Alabama Wrongful Death Attorneys Help Victims Of Bus Accidents
The National Transportation Safety Board released a report in October, 2011 in which it found safety concerns with the low-cost curbside bus industry. Curbside bus companies are those which do not have traditional bus terminals and pick up their customers curbside on street corners, in parking lots and in front of retail stores. The curbside bus industry, according to NTSB, has a fatal accident rate 7 times that of the other interstate bus operators. Alabama wrongful death attorneys can help families of the victims of Alabama vehicle accidents receive compensation when the company and/or driver was negligent in the safety or operation of the other vehicle.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has difficulty enforcing safety regulations on these buses, not only because they lack the manpower, but also because it is difficult to inspect buses which do not park in traditional terminals. Inspectors must find and inspect them on crowded street corners making logistics a problem and it is difficult to conduct a surprise inspection since rules prohibit inspections while a trip is in progress. If you have been injured in an Alabama car accident involving a commercial bus, you should check with an Alabama car accident attorney to see if you have a case to recover compensation for your injuries.
Other Problems In The Curbside Bus Industry Seen By Alabama Car Accident Attorneys
Many of the owners and drivers in the low-cost bus industry do not speak English well and bus reports are often written in another language making it difficult for inspectors to do their jobs. Some other problems indicated in the NTSB report include:
- Falsified logbooks
- Carriers ordered to shut down, continuing to do business by changing their name
- Incorrect addresses and phone numbers for owners
- Incomplete or out-of-date information on the bus companies
Alabama personal injury attorneys see many tragic cases involving vehicle accidents that could have been prevented if only the owners and/or operators had put safety first, before profit. It is important to note that in the NTSB report, most of the deaths reported in the non-traditional bus industry accidents occurred to the occupants of other vehicles involved in the crash.
Contact Goldstein & Hayes Alabama Personal Injury Attorneys
If you have been injured in an Alabama bus accident as a passenger, or as the occupant of another vehicle, you should consult with Alabama personal injury attorney Goldstein & Hayes to protect your rights and help you get compensation for your injuries.