According to recent news reports, on Apr. 29, a charter bus carrying French tourists overturned on 101 South in Soledad, Calif., killing at least five people and injuring many others. Four passengers and the driver were reportedly ejected from the vehicle. Although the cause of the crash is still unknown, this accident highlights the need for legislative and administrative action to improve the safety of California tour buses.
In just one example, seatbelts can prevent passengers from being ejected during a crash, dramatically increasing their chances of survival.
The Veen Firm’s Kevin Lancaster, a senior attorney with experience in vehicle and highway design cases, notes, "When it comes to seatbelts, motor coach passengers should be just as safe as they would be in a private car."
Laminated glass windows can also prevent ejection as they stay in place even when broken, creating a barrier against being thrown from the vehicle.
News reports have identified the company involved in the deadly Soledad bus crash as Weeks Enterprises (doing business as Orion Pacific) and the driver as John Egnew. In 2005, Egnew hit a pedestrian in Laughlin, Nev. while driving a Weeks Enterprises vehicle. According to the complaint filed in the case, which Lancaster handled, Egnew turned his bus into a crosswalk, crashing into 71-year-old woman, who suffered a traumatic brain injury and a fractured pelvis. Egnew pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor, and a Nevada court ordered him to pay restitution and a fine. After The Veen Firm filed a civil suit on behalf of the injured party and her husband, both Egnew and Weeks Enterprises settled with the plaintiffs.
The attorneys and staff of The Veen Firm were saddened to hear that Egnew was among those killed in the Salinas Valley crash, and we extend our deepest sympathies to all the victims and their families. We hope the CHP's Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team determines the cause of the crash, so tragedies such as this can be prevented in the future. Regardless of the ultimate cause, we encourage California legislators and consumers to take a hard look at tour bus safety. If some ejections can be prevented, lives can be saved.
