San Francisco Attorney Discusses Accident-Prone N-Judah Line
Frequent collisions on the N-Judah have made it Muni’s most accident-prone line, according to articles in the San Francisco Examiner and The Huffington Post. The N-Judah, which travels from Ocean Beach to the Caltrain station on Fourth and King Streets, was involved in a whopping 84 collisions between 2008 and 2011, averaging out to about 1 every 13 days. The M-Ocean View line was also involved in 58 accidents during that period. In contrast, the safest line was the K-Ingleside with only about 26 accidents during the same time period—still an unacceptably high number in my opinion.
N-Judah’s Frequent Collisions Have Become a Way of Life for Some in San Francisco
For some Muni passengers, constant accidents or derailments are just a way of life, reports the San Francisco Examiner, but Bay Area accident lawyers know that such interruptions in service can have serious consequences for our city’s residents. Unsafe public transit is a significant danger for pedestrians, passengers, and other vehicles. I have handled numerous Muni cases, including those involving buses, cable cars, and LRVs/streetcars. In some of our cases, two Muni vehicles collided. On the LRVs, there is continuous video, which can be preserved and makes for powerful evidence of trauma. (See our post regarding the installation of cameras aboard Muni vehicles, which has helped reduce Muni’s accident rate, here.)
According to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), the N-Judah carries more passengers and requires more service than any other line, which is apparently one reason it has been involved in so many collisions. The agency also noted that the number of Muni accidents has dropped for the past three years.
San Francisco Transit Activist Cites Problems with the N-Judah’s Route
But a San Francisco transit activist cites problems such as the N-Judah’s route through dense neighborhoods as one of the reasons for the line’s frequent accidents. Issues such as double-parked cars or careless drivers are hazards on narrow and crowded streets. While these problems are realities of commuting in a city, our San Francisco Muni injury attorneys know that Muni drivers must be held to a high standard because so many citizens place enormous trust in them on a daily basis.
While the N-Judah may not become the safest Muni line anytime soon, there are some solutions that the SFMTA could employ in the meantime. For one thing, it is imperative that Muni drivers receive continued training on traveling through San Francisco’s busy streets so that as many accidents as possible can be avoided.
What Can You Sue For in California Personal Injury Cases?
In a California personal injury case, victims are entitled to be compensated for the value of medical and other care, for pain, suffering, and mental suffering, for damage to your car and any other property, and for lost wages. Typically, California has a two-year statute of limitations for accident cases. However, it is important to remember that accidents with a public transit vehicle have a shorter statute of limitations because they involve a governmental entity. Claims against a public entity must be filed with the appropriate agency within 6 months of the date of harm.
Request a Consult with San Francisco Muni Accident Lawyers
Our Muni accident lawyers are experienced with cases involving San Francisco Muni buses and streetcars. We have represented passengers riding Muni vehicles, pedestrians struck by Muni vehicles, and drivers whose cars were hit by Muni vehicles.
Boone Callaway is a personal injury & medical malpractice lawyer in San Francisco who has been working with clients in the Bay Area for over 25 years. Mr. Callaway is one of only a few personal injury litigators in San Francisco who is a Super Lawyer, AV Rated and is also a member of ABOTA – American Board of Trial Advocates.
