Arizona Accident Lawyer Blog

A family vacation means fun in the sun, photo opportunities, and embarrassing moments. Most families don’t think of the dangers they face while on vacation, even though they are the same dangers they face at home, like car accidents or trip and fall injuries, only sometimes even more amplified.

On Sunday, a tour bus heading from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon drifted off the road and rolled several times (Arizona Republic via AZ Central 10/17/10). Two of the eleven passengers were killed, and several more were seriously injured. Information regarding the identities of the riders or the cause of the accident is not yet available. No other vehicles were involved.

Tour bus drivers face the same challenges as large truck drivers. Frequently traveling across the country and through the night leads to fatigue. Truck drivers are required to log a certain amount of hours of sleep every day, and are not allowed to drive over 10 consecutive hours without 8 consecutive hours of rest. How much do you know about driver fatigue? Try some of the true or false questions below, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration:
1. Coffee overcomes the effects of drowsiness while driving. (T or F)
2. I can tell when I'm going to go to sleep. (T or F)
3. Rolling down my window or singing along with the radio will keep me awake. (T or F)
4. I'm a safe driver so it doesn't matter if I'm sleepy. (T or F)
5. You can stockpile sleep on the weekends. (T or F)
6. Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night. (T or F)
7. Being sleepy makes you misperceive things. (T or F)
8. Young people need less sleep. (T or F)
9. Wandering, disconnected thoughts are a warning sign of driver fatigue. (T or F)
10. Little green men in the middle of the road may mean the driver is too tired to drive. (T or F)
11. On a long trip, the driver should never take a break but try to arrive at the destination as quickly as possible. (T or F)
12. A microsleep lasts four or five seconds. (T or F)
For answers, visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov/facts-research/research-technology/topics/fatiguequiz.html

Continue reading "Arizona Tour Bus Crash Kills 2" »

As has been reported by the AP, a bus coming from Mexico to LA was involved in a horrific crash in Sacaton, AZ. Families of those who were tragically killed and those who suffered serious injuries undoubtedly are overwhelmed with concerns and issues most could not begin to imagine. At Breyer Law Offices, our hearts go out to the families of all involved. We know that no words can begin to express the sorrow that is being felt. We also know that, before long, there will be people associated with the bus company that may look to take advantage of families during this terrible time, trying to cut off their rights to recover. In fact, it is likely that there were lawyers and paid experts at the site of the crash for the bus company within hours, maybe even before the police had finished their investigation.

What is a family to do when faced with such a concerted effort to “change history” for the purpose of minimizing legal liability? We strongly encourage anybody who knows someone involved to reject any phone calls or contact with any representative of the busing company. As soon as there is someone in the family who can take the lead emotionally, we strongly encourage anybody involved to contact a certified specialist in personal injury and wrongful death litigation, so that the bus company – and any person responsible for this regrettable tragedy – is held responsible.

A video report posted on azcentral.com has new details regarding the fatal phoenix bus crash that killed 6 people yesterday. According to the report, the company that owned the bus which was traveling from Zacatecas, Mexico to Los Angeles was not licensed to transport passengers.

The Phoenix bus accident attorneys at Breyer Law Offices have seen first hand how stressful legal issues are for clients and their families. They also understand the tragic consequences a personal injury or wrongful death can have. The Breyer Law Offices will continue to monitor the investigation regarding these tragic deaths and provide information to it's readers as it becomes available.

According to the Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a bus that was recently involved in the fatal accident that took six lives on Interstate 10 just south of downtown Phoenix was being operated illegally. According to an Associated Press news story, the bus, that had been traveling from Central Mexico to Los Angeles, was carrying 22 passengers at the time of the crash in Sacaton, AZ. Reportedly, the bus rolled over after striking a pickup truck, and the six passengers were thrown from the bus in the process, all of whom died. The remaining 16 passengers on the bus were all injured, as was the driver. Injuries sustained during the crash were mostly deemed serious, and resulted in catastrophic injuries such as broken spines and head injuries. Further investigation into the accident is still pending.

Transportation officials revealed that the bus company, Tierra Santa Inc., had been told that it was not allowed to permit its vehicles to engage in commercial interstate transportation of passengers, yet it was doing exactly that at the time of the Phoenix bus crash. While it remains to be seen to whom liability issues will be assigned, many instances involving bus accidents often result in both the driver and the bus company being deemed at fault. According to the article, police are investigating to determine the state of mind of the bus driver at the time of the accident, particularly if the driver was suffering from fatigue, as well as the maintenance history of the bus. Bus companies have an obligation to ensure that their vehicles are properly maintained, and that their drivers do not violate federal transportation guidelines by driving more hours than they are permitted to in a 24-hour period.

Details regarding this horrible fatal Phoenix bus accident are still being uncovered and the bus accident attorneys at The Breyer Law Offices will continue to monitor new information regarding the crash as it becomes available.