It was like a scene from a television show as people emerged from the tall grasses surrounding Interstate 75 in Butler County, Ohio. The Liberty Township Fire Chief Paul Stump said that “the injured and walking wounded were walking up the hill, seeking attention” when the crew arrived at the accident location.
The fire department quickly set up triage areas — something that was absolutely necessary for this accident. In this case, a Greyhound bus carrying 52 passengers had overturned on the side of the highway, rolling at least twice before it came to a stop.
When the individuals were tossed about in the large vehicle, striking the seats, the sides of the bus and even the other passengers, there was no doubt that some would need immediate attention.
A total of 34 people required transportation to nearby hospitals. For six of the passengers, they suffered injuries that required them to be airlifted from the scene. When doctors were able to assess the injuries, they reported to the Ohio State Highway Patrol that four remained in critical condition with another 12 listed in serious condition.
But what caused the driver to lose control of the bus? The only information contained in the media report was a passenger’s statement that “the bus started shaking” when it began to leave the road.
In bus accident cases like this, the cause of an accident could include driver error, defective auto part or even have been caused by poor maintenance. The liability for the injuries may even lie on the shoulders of several negligent parties.
Source: abc NEWS, “Greyhound Bus Overturns: More than 30 Injured in Ohio Accident,” Leezel Tanglao, Sept. 14, 2013