Bus crashes in New York keep happening at an alarming rate. As a personal injury attorney I see the same preventable losses occurring again and again. The scene was chaotic and confusing on Interstate 81 in New York near the Onondaga nationNedrow exit when first responders arrived . The Onondaga Sheriffs Department indicated a drunken driver left his car on I 81. A Trailways tour bus collided with the vehicle and a tractor-trailer. The tractor-trailer driver had stopped to assist, but did not have time to get out of his rig. This collision Occurred last month, but I am getting called on it now and writing as it is a topic that needs to be addressed by both New York State and the Department of Transportation.
Some of the bus passengers had language barriers which added to the chaos. First responders, who were mostly volunteers were from from Lafayette, South Onondaga, Sentinel Heights, Pompey Hill, Onondaga Nation, Onondaga Hill, Nedrow and Syracuse and did an outstanding job as did many local ambulance services including Lafayette, Fayetteville and Manlius. We, as members of the public using our roads are vulnerable to the actions of other drivers, even if we are driving safely. On a bus, the passengers have even less control and their safety is in the hands of other drivers and the bus company. This crash involving the bus, tractor-trailer and car was described as a mass casualty incident. To the extent New York State and the DOT can see that safety laws are complied with, we will all be better off. Safety laws include training, collision anticipation, hours of service, equipment upkeep and much more.
