Some young cheerleaders were extremely lucky last week after their bus was involved in a collision with a big rig. The crash took place on June 28 around 4:15 in the afternoon, about 12 miles east of Indio.
Despite the crash and a fire after it, only three girls from the bus suffered minor injuries. They and their bus driver were taken to a medical center in Palm Springs for treatment.
Competition Trip Ends in Wreck
The bus was bringing about 30 cheerleaders and their coaches and chaperones home to Mesa, Arizona, after a cheerleading event in Los Angeles when congestion caused it to stop along with other vehicles on eastbound Interstate 10.
The driver of the truck came upon the line of delayed vehicles and failed to stop in time. It’s not clear whether he was speeding or simply not paying close enough attention to the traffic conditions.
The truck driver attempted to avoid the other vehicles but crashed into the rear of the bus before veering across the median and onto the westbound lanes of the highway. The truck driver was not injured, but the truck caught fire and one of its trailers burned completely.
Meanwhile, the bus was shoved into the median and a small fire broke out on board. The passengers and driver were safely evacuated. No other vehicles were involved, but the road was closed for several hours.
Recent Bus Safety Concerns
It’s always a better outcome when there are no serious injuries in a crash like this. But incidents in the recent past show that things could have been much worse. Multiple bus crashes in California in the past year have ended with fatalities, including a horrific crash in October that killed 13 and injured 31.
That was the worst bus crash in California since 1976 and one of the ten worst nationwide in the past forty years. That crash also took place on I-10, but it was farther west. It happened when the bus driver rear-ended a truck that had slowed in a construction area.
In February, one motorist was killed when a small bus drifted into the opposite lane and struck two cars. At least 26 others were injured in that incident, several critically, including many of the passengers on the bus, which rolled over after the initial collision.
Orange County Truck Accident Lawyer
Crashes involving buses and trucks come with a higher risk of injury and death, especially when those vehicles strike others. If you have been injured in a collision with a truck, you should seek experienced legal help before you file your claim for compensation.
Kohan & Bablove, LLP has decades of experience helping clients with all varieties of motor vehicle accident cases, including truck accident law. For a free consultation to discuss your case, give us a call today at 844-404-2400 or fill out the online contact form below.
