Personal Injury Law

Bus Accidents Spur Increased Oversight

 Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, founding partner

The Houston Chronicle reported that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has "called for tighter oversight of the passenger bus industry in the wake of a fatal Jan. 2, 2008, crash that killed a passenger after the driver fell asleep at the wheel." The NTSB "urged other federal agencies, namely the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal Motor Coach Safety Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, to better coordinate efforts to root out buses and other coaches that don't meet U.S. safety standards."

Under Department of Transportation regulations, carriers are required to ensure their drivers are fully qualified. Before stepping onto a bus or motor coach, do some research.  Here are some questions any company should answer without hesitation, or you should reconsider using that company's services:

Ask the carrier:

• Will the driver of the vehicle possess a current Commercial Driver's License with a "passenger" endorsement?
• Will the driver hold a valid medical certificate?
• Does the company have a driver drug and alcohol testing program that complies with DOT regulations?

And here's some additional useful information from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration:

"Ask for the carrier's USDOT identification number and its MC number. The MC number represents interstate operating authority issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Using the MC number, you may obtain insurance information about the carrier on the Internet at http://li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov. Using the U.S. DOT identification number, you may obtain safety information about the carrier on the Internet or by calling (703) 280-4001. If you have a regulatory question, please call (202) 366-6121.

This information is also available on the Internet at http://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov ."

About 63,000 buses are involved in traffic crashes each year, resulting in approximately 325 deaths and 14,000 non-fatal injuries. As a lawyer who dedicates his practice to representing victims of carelessness, including people who have been injured as a result of mass transit collisions, I know first-hand how important it is to increase oversight of the industry.  By not adhering to federal and local regulations, company's place passengers and others on the roadway in serious peril.  Urge your legislators to take this matter seriously.

Travel safely.

About the author:

Full post as published by DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog on December 10, 2009 (boomark / email).