Dallas Bus Line Sued After Driver Fell Asleep
Friday, July 29th, 2011
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A bus carrying 20 passengers from Laredo to Dallas crashed on the morning of July 1 after its driver fell asleep.
The bus was heading north on Interstate 35 at about 4:15 a.m. when it drifted off the road and hit a sign. The bus’s 44-year-old driver tried to maneuver the bus back onto the interstate, but overcorrected and caused the bus to roll over, blocking all three lanes just south of San Marcos.
17 passengers were injured and were transported to hospitals in San Marcos, San Antonio, and Austin. The bus driver was also injured. Only three of the passengers were uninjured in the accident.
Seven passengers have filed a lawsuit against the driver and the Dallas-based bus line that employed him, including the mother of a four-year-old girl whose leg was amputated after the accident.
The other passengers who have filed suit include a 63-year-old man, a 57-year-old woman, a 23-year-old woman, and the parents of a one-year-old boy.
Police said that the driver showed no signs of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and that he was probably tired.
Tired driving is a problem with serious consequences, as this crash shows. The Texas Administrative Code specifies that commercial drivers cannot drive more than 12 hours following eight consecutive hours off duty.
If you have been injured in a crash and are not already represented by a Dallas personal injury attorney, please contact Dean Malone for a free evaluation of your case.
- Guest Contributor
