New York to Pump $1 million into Bus Safety Inspections

The state has slated $1 million to go toward bus inspections, an effort prompted by a year that saw catastrophic bus accidents on New York roads. According to LoHud.com, the new program came after the March 2011 bus crash on Interstate 95 that killed 15 people and the October accident on the New York State Thruway that left eight people dead. The New York Department of Transportation (NYDOT) currently performs 160,000 inspections of buses every year but that will now increase. The new system will require buses to be inspected several times a year and the companies with the poorest records will see more inspections. Every bus company will be reviewed at least twice a year.
The March 2011 accident involved a bus coming back from a casino trip in Connecticut when it flipped over and slid into a pole, tearing the roof off. Federal investigators found the bus driver was speeding and had the bus up to 80 mph when it tipped. The October bus crash involved a New York Trailways coach that crashed into the back of a truck. Eight charter bus companies had their operating licenses suspended in July after it was found that the companies failed three or more roadside inspections. The NYDOT also held 2,000 impromptu inspections and there were nearly 200 tickets issued, 173 bus drivers suspended and 143 buses pulled from the road. The investigation discovered there were some drivers who had criminal records or had used aliases to apply for multiple licenses.
A recent report on bus accident statistics shows that New York is among the top three states for fatal bus accidents. The report from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute states there were 354 fatal bus accidents in 2007 nationwide, 25 of which occurred in New York.
Bus drivers and bus companies are responsible for safely transporting their passengers. Mass carriers — both public and private — owe their passengers the “utmost duty of care,” which means that they are responsible at all times for getting passengers to their destinations in a safe manner. If the driver or his or her employer was at fault in an accident, they may be held liable for any injuries or property damages that occur as a consequence.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a New York bus accident, the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please call our offices 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: Lohud.com