California Injury Blog
Twelve people were injured in a tour bus accident in Baldwin Park after the bus collided with street sweeper truck on the 10 Freeway.
According to a news report in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, the injury collision occurred the morning of November 15, 2015 on the eastbound 10 Freeway just west of the 605 Freeway.
California Highway Patrol officials said 11 people from the bus were treated for minor to moderate injuries.
One person from the Caltrans street sweeper was
also treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
A 31-year-old San Gabriel man was driving the 2014 tour bus in the carpool lane with about 54 passengers on board when the crash occurred.
A street sweeping truck was traveling slowly in the carpool lane in front of the bus as part of a lane re-striping crew.
Officials said the bus driver was operating the bus at an unsafe speed for the moving lane closure. The right front of the bus collided with the left rear of the Caltrans truck.
The front portion of the bus crumpled from the impact of the collision.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured victims of this bus crash. We wish them all the very best for a quick and complete recovery.
Crash Statistics
According to CHP’s 2013 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were two fatalities and 253 injuries reported as a result of traffic accidents in the city of Baldwin Park.
In Los Angeles County as a whole, 585 fatalities and 50,917 were injured due to traffic accidents during the same year.
Laws and Liability Issues
Based on this news report, it appears that the bus driver was traveling at an unsafe rate of speed when the collision occurred.
California Vehicle Code Section 22350 (Basic Speed Law) states: “No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic and on surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.”
In this particular case, the bus passengers can seek compensation for damages from the tour bus company. As public carriers, bus companies owe their passengers the utmost duty of care.
This means they have a legal obligation to ensure the safe transit of their passengers. Injured victims in such cases can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, pain and suffering and emotional distress.
Injured victims would also be well advised to contact an experienced Los Angeles personal injury attorney who will stay abreast of the official investigation and ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected.