Portland Personal Injury Attorneys

New Bill Could Make Buses Safer, According to Oregon Accident Attorney

With gas prices spiraling ever higher, people are continually looking for less expensive ways to travel, but an Oregon accident attorney has spoken out on the dangers of using some discount bus lines. Now, the U.S. Senate has passed legislation which address safety deficiencies in these companies.

Senator Charles Schumer’s bill, recently passed by the Senate, means discount bus lines will now be required to inform potential passengers of their safety record. The bill also places an onus on the bus companies to improve on board safety.

The main features of Sen. Schumer’s bill include:

• A requirement for the Federal Motor Carriage Safety Administration to establish clear, easily understood safety ratings. Those ratings would have to be posted on buses, in terminals and easily available from ticket sellers and any bus company point of sale.
• The companies’ safety records would also have to be accessible and clearly posted.
•  Electronic, on-board recorders which monitor drivers to make sure they are not exceeding hours of service regulations would be required on all buses. The hope is that fatigued drivers would be kept off the roads.
• Better commercial driver training would be introduced, along with a nationwide commercial Motor Vehicle Medical Registry to ensure only qualified drivers who are physically qualified are driving buses.
• Standard safety equipment which would become mandatory on all buses would include:
  • Safety belts
  • Anti-ejection glazing on windows to prevent passengers from being thrown out of the bus in an accident
  • Stronger, crush-resistant roofs that can withstand rollovers
  • Improved fire protection equipment
  • Greater training in firefighting for bus operators (more…)

Motorcyclist Killed in Accident South of Salem Involving School Bus

Location: Interstate 5 South of Salem
Names: Ronald V. McNutt, Sarah Hanson

Oregon State Police are investigating a fatal traffic crash involving a motorcycle and a fully-loaded school bus.

Oregon Live reports that at about 3:25pm on January 25 Ronald V. McNutt, age 66 of Turner, was operating a motorcycle, entered the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near milepost 250 and appeared to lose control between the middle and right lanes. Sarah Hanson, age 29 of Creswell, was driving a fully-loaded Creswell School District school bus when she saw Turner losing control of the motorcycle; she tried to avoid hitting him but was unable to as he fell toward the school bus. The school bus struck Turner, who was wearing a protective helmet, and he died at the scene.

The bus was carrying about 50 high school age students. Neither Hanson nor the students were injured.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. McNutt’s family and loved ones during this tragic time. We are sincerely sorry for their loss. We also hope that Ms. Hanson and all of the students on the bus will recover fully from being involved in this traumatic accident.

Anytime a motorcycle fatality occurs, we are reminded of the high injury and death rates for motorcycle riders. Several factors contribute to the potential risk, but probably none more so than motorists seeming inability to see motorcycles. In this case, Ms. Hanson had Mr. Turner in her view but could not avoid impact. We absolutely welcome the new Oregon law requiring motorcycle skills training. However, no matter how safely a person rides, a car driver who isn’t looking will remain a danger to a motorcyclist.

If you are suffering because of a traffic accident and wondering what to do next, we offer free information, including how to find a good Oregon accident lawyer, how much your case might be worth, and our free book, 7 Common Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Oregon Accident Case is available for Oregon residents and people who were in an accident in Oregon. We also offer free consultations, and you can contact us if you have questions.