New York bus rear-ends semi, injures eight

When we step onto a mass transit vehicle we are placing a large amount of trust in the hands of the driver. We trust that they will keep us safe by obeying all traffic laws, staying awake behind the wheel, putting their cellphones down while driving and paying close attention to the surrounding traffic.

Passengers on a New York bus were jolted from their early morning lull when the bus they were riding in rear-ended a semi truck in front of them. The bus accidentoccurred on Tuesday morning, Oct. 18, 2011.

According to the New York police trooper who reported from the accident scene, at approximately 5: 35 in the morning, the bus was driving along the state Thruway, approximately 35 miles north of the busy city when it rear-ended the semi. The tractor trailer had slowed to allow another vehicle to enter the roadway safely after exiting a service plaza.

The driver of the bus carrying 16 passengers from Kingston to New York City failed to accurately judge the speed of the forward vehicle and ran straight into the back end of the trailer. The force of the accident caused several passengers to become injured during the crash.

Seven of the passengers and the driver were transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern. The passengers were all treated and released. The driver was also transported to the hospital where he remains in stable condition.

New York authorities continue to investigate the accident but have not reported any further details about the crash that caused the injuries.

Source: Associated Press, “8 injured in NY bus-semitrailer accident,” Oct. 18, 2011