Bus Driver Charged With Manslaughter & Other Charges after Crash
After a bus accident that killed 15 people occurred in March, the bus driver faced a trial last week where prosecutors stated he knew he had gotten very little sleep prior to driving the bus from Connecticut to New York City. In addition prosecutors stated the bus driver did not have a valid license at the time of the accident. The accident occurred when the driver lost control of the bus. The driver stated that he lost control after being hit by another vehicle but investigators could not verify the validity of that claim.
The bus then swerved and rolled over, striking a metal support pole which tore the bus in half from front to back along the passenger window line. Some of the passengers were decapitated as a result of the wreck.
An investigation into the serious bus crash showed that the bus driver was driving recklessly; weaving in and out of traffic and driving at high speeds. Prosecutors said the driver had been operating during his off-hours and operating with very little sleep. The bus driver was charged with 15 counts of manslaughter and 15 counts of criminally negligent homicide as well as 23 counts of assault based on the number of injuries passengers suffered. If he is convicted of manslaughter he could receive a maximum of 15 years in jail.
Operating any kind of vehicle with a lack of sleep or under the influence of substances that could reduce reaction time or judgment is a dangerous act that, as this incident shows; could result in extremely serious consequences. The driver in this incident should have taken better precaution when driving the bus to avoid this type of situation. Driver fatigue is one of the biggest causes of traffic accidents throughout the United States. Just like driving under the influence, driver fatigue causes a slower response time and could impair the driver’s vision, such as causing blurry vision. The fact that the driver in this case had a previous criminal record for moving violations makes this incident much more serious. Although the driver will be brought to justice for his negligence, unfortunately nothing will help the families of those that perished in this accident.
