Seven Years After Bus Accident, Lawsuit Settled and Healing Continues
On January 29, 2005 a team bus carrying the women’s Windsor Wildcats basketball team was involved in a bus accident. Four people were killed and 18 survived. Now, five years later, the lawsuit has been settled though many of the survivors still struggle with the events of that day.
Their coach, his son, a teammate and her mother were all killed in the accident. Many of the young women were seriously injured. According to the Windsor Star, some are lucky to be alive after the bus accident. Continue reading
Bus, truck crash en route to New York City
We have all heard the adage that “no news is good news.” This is especially true when it comes to bus accidents. When we cannot write about the damages caused to victims of an accident where they were a passenger on a mass transit vehicle, it is a good thing. Passenger injuries can change the lives of victims in an instance.
It is sad to have to report another bus accident that occurred with passengers en route to New York City. The bus was operated by Trans-Bridge and was carrying four passengers on Monday morning, Jan. 16, 2012 whose lives were about to change. Continue reading
Senate joins attempt to pass bus safety bill after horrific accidents
A recent series of horrific bus accidents, including one in New York that killed 15 people and injured 18 others in March, 2011, has spurred some members of Congress to try to take action. It is an uphill battle, though, and the proposed bus safety legislation faces strong opposition.
A disproportionate number of fatalities are occurring in curbside tour buses, which pick up passengers on the street rather than in bus terminals. Curbside buses have a crash fatality rate that is seven times higher than that of traditional terminal-based buses. Continue reading
Soldier who rescued New York bus accident victims receives honor
Over the summer the lives of several citizens were dramatically altered when they were involved in a New York bus accident. The crash was so severe that the bus burst into flames and could have ended the lives of many on board if it were not for a young soldier who risked his life to save the injured on board.
The soldier was honored this week for his selfless participation in the rescue of a number of passengers. The ceremony took place on Tuesday afternoon at a military post in New York – the same post the soldier had driven home from on the day of the crash. The man was honored with one of the highest military awards for a noncombat act of heroism, the Soldier’s Medal. Continue reading
Congressional advocates of intercity bus safety try again
Recently, there have been several horrific bus accidents in New York. In March 2011, 15 people were killed and 18 injured when a chartered tour bus, traveling at high speed from a Connecticut casino to Manhattan’s Chinatown, overturned in the Bronx on Interstate 19. Some of the victims were thrown out of the bus while others were trapped inside and at least one was decapitated.
In July, two people were killed and 35 injured in a crash in upstate New York in a tour bus headed for Niagara Falls. In another upstate New York accident that month, a tour bus coming from Canada crashed into a tractor trailer, killing the truck driver and one bus passenger, and injuring 30 passengers. Continue reading
New York bus driver fails to report accident while students onboard
A large number of fender benders do not result in injury. When a driver feels fine, it is completely up to them whether they will seek medical attention to determine any injury. When the driver is a school bus driver with passengers on board, there is a duty to make sure that the students are taken care of after even the smallest accident.
New York officials are investigating a school bus driver after he failed to report a bus accident that occurred while 21 students were onboard the vehicle. Not only did the students have to rely on the driver to bring them to school on time, but they also had to rely on the driver to keep them safe. Continue reading
New York bus accident risk increases with interstate curbside operations
In our last post, we discussed the statistical conclusion — based on accident data and inspection violations – that curbside buses are the riskier option for interstate travelers in New York and across the country. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the fatal bus accident rate for curbside operators was 1.4 percent for the period between 2005 and this past March when the New York accident taking 15 lives occurred.
The 1.4 percent statistic may not seem like a particularly large number, but when compared to the 0.2 percent fatal accident rate for conventional bus operators the number seems a lot bigger. When you realize that it is your life that is being gambled, that fatality rate may seem even greater. But why is there such a discrepancy between traditional buses and curbside operations? Continue reading
Cheap New York travel fares may save money but cost you your life
Money saving is on the minds of many New Yorkers these days as families find that the flow of money is not as swift as it may have been 10 years ago. Online sites and companies that offer deals on discount travel are becoming vastly popular when people still want to travel, but cannot do so at a high cost.
The curbside bus industry is one of those operations that offer incredibly low fares for interstate travel, but some safety experts say that it may cost you your life. According to a National Transportation Safety Board study, the curbside operations have a much higher fatal bus accident rate and violate a much larger number of safety violations. Continue reading
UPDATE: One third of inspected New York buses pulled from service
New York state officials decided to launch a string of bus safety inspections that began in late September as discussed in a prior post. The inspections came in response to the call for action after a fatal bus accident killed 15 people.
The fatal bus accident occurred in March of 2011 on Interstate 95 in the Bronx. The 30 passengers were nearing their final destination on their return from a Connecticut casino when they were awaken by a sharp twist of momentum and the frightening sound of twisting metal. The mass transit driver had lost control of the vehicle and struck a sign on the side of the highway. Continue reading
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. Continue reading
National Transportation Safety Board pushes to protect bus passengers
Distracted driving has become a focus in the transportation safety world as the number of accidents caused by people texting while driving, checking their email or talking on a cellphone increases on a daily basis.
People who choose to use cellphones while driving are taking the risk that they will be involved in an accident, but commercial drivers who choose to text or talk while behind the wheel risk not only their life in a serious bus accident, but the lives of all of their passengers. Continue reading
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