Over the last several years in areas around San Clemente, tour bus accidents have resulted in serious and fatal injuries. In most—if not all—of these bus crashes, investigators have suggested that the accidents could have been prevented. What are cities in Orange County and San Diego County doing to prevent similar crashes in the future? According to a recent article in The Mercury News, there is a new law in California allowing cities and counties to request tour bus inspections from the California Highway Patrol, yet most cities and counties in the state simply are not using the rule to help avoid tour bus collisions.

Using Assembly Bill 1677 to Prevent Tour Bus Crashes in California

As of January 2017, Assembly Bill 1677 has been in effect. What does this law do? The text of the bill explains that it requires the Department of the California Highway Patrol (CHP), “upon request of, and in consultation with, representatives of a local government in a jurisdiction where tour buses operate, [to] develop protocols for entering into memoranda of understanding with local governments to allow the department to increase the number of the locally operating tour buses that are being inspected by the department.”

The author of the law, Assemblyman Phil Ting, introduced the bill just over a year ago “after a sightseeing bus went out of control near Union Square and injured 20 people,” according to the article. When Ting introduced the legislation, he emphasized how “dangerous buses fall through the cracks of today’s tour bus safety inspections,” and that communities throughout the state of California need “new tools to take charge and keep local streets safe.” However, spokespersons for the CHP have remarked that, since the law took effect about three months ago, “not one municipality or agency in the state” has used the law to request an inspection.

What is going on?

Are Costs Associated with Assembly Bill 1677 Outweighing County Safety Interests?

The CHP and others believe that one of the reasons no one has requested an inspection concerns cost. In addition to stating the reasons for the new law, the text of Assembly Bill 1677 also clarifies that it includes “a provision that the local government will reimburse the department for all actual costs associated with conducting additional inspections.” That latter part of the law is likely where the problem comes in for cities and counties in the state.

According to the article, cities and counties may not be requesting inspections because they are concerned about the costs associated with an inspection, which they must cover. Rosemary Shahan, the president of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, believes the California legislature would have done better to “allocate money to the CHP to pay for additional inspections.”

Yet according to some, the problem is that many agencies in the state simply do not know about the law, and publicizing it could result in requests for inspections. Regardless of the reason, however, it is important to remember that “more than 20 people have died in tour bus crashes in Southern California in the past four years.” As such, something needs to change when it comes to tour buses and safety measures.

Contact a San Clemente Bus Accident Lawyer

If you have questions about filing a personal injury lawsuit, an experienced bus accident lawyer in San Clemente can assist you. Contact the Walton Law Firm today to learn more about how we can help with your claim.

See Related Blog Posts: Deadly Bus Accident in Southern California School Bus Safety Law in San Diego

(image courtesy of Stephane Milot)

Train accidents can be very serious and often are life-threatening. It’s very important to take steps to ensure your own safety, and that of others, when you’re walking near train tracks. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a dangerous transit accident, it’s important to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer. In some cases, the train conductor or the train company may have been negligent. Contact the Walton Law Firm today to discuss your case. You may be able to file a wrongful death claim.

Details of the Train Accident

On the Friday night of a Sadie Hawkins dance, Moore and Friend were walking southbound on the train tracks, which, according to KCRA-TV, was the same direction in which a Union Pacific freight train was traveling. Witnesses at the scene indicated that the train engineer blew the horn and even activated the emergency brakes, “but the two kids didn’t move out of the way in time.”

Based on witness reports, Moore pushed Friend out of the way of the oncoming train, saving her life, according to an article in the New York Daily News. Sean Stark, one of the witnesses, told the newspaper that “the engineer was on the horn when finally, they both looked back at the same time.” According to Stark, “they would have both been underneath that train if he didn’t push her out of the way at the last second.”

The accident occurred close to the high school and nearby to a crowded little league park in Marysville. Witnesses rushed to the scene of the accident to try to save the two teenagers. Moore died at the scene, and Friend was airlifted to Sutter Roseville Medical Center.

Authorities currently are investigating the accident, and are “looking into whether the pair was distracted by headphones or something else with the accident occurred.” A spokesperson for Union Pacific indicated that it “takes more than a mile for a train to stop,” explaining why the emergency brakes couldn’t halt the train before it crashed into the teenagers.

Train and Transit Safety

How can you stay safe around trains and tracks? According to the Rail Safety Education network, there are some important tips to remember when you’re a passenger on a light rail or commuter train, as well as when you’re walking or driving near train tracks. These safety tips include:

· Keeping alert: it’s important to remember that trains can come from both directions of a track, and in many cases, they’re quite quiet.

· Obeying warning signs: since passerby often don’t hear trains coming, it’s especially important to abide the warning signs and signals, and to be especially careful if you’re wearing headphones or talking on a cell phone.

· Watching out for the overhang: since trains are wider than train tracks, it’s very dangerous to sit on the edge of a platform at the station.

· Watching your step: when you get on or off a train, there’s often a gap that can lead to a fall.

· Only crossing the tracks where it’s legal: directional signs and safety warnings are in place for a reason—if you cross the tracks or walk along the tracks in any place except a designated crossing zone, you could be risking your life.

If your loved one has been injured or killed in an accident or has sustained a catastrophic injury, a San Diego accident lawyer can talk with you today about your case.

See Related Blog Posts:

Rail Safety Campaign Launches in California

Multi-Vehicle Crash Involving Train

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