Tour Bus Crash Sends 10 To Hospital

A brake failure appears to be the cause of a tour bus crash that sent 10 people, 9 passengers and the driver, to the hospital over the weekend. The bus accident occurred as the group was on its way to a casino in northern Sand Diego County. All of the people injured were treated at Palomar Medical Center and are expected to make full recoveries. The investigation into the incident has not yet been concluded. Preliminary reports indicate that drugs and alcohol were not involved in the accident.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is the body in charge of monitoring interstate bus and truck companies to ensure they are following safe practices. California also has specific regulations for bus and shuttle companies operating within the state. These regulations cover everything from driver training and hours, to passenger limits and maintenance. Despite the oversight, tour buses have received increasing attention due to a number of crashes all over the country.

The bus crash occurred when the vehicle was unable to stop or slow sufficiently to negotiate a curve on Pala Temecula Road by Aruba Road. The bus hit the guard rail and then collided with trees and a boulder on the side of the road. Fortunately, none of the injuries are considered serious.

Maintenance on the 1996 bus will likely be one subject of the investigation. Brake failure is a serious problem and could easily have led to a catastrophic incident. Companies operating such vehicles are expected to monitor their fleets to ensure that the vehicles are safe to carry passengers.

Source: Los Angeles Times, " 10 in hospital after tour bus crash on way to San Diego County casino," by Tony Perry, 2 September 2013