Middle School Students Heading to Nation’s Capital at Time of Philadelphia School Tour Bus Accident
A tour bus filled with lively eighth grade students, chaperones, and teachers was heading from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., Monday morning, May 15, 2017, a trip to allow the young people the opportunity to take in sights of the nation’s capital. The students hit the road at about 7:30 in the morning, leaving their school in the City of Brotherly Love.
Within a matter of hours, the tour bus was involved in a major highway accident. Initial reports indicated that none of the children were killed in the accident. However, 30 passengers on the tour bus were transported to Baltimore area hospitals, including two individuals that were airlifted to medical centers due to the critical nature of their injuries.
Suspected Cause of the Philadelphia School Tour Bus Accident
Emergency and investigatory personnel were on the scene of the Philadelphia school tour bus accident immediately. With that noted, the investigation into the cause of the accident only just commenced. Nonetheless, preliminary reports from the scene indicate that the driver of an automobile attempting to pass the Philadelphia school tour bus lost control of that vehicle.
Upon the driver of the car losing control, automobile evidently veered across several lanes of traffic, clipping the Philadelphia school your bus. When the automobile that lost control clipped the tour bus, the bus itself likewise went out of control. The Philadelphia school tour bus ending up flipping on its side, skidding forward down the highway, across multiple lanes of traffic.
As an aside, a bus carrying Philadelphia police officers en route to Washington, D.C., was in close proximity to the Philadelphia school tour bus at the time of the accident. Reaching the scene directly after the Philadelphia school tour bus accident, the busload of Philadelphia police officers served as first responders.
Driver of Automobile in Philadelphia School Tour Bus Accident
The driver of the automobile that may be at least partially responsible for the Philadelphia school tour bus accident evidently was uninjured, or received injuries that did not necessitate transport to a hospital. In the more immediate aftermath of the accident, there was no information from law enforcement regarding what specifically may have caused the driver to lose control of that individual’s automobile. For example, law enforcement officials have released no information indicating that the car driver was speeding, intoxicated, texting, or otherwise distracted. More information from investigators about what caused the driver in question to lose control of that man or woman’s automobile is expected to be release in the immediate future.
Driver of Philadelphia School Tour Bus
Similarly, at the present time, there is no information from the Philadelphia school tour bus accident investigators about whether or not the driver of the tour bus somehow contributed to the accident. Oftentimes, in the case of a tour bus accident, there can be multiple parties who end up being held responsible for the incident.
What was known not long after the Philadelphia school tour bus accident was that Werner Coach, the operator of the tour bus, has received two violations during the past year for unsafe drivers. In one case, Werner Coach was cited for a driver who was using a handheld mobile device while driving a tour bus. The company was also cited for a driver who operated a tour bus beyond the 10-hour driving limitation.
Information on Legal Rights After an Event Like the Philadelphia School Tour Bus Accident
Parents who have children injured in the Philadelphia school tour bus accident, or a similar type of event, likely have a multitude of questions about the legal rights of their children. There are attorneys like the legal team at The Doan Law Firm, that have experience representing children and adults injured, or killed, in tour bus accidents.
Individuals with questions about the Philadelphia school your bus accident can obtain information by contacting The Doan Law Firm attorney hotline at (800) 349-0000. The Doan Law Firm tour bus accident hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 364 days a year, including all major holidays. The firm has offices nationwide.
A person with questions about legal rights following a tour bus accident can schedule an initial consultation with a member of The Doan Law Firm legal team. There is no charge for an initial consultation with a tour bus accident lawyer from The Doan Law Firm.
The Doan Law Firm has an attorney fee promise in a tour bus accident case, or any other personal injury matter. The Doan Law Firm never charges an attorney fee unless a favorable settlement or judgment is obtained for a client.