Broken Drive Shaft Likely Cause of San Antonio Bus Accident
A bus commuting from San Antonio to Mexico was recently involved in an accident that left 2 people dead and more than 40 others injured. The bus was carrying many high school students who were on spring break, as well as other people traveling to Matamoros. Now, an investigation conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety indicates that the accident may have been caused by a broken drive shaft.
This tragic accident took place about 45 miles from San Antonio, where passengers say that the bus veered wildly before flipping. A 27-year-old woman and 62-year-old man died in the accident, and many of the injured remained hospitalized last week, while others have been released after treatment. The Associated Press announced that the investigation led officials to believe that the accident was most likely cause due to a broken drive shaft. Ironically, the bus had been put through scheduled maintenance just the day before, and the inspection included tires, wheels, brakes and engine. The bus involved in the accident was operated by Greyhound, and was an Americanos USA vehicle.
The NTSB did an initial assessment which uncovered no apparent safety issues, so they have announced that no further investigations will be conducted on their part. California bus accident lawyers feel that this accident should provide a wake-up call for those in authority who have ignored the matter of using seat belts in motor coaches and buses. The National Transportation Safety Board has recommended that mandatory seatbelts be installed in all buses, but those recommendations have not been put in to action. This recommendation was made back in the 1960′s.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has failed to follow the recommendations of the NTSB, so as a result hundreds of people are injured every year in bus accidents, some of them seriously injured – especially in accidents involving a rollover. In the accident in San Antonio, many passengers were tossed from their seats to land on other passengers, which probably would not have happened if seat belts had been in use at the time of the crash.
It’s hard to understand why the FMCSA would not have implemented the seatbelt recommendation by now, except for the fact the bus companies want to keep costs low and resist installing seatbelts. Because of their resistance to seatbelts, many people have been injured in these accidents – some fatally.
The Los Angeles Reeves Law Group has offices across California and is dedicated to representing personal injury victims, including victims of bus accidents. Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.