A Southern California tour bus crash sent 15 people to the hospital this week. The crash occurred when the bus driver rear-ended a big rig truck. A total of 36 people were on board the bus at the time. There were no fatalities.
The bus company that owns the vehicle that was involved in this bus crash has been the subject of scrutiny in the past, both from the press and regulators. In fact, reports had recently surfaced that the company was still operating despite a terrible safety record. Investigative journalists found that drivers from the company were routinely distracted and often use their cellphones on the job in violation of California law. It is not clear exactly what caused this crash. The driver said that he could not see because of fog, but the National Weather Service has stated that there were no foggy conditions at the time of the accident.
Equally concerning is the state of the buses themselves. The bus involved in this crash had some major safety issues that should have resulted in taking it off of the road.
When facts like this surface it is easy to see that there was negligence on the part of the bus company and that regulators may not have done enough to protect innocent consumers. California residents have a right to get on a tour bus and to know that the driver will be properly trained and compliant with traffic laws and that the vehicle will be safe for use. When that is not the case and people are injured, the victims have a right to seek compensation for the harm that was done through the negligence of others.
Source: NBC Los Angeles, “15 Passengers Hospitalized in Central Valley Tour Bus Crash,” Jonathan Lloyd, Jan. 14, 2014.
