Attorney
On the same day in March that the Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Surface Transportation investigated passenger bus safety, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) shut down the Super Luxury Tours bus company in connection with a fatal bus accident in New Jersey. In March, one of the company’s buses crashed on the New Jersey Turnpike and killed the driver and one passenger.
The DOT said the Wilkes-Barre-based bus company violated federal insurance requirements. However, the shut down did not satisfy some senators. One senator commented that it is unacceptable that bus companies continue to put unsafe drivers and buses on the road. Bus safety experts advised the DOT and Congress to require seat belts on buses, stronger roofs and windows and instruments that warn of collisions and unsafe driving.
A bus industry representative said that the additional safety measures would add up to $500,000 to the cost of a new bus. A bus-safety advocate disputed the figure, saying that in Europe (where buses have seat belts) it increases the cost of a bus ticket only 5 to 10 cents.
The committee seemed determined to pass additional bus safety measures in Congress this year. The National Transportation Safety Board first recommended bus seat belts four years ago.
Bus accidents involve a myriad of state, local and federal laws. Contact a Washington, D.C. personal injury lawyer as soon as possible if you suffer injuries in a bus accident. David Schloss is an experienced Washington, D.C. personal injury attorney at Koonz, McKenney, Johnson & DePaolis, and he will help you get the proper financial compensation for your injuries.