Bus Driver and Good Samaritan Ticketed

Is the best way to improve the world we live in to punish those who do the very things that make it better? Like the bus driver last week in Denver who got off his bus to assist two women safely across a street in a snowstorm. As the bus driver and another man were helping the women, a truck hit the bus driver. Yes, the truck driver was ticketed but unbelievably so was the bus driver, for jaywalking. Are you kidding me?!!!!!! The police officer stated that “jaywalking contributed to the cause of the accident”.

Under Arizona law, any evidence of the jaywalking citation against the bus driver would be inadmissible. However, there could be an argument that the bus driver contributed to the cause of the accident by not keeping a prudent watch for other vehicles on the roadway. “Comparative negligence” is applied in accident cases such as this. The negligence of every person involved can be considered in determining responsibility and damages. In this case, the bus driver’s financial recovery may be reduced or even denied, depending on how significantly his actions contributed to the accident.

I don’t know about you, but I hope the bus driver hires a good attorney, who proves that he was not negligent. Do we really need one more person in this world who isn’t willing to help a lady across the street, for fear of being held “liable” in some way for an accident? I certainly hope not.