Early this spring, the driver of a New York discount tour bus made a decision that caused 15 families to lose a loved one. He chose to drive under what have been called reckless circumstances and caused a bus accident that took the lives of half of the passengers on board.

The fatal event occurred in March of 2011 on Interstate 95 in the Bronx when the driver was transporting 30 passengers from a casino in Connecticut back to New York City in the early morning hours. Passengers were jolted awake when the bus driver abruptly swerved, lost control of the vehicle and collided with the support pole of a highway sign.

In one of the most gruesome accidents of the year, the pole swept through the bus causing the immediate death of several passengers when they were decapitated and injuries which delayed the deaths of several others. Investigators suspected fatigue from drinking in his off hours as a possible cause of the crash.

After the investigation, the driver was charged in criminal court, but evidence that has come to light during the trial has safety advocates taking a second look at transit procedures. According to prosecutors, the driver had three driving suspensions and a criminal record including manslaughter and larceny, a history the State Department of Motor Vehicles failed to find.

Screening processes are vitally important for finding drivers who will safely carry New York’s thousands of transit passengers. When a driver’s negligence causes the wrongful death of a loved one, the family often suffers emotional trauma, financial problems with the loss of an income and many more serious damages.

Source: The New York Times, “Driver in Deadly Bus Crash Knew He Was Dangerously Tired, Prosecutor Says,” Colin Moynihan, Sept. 1, 2011