“Safety Sweeps” in 13 States to Keep Buses Safe

Federal inspectors are running roadside bus inspections to ensure passengers are kept safe this summer as travel picks up. The inspections come as a result of several recent bus accidents and glaring violations and questionable practices among these bus companies.

According to USA Today, the sweeps began earlier this month when the National Transportation Safety Board released their findings in an investigation into the deadly casino tour bus crash last year.

The inspections are designed to keep both unsafe buses and unsafe drivers off the roads. They are focusing on 13 states including New York and New Jersey as well as Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

These buses have become more and more popular in recent years as travelers look for more inexpensive modes of transportation.

The inspections focus on mechanical problems on the actual buses and on the drivers, checking to make sure their paperwork is up to date, they are working the right number of hours to remain safe, and that they are “medically fit.”

Between 2005 and 2010, such roadside inspections have reportedly doubled in an effort to keep the roads safe. As a result of these inspections and other investigations, 54 bus companies were put out of service, including the World Wide Travel of Greater New York, the company responsible for the casino-bus wreck.

Additional safety efforts include passing a law banning bus drivers from texting or holding a cell phone while driving. These laws were passed in January 2010, though some drivers have been accused of using hand-held phones in moments leading up to bus accidents since the law went into effect.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also proposed anti-rollover equipment for larger buses. This equipment is said to “monitor the vehicle’s movement and provide computer-assisted braking.” They say that the equipment could prevent more than half of rollovers and one out of every seven bus crashes. It could be used on all buses in as little as two years.

Safety precautions like these are crucial if more and more people are going to be using these buses. We need to know that the transportation we choose is as safe as possible.

If you have been involved in a bus accident, the attorneys with Omrani & Taub, P.C. can be reached at 212-529-7848.