A charter bus ran over a divider on Highway 58 near Highway 395 on February 27, running head on into two oncoming cars. According to officials, 27 people suffered injuries in the collision and the driver of one of the cars was killed in the accident. The bus belonged to a company called A&F Tours, based out of Arcadia, that has a record of recent safety violations. The deadly crash is only the latest deadly tour/charter bus accident in the Inland Empire.
The Bus Driver Blames “Traffic”
The bus was heading eastbound on Highway 58 when it suddenly crossed over the median into oncoming, westbound traffic. After hitting the two cars, the bus rolled over on its side. A 55 year old woman from San Rafael was driving one of the cars and was pronounced dead from her injuries. Nine other people suffered life-threatening injuries and an additional 17 people were taken to local hospitals for treatment of more minor injuries. One of the victims was a child. Weather conditions made it difficult for helicopters to transport victims from the scene, and so ground ambulances from both San Bernardino and Kern Counties were dispatched to take survivors to various hospitals.
It is not clear what caused the driver to cross over the median at this point, and, when asked, he simply referred to “traffic” as the cause of the accident. A&F Tours recently had a bus pulled out of its fleet for safety violations during an inspection by regulators, although no other crashes were reported in the past two years.
Tour Bus Crashes Becoming Common in the Inland Empire
This devastating tour bus accident is only the latest in a long line of tour bus accidents that have occurred in recent years in the Inland Empire and throughout Southern California. Whether transporting people to casinos, concerts, festivals, church or school related events, these tour bus companies are often negligently operated, with owners failing to take proper care of their bus fleets, adhere to regulatory standards and practices, and properly hire drivers with the ability to operate the buses safely. As a result of these negligent acts, we hear about tragic tour bus accidents in the news with alarming frequency.
Premier Complex Litigation Attorneys in the Inland Empire
If you have been injured in a tour bus accident, you may be facing years of expensive medical bills, inability to earn wages at your previous level, and prolonged pain and suffering. But help is here. The experienced personal injury attorneys at McCuneWright have won hundreds of millions of dollars in recovery for their clients and are here to help you win maximum recovery for your bus-related injuries. Contact us today to discuss bringing a negligence or wrongful death suit in connection with a bus accident.