San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog
Stalled Transit Bus Leads To Pile-Up
A pickup truck driver had to be extricated from his vehicle after being involved in a collision with two transit busses, including a Western Contra Costa Transit Authority bus, on September 4th, according to breaking news from KRON 4.
The accident apparently happened shortly before 6 a.m. on eastbound Interstate Highway 80 in Pinole. While a full investigation has not been completed, early information from a California Highway Patrol (CHP) spokesperson indicates that a transit bus crashed into another passenger bus that had stalled in the fast lane of the highway. The individual driving the pickup truck then collided with the two busses.
CHP also reported that the pickup truck driver became trapped inside his vehicle due to the crash and that fire crews were called to extricate him. After rescue crews removed the driver, he was airlifted to a hospital for treatment of major injuries, including possible broken bones, but he is expected to survive. A passenger on one of the transit busses also was taken to a hospital after complaining of suffering from pain caused by the collision.
Although the precise circumstances involved in the crash are still under investigation, speed appears to have been a factor in the collision.
Transit Company Bus Accidents
The average size of a standard city bus is between 35 feet and 50 feet long, and about 8 feet wide. It can weigh between 25,000-40,000 pounds, depending on its actual dimensions and the number of passengers being carried.
Given their immense size and weight, it is not surprising that crashes involving busses often result in serious injuries or even fatalities. A study published in the Journal of Transportation analyzed transit bus accidents and revealed the following information about bus accident injuries-
-For major bus collisions, front end collisions occurred most frequently, followed by backend, angle, and sideswipe collisions.
-Sideswipe collisions were most often associated with property damage, while front and angle collisions resulted in high injury and fatality rates.
-The greatest number of fatalities were sustained by pedestrians and other bystanders who were struck outside of the transit bus, rather than bus passengers or occupants of other vehicles.
The same study also highlighted the circumstances under which bus accidents frequently occur. In considering accident time of day, type of intersection control, weather, lighting conditions, roadway configurations, roadway conditions, and roadway type, the study noted the following-
-bus crashes occur twice as often in the PM hours than in the AM hours (likely because more busses operate in the period from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. than in the morning or later evening hours).
-more than 80 percent of major bus collisions occurred at or near intersections controlled by a traffic signal or stop signs (which corresponds with the fact that bus routes are located in urban areas where intersections are controlled).
-bad weather (such as fog, rain, and cloudy weather) had minimal impact on major transit collisions. Instead, over 75 percent of bus crashes occurred when weather was clear.
-more than 90 percent of major bus collisions happened in well-lit conditions, which included daylight or street-lit conditions.
-bus collisions happened mostly on dry road surfaces and on straight roadways.
-more bus collisions occurred at intersections and divided highways than at all other roadway types.
San Francisco Area Transit Bus Accident Legal Help
California Civil Code section 2100 requires that bus drivers use the utmost care and diligence to ensure the safe carriage of their passengers. It also requires that drivers provide everything necessary for that purpose and that they exercise a reasonable degree of skill in transporting their passengers. Transit drivers also must not behave in a negligent or reckless way and cause injury to pedestrians or bystanders.
While transit operators, their employers, and maintenance companies may be held liable for any injuries they cause, there are limitations on how much time injured parties have to file a claim against governmental entities such as transit authorities.
If you have questions about a possible bus accident claim, the San Francisco area bus accident attorneys at Brod Law Firm can help. Call us today at (800) 427- 7020 or use our online contact form for immediate help with your legal problem.