Serious discrepancies in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s bus accident fatality reporting system means that passengers are likely under a false sense of security about the safety of these buses.  An investigation by USA Today has found that dozens of bus accident fatalities between 1995 and 2009 are missing from the federal administration’s bus accident fatality data.

According to the report, there were at least 42 fatalities between 1995 and 2009 that were not included in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations estimate of fatalities.  Additionally, there were more than 40 fatalities that occurred in accidents involving midsize buses, and were not included in the fatality toll.  However, this omission is because these midsize buses do not meet the definition of a motor coach as defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The inaccurate data by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has likely created the false impression that bus safety in 2011 is much greater than it was in the years past.  A look at accident fatalities in 2011 would provide a clearer picture.  There were 25 deaths in bus accidents this year alone, many of them occurring in terrible accidents that were caused due to poor oversight of bus companies.

The bus industry has been touting declining accident fatalities in bus accident as a sign that the industry is becoming safer.  As the USA Today investigation indicates to Houston bus accident lawyers, fatalities are not really lower at all, and we still need to be very concerned every time we board a bus.

Vuk Vujasinovic is a Board Certified Houston personal injury attorney who practices Houston auto accident and other personal injury cases.

For more info on how Vuk can help you with your potential case please call him at (877) 724-7800 or fill out the contact form on the right.

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