Unsafe Bus Enters United States Without Safety Inspection
A National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB) investigative hearing on a fatal bus crash in Texas began on Tuesday. According to this article, there were no motor safety officers on duty when the unsafe bus crossed the US border into Texas. Hours later it caused a fatal bus crash that killed one man and injured 47 others.
According to NTSB investigator Pete Kotowski, "no safety inspection was conducted.”
The bus was returning to Houston from Monterrey, Mexico when it crashed near Victoria, Texas. The driver veered off the road and overcorrected, which caused it to flip and strike a guardrail.
NTSB regulator Debbie Hersman, who chaired the hearing, said loopholes were used to put the bus on the road even though, by federal safety standards, it was an unsafe or defective motor vehicle.
She also said federal government systems used by enforcement and registration officials are not adequate to detect which passenger-carrying vehicles fail to meet federal safety standards.
Capricorn Bus Lines Inc. of Houston owned the bus and leased it to International Charter Services Inc., also of Houston. By leasing the bus to International Charter Services, the vehicle could make the trip into Mexico. Without the lease, it would have had to stay within Texas.
Stories about people getting injured in bus accidents have been making headlines this year. According to the article, initially, many of the crashes have been blamed on a missed curve, a tired driver, or tire problem. However, investigations into the crashes uncovered bigger problems such as poor screening of drivers and bus companies that were shut down but were still operating in the U.S.
All of these holes in regulation of the passenger bus industry show a need for tighter enforcement.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a bus accident, please contact Cherry Fieger and Marciano, LLP today for a free consultation with one of our experienced lawyers.
The Philadelphia Pennsylvania traffic accident lawyers at Cherry Fieger and Marciano, LLP have the experience and knowledge which are necessary to represent clients involved in even the most complex auto accident cases. When preparing your case, our skilled team of attorneys will review all relevant facts to assist in determining which party was at fault and who should assume responsibilities. Some factors which may be of importance during this process may include road conditions, weather conditions, the condition of the vehicles involved (i.e. faulty or defective auto parts), and whether or not alcohol or drugs were involved.
