Due to the size of the United States, many cities have unique features that those who do not live in the area may have never experienced. As a result, a tourist may travel for hundreds, or even thousands, of miles in order to better explore another city. One option for such tourists is the utilization of a tour bus. Those who visit California and choose such an option likely feel relatively safe from car or truck accidents. Unfortunately, several people were recently injured in a tour bus accident.
The accident happened in mid-November. According to information provided by the wife of the bus driver, the bus experienced some sort of mechanical failure, reportedly related to the brakes. The driver’s wife further claims that the driver intentionally crashed into scaffolding in an attempt to reduce the injuries experienced by passengers.
Regardless of his efforts, 20 people were injured; of these, two people were reported to be in serious condition and three in critical condition. A representative for the company that owns the bus, City Sightseeing, claims that the company’s buses are inspected every 45 days, if not more frequently. This bus, the representative claims, was inspected less than a month before the accident. However, the California Public Utilities Commission notes that the bus was not properly registered with them. As a result, it had not been inspected by the California Highway Patrol.
While officials work to determine the exact cause of the accident and whether the company that owned the bus failed to follow proper procedures to ensure adequate inspections, there are 20 people recovering from their injuries. For some of the victims, the path to recovery will likely be lengthy and require a great deal of medical treatment. As other victims of car and truck accidents in California have done, these victims have the option of pursuing damages in a civil court. If it can be proved that the driver and/or company was negligent, the injured victims could receive a monetary award that will allow them to better cope with the financial consequences of their injuries.
Source: abc7news.com, “CPUC: San Francisco tour bus involved in crash never inspected by CHP“, Nov. 16, 2015