The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed a lower court ruling in the 1999 Mother’s Day bus crash that killed 22 elderly Louisiana residents. The high court found the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development 50 % at fault for failing to maintain adequate guard rails on I-610. Now that the liability issued has been settled, the case will be returned to the lower court to determine the appropriate amount of damages the victims are entitled to receive.
Prior to the trial, the victims and their families had settled their additional claims against the owner of the charter bus, the manufacturer of the bus, a casino which sponsored the bus trip and a medical company that had cleared the bus driver to operate the bus even though he suffered from congestive heart failure.
Charter bus trips have increased in popularity especially among seniors. It is imperative that charter buses which sometimes carry up to 50 passengers be regularly inspected for safety, comply with all regulations and only be driven by healthy, qualified drivers. Equally important, according to the Supreme Court, is adequate guard rails which will minimize the impact in bus crashes. Otherwise, we will be reading more sad stories of bus crashes that could have been prevented.
Richard J. Arsenault, 2011
