Bus injuries and accidents don’t have to be large, dramatic incidents in order to result in lifelong pain and suffering. Even a simple slip and fall while getting on a bus and trying to pay your fare can adversely affect the rest of your life.

Bus companies should be looking out for you and being extra careful about the drivers they allow to operate their 11-ton vehicles, but as increasing news stories tell us, they are not. In 2013, Broward County’s Sun Sentinel reported that Florida’s second-largest bus system had a history of allowing drivers with accidents and other violations to stay on the road. Some drivers had even been fired and rehired despite a long history of accidents.

While the majority of bus drivers are sensible and safe, it only takes one bad bus operator to ruin your life. There are some things that you can do in order to reduce the likelihood of injury:

• Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before approaching it
• Do not cross the road immediately in front of a bus
• Always cross at crosswalks when the sign indicates it’s safe
• Hold the handrail when you get on or off the bus
• Look at the stairs and doorway to make sure your path to enter or exit the bus is clear