement or for a jury award. 

Who will pay for medical bills and lost wages?

In addition to filing suit against the at-fault driver and DDOT, you are also covered by Michigan’s auto No-Fault insurance law, providing you with an important safety net for recovering expenses after a Detroit bus crash. Under this law, you can recover for medical bills, lost wages, household replacement services, medical mileage, and attendant care.

How much time do I have to sue?

In Michigan, you have three years from the date of the accident to file suit. If you fail to file your lawsuit within this time period, your claim will be time-barred and you will have lost your right to sue for your injuries. This three-year statute of limitations is codified at MCL 600.5805.

Keep in mind that you also have a 60-day notice requirement that you must comply with. This means that if you have been hurt in a Detroit bus accident involving a regional transportation authority such as DDOT – or SMART or CATA – you are required to comply with the “bus notice provision” in MCL 124.419 by serving written notice of your claim on the transportation authority within 60 days of the crash. Failure to do so will bar your claim and result in the dismissal of any lawsuit that you have filed. 

An experienced bus accident attorney will help you navigate these notice issues and rules. Your lawyer should be paid on a contingency fee, meaning they do not get paid unless you win your case and a recovery is made on your behalf. In other words, your lawyer doesn’t get a dime until they win your case first.

Injured in a Detroit bus accident? Call the attorneys at Michigan Auto Law now for a free consultation!

The Detroit bus accident statistics show bus crashes are on the rise. If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident involving someone who ran a red light, call Michigan Auto Law now (855) 781-7747 for a free consultation with an experienced bus accident lawyer near you. There is no cost or obligation. You can also visit our contact page or use the chat feature on our website.

Michigan Auto Law is Michigan’s largest and most successful law firm that specializes exclusively in helping people who have been injured in motor vehicle accidents.

Our secret? Our attorneys deliberately handle fewer cases than other personal injury law firms.  This allows us to focus more time and attention on our cases.

Unlike other law firms, our auto accident attorneys are never too busy to promptly return phone calls and answer questions. 

We have more than 2,000 5-Star Reviews that reflect this care and attention to detail.

More importantly, this client-focused approach leads to better and faster settlements for our clients. Michigan Auto Law has recovered more million-dollar settlements and trial verdicts for motor vehicle accidents than any other lawyer or law firm in Michigan. We’ve also recovered the highest ever reported truck accident and car accident settlement in the state.

Call now so we can start making a real difference for you.