Articles Posted in Bus Accident

Each year, almost four million people ride the MBTA in Boston. The Transit system is the country’s oldest in operation, and connects all corners of the city through five subway lines and a fleet of 178 bus routes. When passengers board an MBTA bus, they would like to believe that they are safe-safer, perhaps, than they would be anywhere else on the road. Buses are often the largest vehicles on the street, and their sturdy metal frame makes them seem indestructible, but bus accidents are still responsible for hundreds of injuries every year in Boston. As victims of motor vehicle accidents know, some of these injuries can cause permanent damage that can forever alter someone’s lifestyle, or even lead to death.

Bus accidents involve more factors than the common fender bender between two cars. The cause for the accident could be attributed to negligence by the bus driver, the driver of another vehicle, distraction by a passenger, or perhaps faulty equipment on either vehicle. Each incident, of course, is unique and must be investigated thoroughly. Something to be considered, however, is the fact that the buses are usually carrying numerous passengers, which increases the number of injuries. MBTA buses carry a maximum of almost 50 passengers, meaning that every single one of those people has the potential to be injured in an accident.
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A school bus was involved in a crash on Massachusetts Interstate 93 on Tuesday afternoon while carrying 58 passengers.

According to police officials, the bus was traveling near exit 8 on the Southeast Expressway when it was involved in the single-vehicle accident. 54 students and 4 adults were on the bus, including the driver. Authorities said that no one on the bus was injured. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Buses and other modes of public transportation are utilized by millions of people each year. As a parent, having a child travel on a school bus can be worrisome, especially since children are particularly susceptible to sustaining an injury as seatbelts are typically not required to be worn on school buses.

When children are injured in school bus accidents, a number of questions race through a parent’s mind as to what the next step, aside from getting the obvious necessary treatment for injuries, should be. Cases involving school buses can become extremely complex as often school bus drivers are technically considered third parties to the school because they are usually employed by a private bus company. It is generally in the best interest of a person who is involved in this type of incident to seek the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney who specializes inhttps://www.altmanllp.com/bus-accidents-school-bus-accidents.html school bus accident cases.
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A Revere woman was killed after being struck and dragged nearly half-a-mile by an MBTA bus Tuesday evening.

According to police reports, Gayle Johnson of Revere, was fatally hit by the 110 MBTA bus around 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Johnson had left her job in Medford and boarded the bus for a five-mile trip home. Police suspect that Johnson had gotten off at her stop when she was struck and dragged. When first responders arrived Johnson was dead in the street.

Police are investigating whether the bus driver was impaired at the time of the accident. Officials claim the 56-year-old driver showed no signs of impairment and was subjected to drug and alcohol testing, which is MBTA policy. The driver has not yet been charged, and the case still remains under investigation. This incident is dynamic in that it involved the MBTA and was a hit-and-run accident.

More than 4,000 pedestrians are killed each year according to the National Highway Traffic Administration. In fact, pedestrian accidents represent 3% of all fatal auto-related incidents in the United States.

Most hit-and-run accidents occur in metropolitan areas where there is a high volume of both automobile and pedestrian traffic. 73% of all pedestrian accidents occur in urban settings, and typically these types of accidents take place during nighttime hours. Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, speeding and reckless driving, and distracted driving by motor-vehicle operators are the most common factors that cause pedestrian accidents. About 20% of drivers involved in pedestrian accidents flee the scene according to the NHTSA.
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The man behind the wheel of a Worcester bus that crashed into a home earlier this week was on his first day on the job.

file000340448584.jpgAccording to his employers at Worcester Regional Transit Authority, the driver, Francis Artey of Worcester, had just gone through a “rigorous” training eight-week training program before his first day of work on Monday. According to Worcester officials, Artey crashed into the home in Auburn around 5 p.m. Monday afternoon, while two other passengers were riding the bus.

John Carney of the Worcester bus company said that Artey was an experienced driver and had a clean driving record. Authorities believe it’s possible that Artey may have suffered a medical emergency, or that the bus encountered a mechanical problem because it appeared the brakes had not been applied before the bus hit the house.

The owner of the home said the bus drove straight through the kitchen and the bus stopped only a matter of feet from where her children were playing. Seven people were injured during the crash, and the bus driver is still in serious condition. The four residents managed to walk away from the accident with only minor scrapes and bruises, and authorities say that the house, which was pushed more than seven feet off its foundation, will now need to be torn down.

Luckily none of the victims, with the exception of the driver, were severely injured during the accident. Though there are few details about why the accident occurred in the first place, we can speculate that the bus company may be liable for the accident-whether it occurred because the driver had a health emergency, the bus driver was unqualified, or because the bus incurred a mechanical malfunction.
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Thirty-four junior high school students were injured and taken to hospitals following a three vehicle crash involving a school bus yesterday.

The accident occurred at about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday morning along Route 9 in Newton when a Metco bus traveling toward Lexington rear-ended a car stopped at a stop light, causing that vehicle to hit another car.School%20bus.jpg

Eleven of the students on the bus suffered minor injuries and were taken to area hospitals, while the remaining 23 students were taken to hospitals only as a precaution.

The cause of the accident is still unknown and remains under investigation. According to State Police, no citations have yet been issued.

Each year, thousands of children are injured in school bus accidents. Having your child be involved in an accident is traumatic and is something that no parent should ever have to endure. Whether dropping off kids at the bus stop, having his or her child go on a field trip, or even sending kids off to summer camp, there are always concerns in the back of every parent’s mind about who is driving his or her children, like has the bus driver had enough sleep? Has the bus driver been drinking? Should he or she be wearing glasses? Does the bus driver have a smart phone and will he or she text and drive? You can’t stop putting your child on the school bus, but hopefully bus companies will make sure that their drivers are providing the safest environment for all children.

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The driver of the Calvary Coach bus that crashed into an overpass on Soldiers Field Road in Boston in February has been criminally charged.
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Samuel J. Jackson, 67, of Philadelphia was charged with operating negligently to endanger as well as failing to obey a sign and driving a bus on a Department of Conservation roadway. The bus he was driving was carrying a group of Philadelphia teenagers who had just toured Harvard University.

According to investigators, Jackson failed to heed warning signs prohibiting buses and large trucks from traveling down that stretch of highway, and did not slow the bus upon entering the tunnel, which was shorter than the bus’s height. The crash caused serious damage to the bus’s roof, and portions of its front and frame were significantly damaged. 39 passengers were injured during the accident.

While this accident happened back in February, it seems like we are reading about this horrific event as if it happened only a few days ago. There are now pending charges against the driver, which will be handled in a Massachusetts courtroom.
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A bus transporting members of the University of Maine women’s basketball team crashed north of Boston Tuesday night. The bus crossed the median of Interstate 95 and four northbound lanes before plowing into the woods, severely injuring the driver and causing minor injuries to many passengers.

Emergency responders freed the unidentified driver from, and transported him or her by MedFlight helicopter to Boston Medical Center. The team’s coach suffered facial lacerations. The players were more fortunate, sustaining what seemed to be less severe injuries.

University of Maine assistant coach and former WNBA recruiter Jhasmine Player described how the accident unfolded. “We hit the strip, and that is how we knew something was going on,” Player said. “From there, all I saw was lights. The only screams we heard were from our coaches who told us to get down and stay down.” “Our head coaches were able to tell us to get down and brace ourselves,” Player said.

Authorities said they are still trying to determine the cause of the accident at around 8:30 p.m., but their early stages of the investigation point to the driver having some kind of a medical incident, said State Police spokesman David Procopio. The driver was conscious when investigators interviewed him at Boston Medical Center, said Major Arthur Sugrue of the State Police early Wednesday. He suffered several broken bones, but not any fatal injuries, Sugrue said. Authorities are unlikely to charge the driver with any crimes, but troopers will verify whether his medical records were current, Sugrue said.

Sugrue said investigators will examine any footage they recover from the bus’ black box. He added that there was no evidence the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Around the country, anxious parents checked in with their children by phone to make sure they were ok. In Worcester, Leo Nalivaike said her daughter called briefly to report she was uninjured but being taken to the hospital for examination. “She’s shaken up and nerved up, and of course being parents — of course we’re also shaken up,” said Nalivaika. “This could’ve been worse. We’re just hoping for the best for the bus driver and the rest of the squad.”
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A chartered bus carrying high school students and their adult chaperones crashed into a bridge in Boston, injuring more than 30 people, said Massachusetts State Police.

The accident happened Saturday night as the Destined for a Dream Foundation group was returning to the Philadelphia area after visiting Harvard University.

Boston EMS reported injuries to 34 people, with one person hospitalized with life-threatening injuries and three others seriously injured. The other passengers sustained minor injuries.

Authorities are investigating the incident, and have not charged the driver, Samuel J. Jackson, 66, of Philadelphia as of Sunday evening, said David Procopio, spokesman for the State Police. Bus owner Raymond Talmedge said police are interviewing Jackson, who apparently didn’t see a sign banning vehicles from that particular route.

Authorities are examining the bus, and a collision reconstruction team is working on a report that will take up to six weeks to finish, Procopio said.

Jackson may have been checking his GPS at the time of the accident, said Talmadge. “He said he looked at the GPS, looked down to make the turn, and when he looked back up, the bridge was a low bridge. He hit the low bridge,” Talmadge told ABC-6 TV in Philadelphia. Jackson has not yet commented on the incident.

Mary Slayton of Bistol, Pennsylvania, said her nephew, a student, and her sister, a chaperone, were on the bus when the accident occurred. He escaped without injury, but her sister is hospitalized at Brigham and Women’s after severe injury to her neck, spine, and head. She might have to stay at the hospital for a week. “She’s not doing well,” Slayton said. “She’s a little out of it.

The Destined for a Dream Foundation’s website states that the group offers educational and athletic programs to underprivileged students. Jeff Neal, a Harvard spokesman, said that the Philadelphia area students toured the Harvard campus on Sunday afternoon, led by staff in the Harvard Undergraduate Minority Recruitment Program of the university’s admissions office.

The American Red Cross of Eastern Massachusetts is housing family members of some of the injured passengers in local hotels, and providing mental health specialists, said spokeswoman Kat Powers.
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The driver of a car was cited on Tuesday for failing to stop at a stop sign on Providence Highway and as a result caused a crash with a Route 34E bus in Dedham. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority reported that six people were injured in the car and bus crash. Five people on the bus were taken to hospitals in the area with back injuries. The 19-year-old driver of the car was taken to Norwood Hospital with a back injury.

Although the accident is still under investigation, MBTA spokeswoman Lydia Rivera reported that the bus was damaged on the right side and that the car was dented at the front.

The MBTA website provides passengers with emergency safety information and recommendations in the case of an emergency or accident. For bus transit emergencies, MBTA recommends to:

• Remain calm and to follow the instructions of the driver • Know where the emergency exits are located • Only exit the bus when the driver says it is safe to evacuate • Sit close to the bus driver at the front of the bus during off-hours • If you are medically qualified and capable of helping in an emergency, identify yourself to the driver or Transit Police • Notify the bus driver of any trouble or suspicious activity on the bus. The driver can radio the dispatcher and notify the MBTA Transit Police Department.

If you have been injured on the road in a bus or car accident, contact one of our experienced Boston car and bus accident lawyers for a free consultation.

Sources:

6 Hurt In Car, Bus Crash, TheBostonChannel.com, April 12, 2011
Emergency Instructions and Transit Safety Tips, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Continue reading

On Tuesday night, a University of Connecticut shuttle bus struck and killed a student from Westminster, Massachusetts at an intersection on campus. The UConn student, 20-year-old David N. Plamondon, was living off campus. The bus hit Plamondon in the intersection of Hillside Road and Alumni Drive by the North Parking Garage on campus at approximately 8:15 p.m. A witness of the fatal accident immediately called the campus police. Campus police arrived at the scene of the accident with emergency crews and administered first aid but could not save him as his injuries were so severe. Although the cause of the accident is unknown and the case is under investigation, a medical examiner will determine the cause of the Plamondon’s death.

Major Ronald Blicher, of the UConn Police, said, “There were witnesses to the accident…They are being interviewed by police…The bus driver is being interviewed by police.” Police do not believe that the UConn women’s basketball game on campus was related to this accident or that the victim had been to the game. No charges have been filed yet.

Pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers should always use extra caution on campuses and especially after dark. On Boston University’s campus website, students are reminded of the following pedestrian safety tips:

• Be careful when crossing streets and tracks.
• Always use pedestrian crosswalks.
• Look left and right for cars, bikes, and trolleys before crossing the street.
• Always be alert when using personal electronic devices.
• Walk in well-lit areas at night.
• Use an escort security service or walk with a friend to your destination.

If you or your loved one has been injured or killed in an accident, please feel free to contact one of our Massachusetts traffic fatality lawyers who can help you with their 25 years of experience.

Sources:

UConn student from Mass. killed by shuttle bus, Boston Herald, March 23, 2011
UConn student struck, killed by bus, ctpost.com, March 23, 2011
On and Off Campus Safety Tips, Boston University, Dean of Students Continue reading

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