In July 2014, a bus driving Canadian tourists to New York City skidded off a northern NY highway and flipped to its side, causing injuries to several passengers and the death of a 14-year-old girl. The bus, owned by Autobus Fleur de Lys and chartered for the trip by the Jaimonvoyage tour company, was traveling from Quebec and never made it to the city.
Most problematic to many victims, families and critics of the crash is that the bus did not have seatbelts installed. However, there is no federal law that requires seatbelts on tour buses. Some say that this case is simply another reminder of the importance of seatbelts and another reason to consider making seatbelts mandatory on all passenger vehicles.
At this point, the New York State Police have not released information about what might have caused the accident. What is known is that it was a single-vehicle accident, which likely means that either of the following played a role:
- The driver lost control of the vehicle, either due to road conditions or as a result of negligent behaviors
- The vehicle suffered some sort of malfunction or failure
After more details emerge from the case, injured victims may decide to take legal action against the bus driver, the bus company or the tour agency, depending on which party’s actions caused the crash. For example, the family of the deceased teen may sue for wrongful death.
Consult an attorney to review your legal options if you are hurt or your loved one is killed in a commercial vehicle accident in New York City.
