Would You Be Safe in a Texas Bus Accident?

Early this morning, a semi truck struck a tour bus on Interstate 90 in New York, instantly killing the truck driver. Out of the 53 passengers onboard the bus at the time of the collision, at least 30 were injured.

Investigators are not sure why the accident happened, but they preliminarily announced that the bus had broken down and may have been pulling back onto the interstate when the truck collided with it. Shortly after the collision, the bus erupted into a ball of fire. Officials say that the death toll would have been much higher, but that a soldier who came upon the accident risked his own life to save people from the burning bus.

This most recent bus accident comes in a rash of accidents involving tour buses, including one bus accident in Texas. Last month, another bus crashed just outside Richmond, Virginia, killing four people on board. The driver of that bus, Kin Yiu Cheng, was charged with reckless driving. Sky Express, the owner of the bus, has had a record of safety problems.

And just last Monday, another bus crashed on a New York highway, killing two passengers. Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of that accident, but believe that a blown tire may be to blame.

So far this year, the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety estimate that 32 people have been killed in bus accidents across the country, and another 323 have been injured. Compare these numbers with those obtained just last year, and you'll find there's already been an increase in the number of fatalities and injuries from these accidents. Only seven months into the year, and already we have surpassed the 30 deaths and 272 injuries caused by bus accidents that occurred in 2010.

But many wonder whether the statistics given by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are accurate. According a USA Today investigative report, the NHTSA has underreported the number of deaths from bus accidents since at least 1995. This underreporting has led people to believe that despite their lack of seat belts, these tour buses are safer than most other forms of travel.  

If you were a passenger on a bus that was involved in an accident and you were injured, you deserve to know your rights. Contact Texas bus accident attorney Kay Van Wey today at 800-489-5082.