Heading out on a tour bus is usually a fun way to reach a vacation destination and enjoy some sightseeing along the way. Unfortunately, a bus accident has the potential to injure many individuals.
People in San Diego may have heard about a bus crash earlier this month that sent nine passengers and the bus driver to the hospital with various injuries. The bus was traveling from Los Angeles to the Casino Pauma in Sand Diego County when the brakes apparently failed, and the out-of-control bus was unable to negotiate a sharp curve on the highway. Instead, the bus slammed into a guard rail and then hit a number of trees along the side of the road. There were 18 passengers aboard the bus at the time of the crash, several of which suffered injuries and needed immediate medical attention.
The driver was a 58-year-old man, and police do not believe that alcohol or drugs played a factor in the accident, which occurred around 11:00 at night. Instead, the driver alleged that the bus suffered a brake failure, which kept him from slowing to a safe speed before taking the turn. The bus was built in 1996. The accident is still under investigation as inspectors try to piece together the fateful events of the evening.
In a bus accident, the tour bus driver, as well as the company that provides the transportation, have a duty to keep their passengers safe from harm. In a bus or car accident where a passenger is injured due to negligence, the passenger may be able to bring a civil suit against the driver or operator for damages. Transportation companies have a duty to employ responsible drivers and keep their vehicles in safe operating condition. If they failed in either of those respects, they could face tremendous liability from the injured passengers.
Source: Los Angeles Times “10 in hospital after tour bus crash on way to San Diego County casino,” Tony Perry, Sept. 2, 2013
