3 Contributing Factors in Charter and Tour Bus Accidents
Las Vegas is one of the nation’s most popular tourist destinations. Whether you are a local or someone who is visiting the area, you may feel the best way to see the sights is by using a charter bus. Traveling on a tour bus may seem like an economical and convenient way to for you to travel around town, especially in unfamiliar areas, but there is a dark side to traveling on tour buses you should know about.
Accidents involving charter buses do not happen often. When they do occur, passengers are at risk of sustaining serious and life-threatening injuries. Here is a brief overview of charter bus accidents.
Bus type
There are three types of tour buses: charter, local and commuter. Private parties often manage charter buses. They do not always have set routes. Charter bus drivers typically must travel different routes and may be unfamiliar with some of the areas they drive to.
Driver negligence
Not all private bus companies adhere to the laws and regulations that govern the transportation industry. Drivers may spend more hours on the roads than legally allowed, increasing the likelihood of them operating their vehicles while drowsy, driving while intoxicated, not having sufficient experience, not properly pre-tripping their buses and other issues that lead to bus driver negligence.
Equipment malfunctions and failure
Some charter and private bus companies do not update their fleets as often as necessary. They may use older vehicles without keeping them properly serviced and up to code. Some older buses do not have sufficient safety equipment, such as seat belts to protect the passengers. Equipment failure and defects increase the risk of harm to passengers when accident conditions arise.
There are a variety of issues that lead to charter and tour bus accidents. Before you make your tour bus reservations, be sure to thoroughly research your options and to consider the risks. If you are ever in a charter/tour bus crash, you might want to speak to an attorney for guidance.