Federal investigators are calling for heavier oversight of the passenger bus industry after a fatal bus accident in January of 2008 caused injuries in 17 people.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released information regarding the investigation into the crash.  Their information concluded the driver fell asleep at the wheel, then drifted off of U.S. Route 59 near Victoria, Texas.  The bus was then hit by a pickup truck.

Our car accident lawyers want to remind all drivers — those who commute and those who get paid to drive — that getting enough sleep before you drive is extremely important.  Drowsy driving can be just as hazardous as drunk driving because both cause feelings of fatigue and a loss of focus.  Truck drivers and commercial bus drivers are especially vulnerable to driver fatigue because some drivers have to drive all day and all night to get to a destination at a specific time.

The National Transportation Safety Board called on other federal agencies such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and the Federal Motor Coach Safety Administration to communicate better efforts to weed out buses and other coaches that don’t meet U.S. standards of safety.

“When we looked at the specific chain of events that led to this tragic accident, we also found numerous holes in the federal regulatory environment that allows a non-compliant motorcoach to be registered and operated on U.S. roadways,” said an NTSB Chairman.

Our car accident attorneys believe that all government agencies need to do everything in their power to prevent fatal car accidents.  If one agency believes that steps need to be taken to solidify driver and passenger safety, then all other agencies should cooperate and make things better for you and the other drivers on the road.

Please contact us for a free consultation with an experienced car accident attorney — we speak both English and Spanish — at (800) 655-6585.  Click here and you may also submit your case for a Free Review.  No fee if no recovery.