A number of Missouri and Illinois residents take vacations around the country or day trips to nearby cities like St. Louis and Kansas City. Many tourists think nothing of booking a commercial tour bus to take these trips, or of hopping on a double-decker tour bus for a quick ride to see the sites of the city they’re visiting. Few expect these excursions meant to be fun and light-hearted to turn to darker tragedy – but the unfortunate truth is that they all-too-often do. Tour bus companies which cut safety corners to save money put the lives of their customers at risk, and innocent victims can end up paying the price with their health or even lives. An experienced St. Louis personal injury attorney may be able to help these victims or their surviving relatives hold these “curbside” bus companies responsible for the devastation they may have caused.
Some bus companies cut corners to save money – with innocent passengers paying the price
Consider the double-checker tour bus accident that took place in another state. In that collision, the bus driver apparently either failed to notice or chose to ignore several warning signs that indicated a railway bridge was ahead. The double-checker bus plowed ahead regardless of those signs and smashed into the bridge after making a wrong turn. The crash resulted in the deaths of four people and injuries to dozens of other people.
Another tour bus collision in New York happened due to driver fatigue and was even more horrific. At least 15 passengers lost their lives in that bus accident and 19 other passengers were injured seriously, with many requiring amputations. Despite these and other catastrophic accidents, curbside bus carriers continue operating their companies with little regard for public safety. To them, the bottom line appears to be paramount.
Curbside bus companies are those which provide steeply discounted rates to their customers, but often skirt the edge of safety regulations – or even ignore them altogether – in order to achieve those cheap fares. Some accuse these curbside bus carriers of operating in unethical if not illegal manners. What makes this issue even more dangerous is the fact that it is extremely easy for many of these carriers to simply jump ship if one company seems destined to be shut down due to safety violations or horrific accidents. It’s all too easy to dissolve the former bus company, re-paint the buses, and form a new company that can start right back up to business as usual.
More Americans turning to motor coach industry for transportation each year
Considering that more and more Americans are beginning to use the motor coach industry for transportation each year, this is a sobering problem. Often, these curbside companies do not conduct the appropriate background checks to confirm that their drivers are qualified enough to safely operate these tour buses. Some drivers manage to obtain Commercial Driving Licenses (CDLs) by finding medical providers or commercial driving schools which improperly sign off on unqualified or medically unfit drivers obtaining their CDLs.
Further compounding this problem is the fact these companies will often force their drivers to work more hours than is safe. To some of these carriers, the more tours or runs a driver can perform, the more money the company makes – even if that means risking bus accidents which could injure or kill many innocent victims. In certain cases, the bus company may also carry the minimal amount of insurance required, which could require injured victims seeking sufficient financial compensation for their injuries and related expenses from other sources which could share in liability in a bus accident.
Victims have rights to seek financial compensation for injuries suffered due to the negligence of others
An experienced St. Louis personal injury lawyer may be able to help determine which companies or individuals should share in this liability. We can help injured victims and their families seek the justice they deserve. While we cannot restore a lost life or make the scars and physical injuries go away, we can help hold those responsible accountable and pursue financial restitution to cover medical, funeral, or other costs that a family may be suffering from through no fault of their own.
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries or been killed in a bus accident, please dial my St. Louis personal injury law firm as soon as possible at 1-888-586-7041. We can schedule an initial consultation free of charge at your earliest convenience. In that free consultation, we can discuss the facts of your case and what options you might have available to pursue. Fully understanding your options can help you know what steps to take to strengthen your case by preserving important evidence that otherwise be lost or destroyed. You will pay my law firm absolutely nothing until and only if we are able to obtain financial compensation in your case.