Crashes Between Trucks and Buses are Often Deadly in Virginia

Crashes between trucks and buses have made headlines in Virginia in recent weeks. In January, medics responded to a collision between an HRT bus and a tractor-trailer in Newport News. It followed a deadly crash on the Virginia Peninsula in December.

A WAVY.com report stated three people were taken to local hospitals when an HRT bus and a tractor-trailer were involved in a collision at the intersection of 39th Street and Roanoke Avenue in Newport News on Jan. 5.

Few details were available on the injuries sustained in the crash between the bus and the big rig. The tractor-trailer overturned and the bus ran off the road. HRT officials said that the bus involved in the crash is Bus 104, which services downtown Newport News and Newmarket.

Truck and Bus Collision in York County

The incident came just weeks after a crash between a tractor-trailer and a party bus on I-64 in York County left three people dead and others injured.

Court documents released in January into the Dec. 16 crash following the execution of a search warrant revealed alcohol bottles from the bus were found at the scene and unknown pill bottles, along with a diabetic testing device in the cab of the tractor-trailer, WAVY reported.

Three bus passengers died in the collision on I-64 eastbound in the early hours of Dec. 16.

Liability for the Crash

The bus driver told investigators he saw the semi-truck approaching fast. He tried to change lanes and was hit from behind, according to reports.

Media reports stated the party bus had been modified. It exceeded its own weight limit and could not travel above 40 mph.

This was a terrible tragedy with potential liability on the behalf of both parties. WAVY reported police suspicions that the truck driver had been on the road longer than permitted by federal rules while the bus driver may have been driving on a suspended license.

Truck and Bus Accident Statistics

Recently, Jim Hall, a former head of the National Transportation Safety Board, warned America’s roads are becoming more dangerous than ever. Reckless driving is partly to blame.

Truck and bus crashes are among the most serious accidents in Virginia. Although bus crashes comprised just 0.3% of total crashes in Virginia in 2021, dozens of passengers are hurt every year. In 2021, 79 bus drivers suffered injuries in crashes and 100 passengers were hurt. One driver was killed and one bus passenger suffered fatal injuries.

Virginia Truck and Bus Accident Lawyers

As Virginia truck and bus accident lawyers, we help people who suffer injuries in these crashes and the families of the deceased. A trucking company can often be held accountable for the actions or inactions of a driver. Our trucking accident injury team has a long record of holding trucking companies to account for the terrible injuries caused by big rigs. Bus companies that put passengers on unroadworthy vehicles can also be held liable.

We have filed lawsuits against big transportation companies for years. Our case results include a $5 million settlement for a woman from Hampton who suffered horrendous injuries in a crash with a construction truck in Gloucester County. Please call us for a free consultation if you have suffered an injury in a car, truck, motorcycle, or bus crash.