A Grand Canyon tour bus rollover accident resulted in the death of one passenger and left dozens more injured, according to a news report by the Las Vegas Review Journal. The accident occurred in Meadview, Arizona around midday, near Mile Marker 5 on Diamond Bar Road. The tour bus was carrying 48 people, including the bus driver. While the cause of the rollover accident remains unknown, local law enforcement officials noted that speed appeared to be a factor. News reports state that no other vehicles were involved in the deadly accident.
Determining Fault
When a tour bus is involved in a Nevada accident, determining who was at fault is not always clear-cut. Examples of parties that may be at fault in a tour bus accident include:
- The bus driver: A tour bus driver is responsible for the safety of all passengers on board. If they were at fault, you may have a claim;
- The bus company: Generally, a tour bus is a charter that is owned by a third-party. If the bus company failed to properly maintain and service the tour bus or did not hire and train skilled bus drivers, you may be able to hold the company liable;
- The tour company: Even if the tour company does not own the bus, it is responsible for the safety of customers on the tour and has a duty to choose a safe bus. It must hire and train drivers who can operate such large vehicles and must properly maintain that vehicle;
- The maintenance company: The maintenance company may share some fault if a technician does not properly or timely repair an issue with the tour bus, or fails to properly maintain the bus’s integrity.
Tour Bus Crash Statistics
Other tour bus crashes have grabbed headlines in the past. Specifically, in 2013 tour bus crashes in California and Massachusetts caused injuries to many passengers; the California crash killed at least eight. Bus accidents happen every week in the United States and, while news reports often point to the bus operating company’s record, there may be other factors involved in these accidents. According to research compiled by the Journalist’s Resource:
- Between 2005 and 2010, the average number of bus accidents was just over 1,000, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB);
- University of Michigan found that intercity buses are 1.9 times more likely to be involved in an accident, and charter operations have a significantly higher odds of driver error;
- Young novice bus drivers and drivers over 65 years of age increase the risk for more serious accidents, according to the Journal of Safety Research (JSR).
Contact a Nevada Attorney
Tour buses are large vehicles with several components, leaving countless reasons why an accident may have happened. The skilled Nevada personal injury attorneys at H&P Law know how to gather relevant evidence and hire experts to build the best case for their injured clients. Contact our Las Vegas or Henderson office today to consult with one of our experienced lawyers about your rights and obligations under the law.
