A number of bus accidents have caused injuries and obstructed traffic flow over the past few weeks in the United States.
In Philadelphia, a school bus accident hospitalized one individual on January 25.
According to the authorities, a miniature school bus collided with another vehicle. The struck vehicle, identified as a silver sedan, sustained moderate front end damage when the bus collided with the car before veering off the road and striking a large dumpster situated near a building.
Police reported that the individual injured was a 38 year-old woman, and that she was treated for minor injuries. No children were on the school bus at the time of the accident.
Currently, an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident.
Blackout causes NYC bus accident
Three people were injured when a New York City bus driver collided with several parked vehicles in Manhattan on the evening of January 25th.
According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the bus was moving north near 80th street on Madison Avenue when it crashed into a parked vehicle on the side of the road. The driver of the BxM18 city bus, 61-year old Kevin Prendergast, reportedly blacked out prior to the accident. Authorities believe that the driver’s loss of consciousness was responsible for the crash, which sent at least six people to the hospital with minor, non-life-threatening injuries. The driver was also taken to a nearby Manhattan hospital.
One passenger on the bus moved to assist when it appeared the driver had become incapacitated. “I just grabbed the wheel,” said Guy Praisler. “I tried to lean him back and steer a little bit. I pushed his leg to the side and was able to bring us to a stop.”
Of the 18 passengers on the bus, not all were aware of what was occurring until the bus crashed into the parked car.
“We didn’t realize what was happening at first. The ride just became unstable and very jerky,” said Arkady Krutkovich, bus passenger.
College tour halted after bus collides with overpass
A charter bus struck a bridge overpass in Boston on February 2, injuring 32 of the 42 bus passengers.
The 1996 Calvary Coach bus from Pennsylvania was traveling east on Soldier’s Field Road in Boston when it struck the overpass of the Western Avenue bridge. Preliminary reports from the Massachusetts state police office reported that the driver did not see a warning sign that barred busses from using the road, which is a major thoroughfare crossing Boston and connecting to the Massachusetts Turnpike.
The bus had been chartered to carry 42 high school students and chaperones from the Philadelphia area on a college tour. The students were en route to Harvard University when the crash occurred, authorities said. All of the passengers were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment of injuries, including three passengers with reportedly serious injuries.
Boston police and fire department personnel responded to the crash, as well as a number of specialized personnel, including troopers from the Collision Accident Reconstruction Section, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Section, a Massachusetts state police airwing unit, and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section. EMS and other first responders were at work for more than an hour removing passengers trapped in the wreckage.
Contact the Killino Firm today
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that there are nearly 300 fatal bus accidents each year. Commonly caused by drivers under the influence, reckless driving, and improper bus maintenance, bus accidents can cause severe injury or even death, leaving families and loved ones facing tremendous hardship.
If you or someone you love was injured or killed in a bus accident, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your medical, financial, and emotional hardships. To speak to an experienced personal injury attorney today, contact the Killino Firm right away.
