With the summer tourism season approaching, federal and state regulators are cracking down on busing companies in an attempt to slow the rising wave of tour bus accidents involving rogue busing companies. While the inspections are being conducted by federal regulators under the auspices of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in 13 Eastern states and the District of Columbia, it is part of a more general movement to protect travelers from unsafe bus companies.
While school bus accidents are the most common form of busing accident in Mississippi, the crackdown in the wake of several fatal bus crashes involving tour buses in recent years highlights the risk when busing operators do not carefully monitor vehicle maintenance and screen or supervise drivers appropriately. Federal inspections of buses have increased dramatically because of the wave of busing accidents in recent years from 12,991 to 25,705 between 2005-2010. Federal regulators shut down 54 busing companies just last year because of safety violations involving the condition of the bus or driver related safety issues.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed additional safety measures including anti-rollover equipment. Rollover accidents involving buses can be particularly deadly because bus occupants may be ejected from the bus and crushed underneath. Even when bus occupants remain within the protective shell of the bus, seat belts or air bags do not protect occupants so they may be slammed against the roof or other hard surfaces within the bus. The anti-rollover equipment being advocated by the NHTSA has proven effective in preventing vehicle rollover accidents involving passenger vehicles and small trucks. The technology being proposed to prevent bus rollover accidents involves a computer system that monitors braking and adjusts brake pressure on individual wheels to compensate for hard steering maneuvers.
While busing accidents are less common than other forms of motor vehicle accidents, they can result in severe injury and wrongful death. Bus accidents may occur because of the failure to properly maintain the bus, including tires and brakes. These dangerous collisions may also result from inadequate screening of bus drivers who have prior driving violations or drug or alcohol abuse issues. Other drivers may not be properly trained or supervised once hired by a busing company.
If you or someone you love suffers serious injury or a loved one dies in a Mississippi busing accident, you or your loved one may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries. Our experienced Mississippi busing accident attorneys at Barrett Law carefully investigate our clients’ cases so that we can construct the strongest legal position to obtain the recovery our clients need to rebuild. At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi. Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.