Public transportation is often seen as a cost effective, safe alternative to driving your own car. Unfortunately, sometimes the negligence of other drivers turns your safe ride into a hospital visit. When you are injured in a car accident, it is easy to get distracted from the financial aspect of your hospital visit when you are in so much pain.

Imagine on top of the pain and potential financial repercussions, the driver of the vehicle that caused the crash runs, and police can't find them. That's exactly what happened to a bus driver and passengers of another car involved in an accident in Atlanta late last week.

The driver of a car ran into another car at an intersection, which then hit a bus, leaving multiple people injured. The at-fault vehicle then fled the scene. The bus driver was taken to a local hospital with back and neck injuries and the driver and passenger of the other car were also taken with unknown injuries.

If someone helps find the run-away driver, and they can be linked back to the accident, it is likely they could be liable for the medical bills and maybe even pain and suffering damages for those injured in the crash. It is always important to know your rights when you are injured in a car accident. Because the driver that caused the accident can't be found, it is important to know what rights you have with your insurance company as well as what you might be entitled to if the other driver is found.

Source: CBS Atlanta, "Police search for driver who fled crash witrh car, MARTA bus," Melissa Roberts, Dec. 16, 2011