A tour bus collided with a street sweeper truck on the 10 Freeway in Baldwin Park on Sunday morning, injuring 13 people.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the accident happened about 10:50 a.m. on the eastbound 10, west of the 605 Freeway.
The driver of a Van Hool tour bus, a 31-year-old San Gabriel man, was driving in the carpool lane. The bus held approximately 54 passengers. The CHP is reporting that a 2002 Volvo street sweeping truck was traveling in the carpool lane in front of the tour bus, at a slow rate of speed. The street sweeping truck was part of a lane re-striping crew. The tour bus driver rear-ended the truck.
According to CHP, 12 people on the tour bus were injured.
Tour Bus Accidents – The Law
California law imposes the highest duty of car on the operators of tour buses, which are considered “common carriers” under the law. The tour bus driver must exercise a high degree of care to ensure the safety and well-being of the bus’s passengers.
In this case, that driver of the Van Hool tour bus, which rear-ended a slow-moving street sweeping truck, obviously did not exercise a high degree of care. The owner of the tour bus will be legally responsible for the injuries suffered by the bus passengers. Passengers on the tour bus are entitled to make a claim for:
- Medical bills
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
If you or a loved one has been injured in a tour bus accident, you should seek the advice of a personal injury attorney. McGee, Lerer & Associates is a Long Beach personal injury law firm which specializes in injury accidents. Our husband and wife team of attorneys each have over 20 years of experience representing accident victims and their families.