14 Hurt As Bus Mysteriously Crashed Into a Light Pole

Buses are some of the most common modes of public transport in California and the whole of the United States. It also is one of the most accessible and affordable way of getting around. Buses are very efficient as it burns a lot less amount of fuel compared to say a number of vehicles that could carry the same number of people from one place to the other. This explains why buses are still very much in demand even though there are also other means of transportation available for commuters to take. They also say that it is one of the safest there is a low number of recorded bus accidents in California.

However, recently there have been more and more buses that are getting involved in mishaps. Just a couple of days ago in Bell, California, more than a dozen people (fourteen to be exact) have been hospitalized. That is when a Metro bus suddenly veered and crashed into a light pole. The accident happened particularly near Florence and Atlantic avenues, early Sunday morning. This is just one of the few bus accidents that have been recorded in the state. Investigators are still trying to find out why such thing has happened. The passengers of the buses has been brought to nearby hospitals where they were all treated for the minor injuries they got.

Cause of the Mishap

The California Highway Patrol and the police have investigating on the real reason behind this rare kind of bus accident. They are studying the possibility of the failure of the bus or it’s many systems. The authorities are also not discounting the possibility of driver error as this is the leading cause of accidents all over the country. Driver distraction, driving under the influence of alcohol and other illegal substances remain as the most common reason for motor vehicle accidents in the country.

Liability on Bus Accidents Explained

Earlier this month, a gruesome accident happened in California involving a bus carrying tourists who had gone from a winter vacation at the ski resort town of Big Bear in San Bernardino County. Apparently, as the bus was traveling down State Route 38 going back to Tijuana, Mexico, it suddenly picked up speed after being passed by other vehicles.

After traveling for about a mile on failing brakes, the bus rear-ended a Saturn sedan that just passed by seconds earlier. A Ford pickup then rammed into the bus, causing the latter to swerve, flip, and slid on its side after going back upright and hitting a boulder. It was 6:30 p.m. when the incident happened.

Of the 38 people inside the bus, seven of them were killed, with one remaining unidentified. About three dozen more were injured.

Investigations are still ongoing with regards the accident, with brake failures as the primary cause. However, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is also taking a look at the driver, who miraculously survived the crash but suffered injuries, whether or not he was moving too fast on the mountain highway.

Such accidents are rather complex than the typical motor vehicle accidents. Not only do these involve the number of passengers and the state’s safety precautions on the operation of large public vehicles. The legal standpoint, specifically establishing and the assignment of liability, is what makes these mishaps complicated.