U.S. responds to concerns raised after fatal New York City bus accident

Last week, we wrote about a fatal bus accident in New York City that took the lives of fifteen people. Although the cause of the crash has not been determined in a court of law, the bus driver was suspected of recklessly drinking during his hours off duty set aside for sleep. On the return trip, he allegedly became fatigued, swerving the bus into a support pole that ripped the bus apart.

The prior post reported the discussion that had erupted after the bus crash, calling into question the safety procedures and processes in place for mass transit. It appears as though traffic officials heard the debate and responded this week by conducting thousands of surprise bus inspections across the nation.

Federal, state and local police cooperated to conduct the unexpected inspections after Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood made it clear that U.S inspectors would use “every legal and enforcement tool available to shut down unsafe bus companies.”

The surprise inspections set to begin today, Friday, Sept. 23 were strategically planned to occur in connection with today’s bus safety summit held in Washington. Executives from bus corporations and transit regulators will meet to discuss ideas on how to reduce the number of annual bus crashes.

“This summit is about preventing needless tragedies and saving lives,” LaHood told reporters. “We’ve seen the horrific consequences when motor coach companies do not make safety a top priority.”

While it is admirable that the government is taking note of the number of serious bus accidents that cause devastation to families across the nation, accidents still occur. If you have been seriously injured at the hands of a negligent bus driver, experienced personal injury attorneys can discuss your case with you and help determine what compensation you may be entitled to.

Source: Bloomberg, “U.S. Starts Inspection Crackdown Before Bus-Safety Meeting,” Jeff Plungis, Sept. 23, 2011