Tour buses can be equally as difficult to control as tractor-trailers when the roads are slippery and iced over. They weigh significantly more than a standard sedan, are very top heavy and prone to flipping over. As such, when a tractor-trailer sharing the road with a tour bus loses control, the situation is very dangerous, because a tour bus cannot easily change its course without hydroplaning. In addition, most tour buses do not contain seatbelts, so passengers are at serious risk of injury in the event of a crash. According to The Republican, a tour bus with 32 passengers recently collided with a tractor-trailer on Friday, February 8, at approximately 8 p.m.
The tour bus, owned by Trenton, New Jersey-based Triple D Travel, was en route to Stowe, Vermont when the 59-year-old New Jersey native bus driver made his way to the top of a steep hill on Route 22A. Due to the angle of incline, the bus driver could not see what was coming in the opposite direction. According to the Vermont State Police, a tractor-trailer coming up the other side of the hill jackknifed and collided with the tour bus. Jackknifing happens when a truck’s load swings out to the side of the cab; it is incredibly dangerous because it can block both lanes of a highway.
The bus driver died upon impact with the tractor-trailer and two passengers were seriously injured. The local police, EMS and fire departments arrived on the scene promptly and escorted the injured 24 and 34-year-old passengers and tractor-trailer driver to the nearby Rutland Regional Medical Center for treatment. An additional eight passengers with less life threatening injuries were taken to Middlebury, Vermont for treatment at Porter Hospital.
Black ice, the thin layer of transparent ice that forms over roadways, is a major contributor to wintertime traffic accidents. From the driver’s seat, black ice appears like normal gravel, because there is no snow covering it. As such, truck drivers will maintain normal speeds on black ice and subsequently lose control and jackknife when they try to turn or change lanes. It is the responsibility of the truck driver and, implicitly, their employer, to drive carefully over icy roads and assume that even though the road does not look icy, it may still be dangerous.
Middlesex County Lawyer Who Handles Truck Accident Cases
If you have been injured in a car accident caused by a negligent truck driver, our Middlesex County truck accident attorneys can help. The highways in New Jersey are filled with tractor-trailers transporting agricultural and industrial goods, and their employers are well represented, so you want to be sure that you have the best of the best fighting on your behalf.
The Spevack Law Firm has been defending the victims of truck accidents since 1928. We work hand-in-hand with accident reconstruction experts and forensic professionals to analyze the accident and place blame where it is due. We promise to deliver justice to those responsible for your injuries and recover the full compensation that you deserve. To consult with one of our Middlesex County personal injury attorneys, contact our office today at (732) 636-3030.
[Did You Know: According to the NJ Police Department, approximately 1.72 people die each day from traffic accidents.]
Spevack Law Firm- Middlesex County personal injury lawyers
Source: http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/02/tour_bus_driver_killed_33_inju.html, http://www.njsp.org/info/fatalacc/2011_fatal_crash.pdf
