Are there laws dictating transportation for school field trips?

[Locut0s]

Something today reminded me of an event some years back when I was still in high school. Our grade 11 biology teacher wanted to take us on a field trip to a local bird sanctuary. Of course like any such field trip all students had to get parental approval notices signed etc.. etc.. There was no official transportation arranged however. The teacher took some students in her car and other students had to make their own plans on how to get there if they decided to go. Some went with other parents some drove themselves etc.. I had no real plan I was just going to hop into a friends car. What ended up happening was a friend of a friend offered to drive us there. Well we got there all right and FASSSTTT!!! I had never before been in and never want to be in a car going that fast ever again!! The guy driving was someone or else's brother and he wanted to show off. He made some extremely dangerous manoeuvres swerving in and out of traffic, we must have been going close to 200 km/hr at one point! I was white as a sheet when we got there and my legs felt like jelly that's how scared I was.

Question is if I had died during that incident what would have happened vis a vi the school's and the teacher's role in the matter? Who would or could have been found at fault in addition to the driver?

 

[TitanDiddly]

What would have happened:

You decided to get into a car. It turned out to be a bad decision and you died. That's all.

 

[gamepad]

I'm sure your parents can sue the school if you died going 120mph in that car. Unless of course the permission slips signed by your parents mentioned this lack of standard transportation.

 

[Locut0s]

Originally posted by: gamepad
I'm sure your parents can sue the school if you died going 120mph in that car. Unless of course the permission slips signed by your parents mentioned this lack of standard transportation.

Can't remember the details any more but I'm sure the permission slips mentioned that students had to make their own transportation arrangements.

 

[Locut0s]

Originally posted by: TitanDiddly
What would have happened:

You decided to get into a car. It turned out to be a bad decision and you died. That's all.

I'm not saying I think the teacher or school should necessarily be found at fault in such a case I'm just wondering legally if family members decided to push the issue who could potentially have been found at fault. Like I said the permission slips must have mentioned that students were to make their own transportation arrangements.

 

[mugs]

People like that deserved to be punched in the colon. So many teenagers die in car accidents because they think they can handle their car at those speeds and like to show off. That's fine if they want to do it when they're alone, I don't care if they commit suicide - but to do it when someone in the car doesn't want you to do it is messed up.

 

[Killerme33]

When I was in HS the school was a very big stickler about transportation for field trips. You had to ride the bus to and from the destination. You couldn't even have parents pick you up or take you there.

 

[Locut0s]

Originally posted by: mugs
People like that deserved to be punched in the colon. So many teenagers die in car accidents because they think they can handle their car at those speeds and like to show off. That's fine if they want to do it when they're alone, I don't care if they commit suicide - but to do it when someone in the car doesn't want you to do it is messed up.

Exactly. There were 2 of us in the car with the driver. My friend in the passenger seat and me in the back seat. I have to tell you for a few moments I felt what it must feel like to be kidnapped by someone and held against their will.

 

[alkemyst]

First I graduated back in 1989 before a lot of this sue happy and everyone has to make the team bullshit started.

I can't remember any permission slip that did not list what method of transportation was getting us there.

In today's world a school must stick with professional transport or worry about a private driver facing a lawsuit because some kid didn't get shotgun.

 

[GeekDrew]

In my experience both as a student and staff member, it all depends on the signed permission slip. Taking a bus is almost always the preferred method, though riding with staff members is generally permitted, providing the staff member carries appropriate insurance and is approved by the school to transport students prior to the event.

That said, I still hear of quite a few trips that are taken when it is required that the parent provide appropriate transportation, or the student isn't permitted to attend. As long as the parent approves of the method of transportation, that's really all that matters. :-\

 

[Injury]

This is why field trips are becoming outdated.