U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the unannounced inspections were used as part of FMCSA's ongoing efforts to strengthen passenger carrier safety nationwide. Others would argue that these inspections started after a string of fatal bus accidents, like the recent New York City bus accident that took the lives of 14 passengers.
Our Houston bus accident lawyers urge passengers to be extra cautious when choosing which passenger carrier company to travel with. Recent offering of low-fare bus rates have come with one main safety concern; low-fare safety standards.
"Safety is our number one priority," said Secretary LaHood. "We will continue to use every resource at our disposal to shut down unsafe passenger bus companies that place motorists at risk and remove drivers from our roads who put passengers in harm's way."
In additions to these surprise inspections, FMCSA and other state safety investigators initiated nearly 100 safety compliance reviews on busing companies.
"Working side-by-side with our state and local law enforcement partners, we can ensure that every passenger bus company and driver operates as safely as possible," said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. "These strike force activities are one of the many effective tools we use year-round to raise the safety bar for commercial buses and drivers on our nation's roadways."
The number of these reviews may have directly affected the number of passenger fatalities as 2004 say nearly 60 passenger deaths while 2009 saw less than 50. The five-year period presented a 19 percent decrease in fatal accident victims.
In an further efforts to reduce risks of fatal bus accidents, the Obama Administration fought to make long-needed improvements to motorcoach safety. The administration proposed these improvements though a new Motorcoach Safety Action Plan. The U.S. Department of Transportation proposed new rules that require all buses to have electronic on-board recorders and seat belts. These electronic on-board recorders are meant to replace easily falsified paper records that logged driver hours. These often falsified documents lead to overworked and fatigued drivers, which even further increased the risks of fatal bus accidents.
DOT also enlisted a rule that would curb distracted driving incidents by banning commercial drivers from texting behind the wheel.
We would like to remind you that each bus company holds a responsibility to keep their passengers safe. A complete list of the inspection, repair and maintenance for motor carriers of passengers and the guidelines and driver qualifications be found on the FMCSA website.
If you or a loved on has been injured in a bus accident in Houston or the surrounding areas, contact the Bus Accident Attorneys of The Stephens Law Firm at (713) 224-0000.
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