As authorities continue to investigate a bus accident that claimed 14 lives in New York City, the incident has put the spotlight on the risk of bus accidents in Chicago and elsewhere involving tour buses and discount bus operators. The Wall Street Journal reports one of the crashes that first brought the growing industry to the attention of authorities occurred in 2007, when a bus traveling from New York to Chicago crashed in Pennsylvania, killing two passengers.
Our Chicago personal injury lawyers frequently discuss the need to seek legal representation when dealing with an accident involving commercial trucks or buses. Multiple claims, multiple at-fault parties and state and federal regulations can make dealing with such claims a complex process.Records indicate the bus company had previously been cited for driver fatigue by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. It’s buses had also been involved in several accidents. Still, the company managed to receive a “satisfactory” rating from inspectors. The bus was traveling from a Connecticut casino to New York City when it flipped over in Manhattan and skidded 480 feet into a guardrail. Fourteen riders were killed.
The Chicago Tribune reported the crash has renewed scrutiny of bus companies offering cheap, convenient fares on older buses. Such services are in the fifth year of a boom that has been no stranger to fatal accidents. Just last September four riders died when a Megabus missed an exit in Syracuse. And just one day after the accident in New York City killed 14, a driver and passenger were killed when a bus drove off the New Jersey turnpike.
Megabus launched a few years ago in Chicago, which has become a thriving hub. Some services offer rides from Philadelphia to Chicago for $22, or trips from Boston to New York for $10 or $15, compared to the $70 or more Amtrak would charge. Critics ask if they keep those fairs low by cutting costs when it comes to safety.
If you are in an Illinois tour bus accident, contact the Chicago bus accident attorneys at Abels & Annes for a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call (866) 99-ABELS. There is no fee unless you win.