Bus Accident Injures Two Dozen, One Fatality

On Saturday, April 4, 2009, about 25 employees of a Squaw Valley ski resort, located approximately 96 miles from Sacramento, boarded a 1995 Euro Bus, which the resort provided as transportation for its employees to get to work from home. However, the ride ended tragically. The bus ended up leaving Interstate 80, drove through a guardrail, and rolled over.

The bus had no seat belts, and left about 24 people injured and one person dead. Of the 24 people who were injured, one passenger was in critical condition and 10 were hospitalized. The injuries ranged from broken wrists and ribs to internal injuries and head trauma. Some of the victims were too traumatized by the experience to speak to reporters about the incident. The employees were part of the kitchen and housekeeping staff of the resort.

Although California requires some school buses to have seat belts, state and federal laws do not require seat belts for commercial buses. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, studies have shown that seat belts provide greater safety for automobiles than for buses.

In this particular case, even though the California Highway Patrol (CHP) does not know the cause of the accident, the CHP suspects that driver fatigue might have led to the tragedy. According to the CHP, the driver, who survived the crash with severe head injuries, might have fallen asleep behind the wheel or had a medical emergency.

Bus Crash Statistics
Bus accidents are extremely dangerous, particularly when the bus rolls over and there are no seat belts. People can be thrown out of their seats and flung against the windows. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, in 2007, there were 1,332 bus crashes, including fatal and non-fatal crashes in California alone. Nationwide, there were a total of 13,195 bus fatalities and non-fatal crashes. Nationally, there were 322 bus crash fatalities, and 15,888 were injured due to bus accidents.

Causes of Bus Accidents
Under tort law, bus drivers and bus companies owe a duty of care to their passengers. Because buses carry several people at a time, bus drivers and their employers owe a higher standard of care to passengers. Often times, bus accidents are caused due to the negligence of the company or the bus driver. In particular, the following are the frequent causes for bus accidents:

• Bus driver is fatigued and not well-rested for the drive
• Company fails to check the bus is operating properly, for instance failing to check the brakes
• Bus is overloaded with too many passengers or too much luggage
• Bus makes a sudden stop, forcing another car to collide into the bus

Tragedies like the one in Squaw Valley are avoidable. So long as the buses are properly maintained, drivers receive adequate rest and training, and bus drivers follow safety rules, bus crashes can be prevented. However, if there is a bus accident, victims should know that they can be compensated for their injuries.

If you or someone you know was a passenger and injured in a bus collision, seek professional legal counsel right away to protect your rights and obtain the just compensation you deserve. For more information or assistance, contact me today.