After a traffic accident, people start pointing fingers. Sometimes it takes a thorough investigation to determine exactly what happened. More than a year after a fatal school bus crash in Chesterfield, investigators are blaming the bus driver, demonstrating that details are not always clear immediately following a collision.
The accident happened on February 16, 2012. One child was killed and five others injured when their school bus was hit by a dump truck. Now officials from the National Transportation Safety Board say the bus driver was at fault, the Associated Press reports.
The crash occurred when the bus driver was preparing to cross an intersection. He pulled slightly into the intersection to get a better view of traffic coming from the left, where the dump truck was coming from. But instead of yielding, according to the NTSB, the bus driver entered the intersection, causing the truck to smash into the bus.
The board determined that the driver suffered from exhaustion and “inattentive blindness,” failing to register the truck’s presence before he entered the intersection. The driver had also taken several prescription drugs before the accident.
The bus driver reported that he had received only five hours of sleep each night for the preceding three nights before the accident. Also, in his state-required CDL medical exam, 36 days earlier, he failed to make officials aware of medical conditions. The NTSB said if the driver had reported these conditions and the medications he was taking, he would likely not have been certified to drive the bus.
The dump truck driver wasn’t completely without fault, however. The NTSB said he contributed by speeding between 53 and 58 mph in a 45-mph zone. Also, the truck’s braking capabilities were reduced 32% due to several problems. Finally, the truck was overweight by about 5,000 pounds, making it even more difficult to stop.
The bottom line is that no one could have seen all of these complex factors in the immediate aftermath of the accident. It took an extensive investigation to determine all the contributing factors. Now, the families of those children involved can seek justice for their injuries and loss.
New Jersey Bus Accident Lawyers
If you or your child is seriously injured in a New York or New Jersey bus or car accident, the New York and New Jersey injury attorneys of Ginarte can help. Contact our offices today for a free consultation on your case. Call (888) GINARTE now.