Causes of Bus Accidents

Buses are generally used to transport groups of people safely and economically to a destination of shared interest, such as a church, a school or a casino. When groups charter tour buses and all goes as planned, the passengers arrive at their destination, enjoy their outing, and are safely returned to where their journey started. However, bus accidents do sometimes happen, and when they do, determining what caused the crash will be central to identifying who should be held responsible for the losses of those injured or the family and loved ones of those killed.

Authorities in Southern California are charged with the task of determining what caused the fatal accident that occurred on Oct. 23 in the number 3 lane of westbound Interstate 10 west of Indian Canyon Road in Desert Hot Springs. The crash occurred shortly after 5:00 a.m. band involved a tour bus and a big-rig. According to the California Highway Patrol, the tour bus was owned by USA Holiday Bus Tours, and the big-rig and trailer was carrying food product. The bus driver has also been identified as the owner of USA Holiday Bus Tours.

The USA Holiday tour bus accident involved a 1996 MCI passenger bus and a Freightliner truck with a trailer. There were 44 people aboard the tour bus, all of whom were either injured or killed. The CHP reports that the bus crashed into the rear of the trailer at a high rate of speed and with an impact significant enough to cause the trailer to intrude 15 feet into the bus.

Prior Accidents

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration records revealed that the tour bus had not been involved in any prior crashes. The bus had also been inspected in 2014, 2015 and April of 2016, and found to be without mechanical defects. Whether drugs, alcohol or fatigue played a role in the performance of either of the drivers was not immediately known.

All of the bus passengers were believed to have been asleep when the bus accident occurred, according to one of the crash survivors. The identities of the bus passengers were not immediately known, however authorities were in contact with the Mexican, Australian and Japanese consulates.

Injuries

Thirteen people, including the bus driver, died in the USA tour bus accident, and 31 others were injured. According to the CHP, the big-rig driver suffered moderate injuries. CHP and area fire rescue personnel arrived at the bus accident scene and the victims were triaged. The injured passengers were immediately dispatched to three area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to moderate.

When collisions such as the USA holiday tour bus accident happens, a number of law enforcement and governmental agencies will likely investigate the causes of bus accident. Agencies charged with investigating this casino bus accident include the Indio area CHP, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the reconstruction specialists Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team.

Those investigating the USA tour bus accident will consider the condition of the drivers and their vehicles to determine the causes of bus accident. Paramount in these considerations will be whether the drivers were fatigued or impaired by the use intoxicants such as alcohol or drugs. Investigators will also closely screen the mechanical condition of both the bus and the big-rig, road and visibility conditions, and the presence of any other road hazards at the casino bus accident site.

At the conclusion of an exhaustive investigation, liability for the crash may not only be assigned to one or both of the drivers, but also to the owners and manufacturers of the bus and big-rig, governmental agencies or municipalities charged with maintenance of the highway, and any other responsible parties. It is at this point when a bus accident victim may benefit from the assistance of a California bus accident lawyer.

What to do if you were injured

If you have been injured or a loved one was killed in a bus accident, a Los Angeles bus accident lawyer may be able to help you protect your legal right to recover your damages. At The Doan Law Firm, we specialize in personal injury and wrongful death law. Our team of dedicated attorneys and staff are available to our clients 24/7 to answer questions and provide full-service support, whether that means helping to get your medical bills paid or proactively pursuing recovery of compensation for your losses arising from the accident.

Contact us today

When you need an experienced California bus accident lawyer, contact The Doan Law Firm located at 12100 Wilshire Boulevard, 8th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90025. Our telephone number is (424) 334-0000, and someone is always available to answer your call. We understand that when you have been injured or a loved one has been killed in a bus accident, your attention will likely be consumed with other matters, so we assign a Los Angeles bus accident lawyer to move your legal claims along, leaving you free to focus on getting your life back to normal.