Articles Posted in Trucking Accidents

A tour bus on its way to Colton from San Diego crashed into a freeway median yesterday, critically injuring eight people. According to reports, the bus hit the center divider on the northbound I-215 near Temecula, at the Nuevo Road exit. The bus then crashed through another barrier before coming to rest in the backyard of a private residence.

As many as 45 firefighters responded to the accident, including three helicopters and nine ambulances. Rescuers had to free several passengers who were trapped in the back of the bus, and it took more than an hour to free everyone. The most seriously injured passengers were those riding in the front of the bus.

The tour bus was owned by a charter company called Inland Empire Stages, of Rancho Cucamonga, which, according to records, had two vehicles involved in other crashes over the last 30 months. The cause of the accident is still unknown.

The California Highway Patrol is out with a report today designed to educate drivers on traffic safety when in proximity to a big rig truck. According to the report, of the 7,262 accidents involving commercial trucks last year, 56% were the fault of the driver inside the passenger vehicle, such as a car, pick-up or other non-commercial vehicle.

In Orange County, 616 people were injured in 452 accidents involving big rigs in 2007, including 17 fatalities. In San Diego County, 349 people were injured, with 19 fatalities. And in Riverside, 477 people were injured, including 24 fatalities. To read the full report, click here (.pdf)

The injury and accident attorneys at Walton Law Firm LLP represent individuals and families throughout Southern California who have suffered due to automobile accidents, work site accidents, defective products, spinal and brain injuries, dog bites, and other accident cases. Call (866) 607-1325 or complete our online form for a free and confidential consultation.

Studies show that hundreds of deaths and injuries on the highway each are caused by truck drivers suffering from medical problems behind the wheel. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration admits that it hasn’t implemented any of the eight recommendations regulators proposed in 2001. The number of trucking crashes has been described as a “major public safety problem,” and impacts drivers in every state.

The leading cause of serious accidents by large trucks occurred where drivers fell asleep, suffered heart attacks or seizures, or otherwise became impaired because of a medical condition. The FMCSA medical oversight board states that trucking accidents are one of the biggest causes of occupational death in the US, and is urging more doctors visits for truck drivers.