Bus accidents are relatively rare but when they do happen, they generally result in serious injuries or even death. What’s even more frustrating than dealing with the deaths and seriousness of these accidents is that the cause often isn’t known. This can be especially frustrating for the loved ones of whose who’ve been injured or lost their lives. If you’ve been in this situation, please contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 to learn more about who you may be able to hold responsible for bus crashes.
Five passengers died in Merced County
The fatal bus accident in question happened in Merced County in the early hours. The California Highway Patrol is still investigating but there are a few things they know. First of all, they know that the driver of the bus was a 57-year old man. He was driving a charter bus that had 30 people on board. It was heading toward Washington State.
For some reason, the driver lost control of the bus. He hit a pole on Highway 99 near Liberty Avenue in Atwater. It happened just after 3 in the morning. There are reports that several helicopters were brought in to take the seriously injured driver and six or more passengers to hospitals in the area. While we do know that at last five people lost their lives, the full extent of injuries isn’t yet clear.
The media has come up with some information the authorities are not yet releasing
The authorities are keeping quiet as they continue their investigation, but the media has found some information that may be relevant as we look for answers to how and why this accident happened. They’ve found safety records of the bus that was involved in the accident as well as its operator. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rated the operator as satisfactory.
However, that operator has been cited for not following vehicle maintenance regulations 23 times since 2014. The records further show that eight of those 23 violations were serious enough that the inspectors insisted that the buses in question be taken out of service. The bus involved in the crash described above was cited just four months before the crash for numerous safety violations.
Is driver fatigue responsible for the crash?
Some are guessing that driver fatigue may be at least partially to blame for the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board has found that more than one in three bus accidents does involve a driver who was fatigued, and only about one out of every five accidents is the result of poor road conditions. Weather reports show that the highway was clear and dry when the accident happened.
Bus drivers and operators may face criminal and civil charges
If it’s found that the bus driver didn’t follow the laws regarding how many hours they can drive in a day and how long they can drive without a break, then they could be held criminally responsible. Likewise, if the operator forced the driver to drive beyond their approved hours then they could be held legally responsible.
