A Greyhound bus overturned on Highway 101 in San Jose this morning (January 19th, 2016), killing two adult women and injuring 18 other passengers, including one child. 1 Channel 7 News is reporting that nine of the injured were transported to area hospitals, three of whom have been treated and released. There were 20 passengers plus the driver aboard the bus, which was traveling between Los Angeles and Oakland, when it crashed. 2
The accident occurred around 6:40 a.m. on northbound highway 101, near the carpool ramp for route 85. Both northbound and southbound lanes are expected to be closed until at least 4:00 p.m. as California Highway Patrol clear the area and investigate the accident. There is no indication what caused the bus to crash, but one passenger told police that the bus was weaving back and forth before it overturned. “Mercury News” in San Jose reports that the driver admitted to being fatigued at the time of the accident. 3 Rainy weather may also have been a factor. The bus was the only vehicle involved in the accident.
Federal law requires bus drivers to have at least eight hours’ sleep before a trip. A Greyhound spokesperson told reporters that it is company policy for drivers to get nine hours’ of sleep before they drive a bus.
Bus Accidents in California
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), which is participating in the investigation, fatalities in California bus accidents are on the rise. 3 There were 11 such deaths in 2013 and 17 in 2014. Similar data is not yet available for 2015.
When Tragedy Strikes
Bus drivers are held to a higher standard of responsibility than ordinary motorists. It’s only right that the responsible party–and the company that employs them–help to compensate you for that loss.
Sources:
- http://abc7news.com/traffic/2-dead-18-injured-in-bus-crash-in-san-jose/1165019/
- http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/01/19/at-least-2-reported-dead-in-san-jose-greyhound-bus-crash.html
- http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_29403514/two-people-killed-when-bus-overturns-south-san
