The Personal Injury Attorneys Of Silvers, Langsam & Weitzman, P.C. Warn Travelers Of Discount Philly-NYC Bus Lines

Poor Maintenance, Driver Fatigue, Inexperienced Drivers Make Discount Buses Dangerous For Philadelphia Travelers

At MyPhillyLawyer – our personal injury attorneys assist individuals and families who have been seriously injured while riding a tour bus or discount transit bus between Philadelphia and New York City. It has been a dangerous and deadly year for bus riders in the Northeast corridor, with multiple bus accidents making news already this year.

A bus owned and operated by Super Luxury Tours out of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, crashed on a New Jersey Turnpike en route to Philadelphia from Chinatown. Two onboard were killed and another 40 were injured just days after another bus rolled over in The Bronx, fatally injuring 15 people.

Federal regulators have already shut down 26 bus operators that were running routes along the East coast to and from Chinatown. Philadelphia-based New Century Travel, Inc., was shut down in the sweep. The Department of Transportation cited safety concerns related to driver training and experience, driver fatigue and vehicle maintenance as reasons for the shutdowns.

Commercial bus drivers are limited to the hours they may legally spend in service and must maintain a driver log of hours worked. Driver fatigue is a common cause of bus accidents despite federal regulations limiting a driver to 10 hours behind the wheel and 15 hours on-duty per day. Riders should be particularly careful of overnight bus trips that interfere with a driver’s natural sleep patterns.

Bus maintenance is another key safety issue for bus passengers. Bus companies that fail to do required safety checks put all passengers and others on the road at risk. A bus with a faulty brake system may not be able to stop in time to avoid a crash and their sheer size as compared to passenger vehicles make it more likely that serious or fatal injuries will occur during a crash.

Some bus companies are safer than others and have maintained a record of good business practices with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Before buying a ticket on a motorcoach heading out of Philadelphia, be sure to check the carrier’s record on the FMCSA’s website.

If you have been injured in a bus accident, our lawyers at MyPhillyLawyer are on your side. We can help determine what caused the crash and who is responsible for your injuries. To learn more about how we help the injured throughout Pennsylvania receive fair and just compensation for their injuries, please visit myphillylawyer.com or call our firm at (866) 352-4572 to schedule a free consultation.