More than 60,000 people per day travel through the Los Angeles International Airport, which most of us just call LAX. It’s one of the busiest airports in the world!
So it’s no wonder that LAX is also the site of lots of traffic collisions. It’s amazing to see the sheer volume of cars, delivery trucks, buses, taxis, Ubers, and all kinds of other vehicles crisscrossing all over the airport roadways.
LAX handles 3 million monthly travelers through its ground transportation services, including 30,000 airport shuttle rides per month. Have you ever wondered what would happen if your airport shuttle was in a collision? What if you were injured?
The Most Common Causes of Airport Shuttle Accidents
Failure-to-yield crashes are common at LAX because traffic is moving in complex patterns and drivers might not always realize who has the right of way. There are numerous merge points and ramps where traffic joins together from multiple directions.
Distracted driving is a persistent problem too. Motorists are often looking up and around at signs posted throughout the airport. A driver might miss something in traffic ahead of them and BAM! An accident happens.
This is also why sideswipes and rear-end crashes are so common at the airport. Even an experienced shuttle bus driver might have a rear-end collision in heavy traffic coming and going from the airport terminal.
Speeding isn’t usually a big factor in crashes that happen on LAX grounds. Airport shuttles are supposed to travel slowly and all LAX airport traffic is expected to abide by low speed limits.
Signs are posted limiting speeds to:
- 20 mph on all vehicle roadways unless otherwise posted or indicated
- below
- 10 mph on service roads marked “K”, “L,” and “M”
- 10 mph on all ramp/apron areas outside the aircraft limit line
- 3 mph or walking speed on all ramp/apron areas inside the aircraft limit line
Sometimes, weather conditions can contribute to shuttle bus accidents. A thick fog or a sudden downpour can hamper a driver’s visibility, which is why the official LAX rules for Airside Motor Operations instruct transport vehicle drivers that they should never exceed “a reasonable and prudent speed consistent with existing traffic, lighting, and weather conditions.”
Physical and Mental Injuries From Shuttle Bus Accidents
It’s fairly common to rack up medical expenses from injuries after an airport shuttle accident. At a minimum, you need a doctor’s evaluation for bruising, neck injuries, back injuries, and a possible concussion.
Shuttle accident injuries may include:
- Whiplash
- Lacerations
- Soft tissue injuries
- Organ damage
- Broken bones
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Traumatic brain injury
Sometimes, shuttle accidents involve extremely serious, life-changing injuries and permanent disabilities. Now you’re facing steep medical bills and a long rehabilitation period.
You may even have significant emotional trauma from the accident, causing anxiety, nightmares, or panic attacks. Traffic accidents are deeply disturbing and can bring long-lasting mental pain that requires psychological therapy.
Rights and Responsibilities in Airport Shuttle Crashes
After a shuttle accident, you have the right to pursue compensation for your injuries and other damages. Here are some things you should know about shuttle drivers’ responsibilities and how their employer plays a role.
Airport shuttles, buses, taxis, limos, and vans are all considered commercial carriers under California law. These drivers must hold a special driver’s license called a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
This means they must pass the written CDL exam at the Department of Motor Vehicles, plus take a drug test and pass a criminal background check. Shuttle drivers also have a legal duty of care to provide reasonably safe transportation for their passengers.
To successfully make your case against a shuttle company, a shuttle driver, and/or LAX, you’ll need to prove several things:
- The shuttle driver/company/LAX owes a legal duty of care to you, the injured passenger.
- They breached their duty by failing to act appropriately.
- Their action or inaction harmed you.
- You endured specific, demonstrable damages with evidence like medical records and loss of wages.
There are other routes to compensation, too. It’s possible that there was a manufacturing defect in the shuttle or a lapse in proper vehicle maintenance. Maybe the shuttle had defective brakes or failed a service inspection. With a lawyer’s help, you can uncover this vital evidence.
Don’t be surprised if the shuttle bus company is reluctant to take responsibility for a collision at LAX. They might try to stonewall you or convince you to accept a lowball offer. That’s why you need help from the team at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers.
After an LAX shuttle accident, call 877-380-8852 or get a FREE online case evaluation now. We can help you push back on the shuttle company to demand full and fair compensation!
We Handle Your Accident Claim So You Can Focus On Your Life
After a personal injury, contact the attorneys at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers. We handle many areas of the law, including airport shuttle accidents. We believe you should be able to focus on recovering while we handle the legal details.
We truly care about the people of California. Contact us today for a free online case evaluation.
