A Florida man who survived a deadly Greyhound bus accident has shed some light on a tragedy that unfolded earlier this week near Jackson, Tennessee.
The Memorial Day accident involving a Greyhound bus and a pickup truck, left two people dead and sent more than two dozen others to area hospitals.
Tennessee Greyhound Accident a “Mass Casualty Incident”
Madison County Fire Rescue received reports of a crash along U.S. Highway 70 East around 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 26th. Multiple agencies responded to what was characterized as a “mass casualty incident,” including the Madison County Fire Department, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and MedCenter EMS.
According to a statement from Greyhound Flix SE, 32 passengers, along with a driver and a relief driver, were aboard the bus en route from Memphis to Nashville. Thirty-nine people were injured in the Greyhound bus accident, including 30 treated at area hospitals, 27 of whom were transferred via ambulance.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol later confirmed the deaths of two others, including an occupant of the pickup truck.
Greyhound Bus Landed in Ditch After Colliding With Pickup
Mahdi Kassam was among the Greyhound passengers headed to Nashville. Speaking with News Channel 3 in Memphis, he described how the bus seemed to careen out of control before slamming into the back of the pickup truck and coming to rest in a ditch.
“It was going towards a ditch, but it was a bumpy ride towards that ditch,” the Florida resident remembered. “Some seats and things fell, and folks got stuck. They had to use the Jaws of Life to get folks out.”
Kassam was sitting toward the middle of the bus. Though he sustained a few cuts and bruises, he was able to climb through a window and assist some fellow passengers as they struggled to escape the wreckage.
“There was even a point where we thought the bus was smoking,” he continued. “So, like that, you caused so much panic just trying to get out, and some folks like me who were able-bodied and were able to jump out of the bus from the window, we helped kids and stuff. Me and another guy.”
According to Kassam, the crash killed a Greyhound passenger who had been in a wheelchair at the front of the bus. He also reported that the driver of the pickup was rescued from his vehicle, which appeared to be burning.
It’s too early to say what might have caused Monday evening’s deadly Greyhound bus crash. Authorities also haven’t commented on the nature or extent of the resulting injuries. However, Greyhound has confirmed that the majority of those hospitalized had been released as of Tuesday morning.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is leading the investigation into the accident and has already reconstructed the crash scene. Investigators are also working to rebuild the bus’s mechanical systems.
Many Greyhound Bus Accidents are Preventable
While it might take some time to identify the exact cause of Monday’s tragic accident, having successfully taken on Greyhound both in and out of the courtroom, it’s been our experience that many crashes involving the Greyhound buses are the result of preventable factors, such as:
Fatigued Driving
Commercial bus drivers often work long hours with minimal rest. Some Greyhound bus accidents have also involved drivers with undiagnosed Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), which only exacerbates fatigue and increases the likelihood that a driver will fall asleep at the wheel..
Distracted Driving
Despite regulations prohibiting the use of mobile phones while driving, accidents have occurred because a Greyhound driver was texting or talking on their cell phone. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), these and other distractions may contribute to as many as 70% of commercial bus and truck accidents reported in the United States each year.
Inexperienced and Poorly Trained Drivers
Greyhound’s training program requires drivers to log 82 hours of driving time. However, many drivers begin their routes without a complete understanding of the training, particularly those who have failed multiple times before passing their driving tests. The ongoing driver shortage has also caused the company to rely on less experienced drivers.
Maintenance Problems and Safety Violations
Greyhound also requires its drivers to perform thorough inspections every 150 miles, including checking tires and conducting engine inspections. However, recent investigations have found that these maintenance stops are often neglected. The company also faces a shortage of mechanics and continues to operate with aging buses, which can lead to tire blowouts and other mechanical failures.
Record-Setting Greyhound Bus Accident Lawyers
Our Undefeated Greyhound Bus Accident Lawyers don’t just win—they set records, including the # 1 largest verdict in Greyhound’s corporate history.
Our firm also recently negotiated a $6 million settlement on behalf of several Greyhound passengers who were seriously injured in a rollover accident. The company agreed to settle the case after we won the first-ever court-ordered overnight sleep study of a commercial driver in Texas, which proved that the bus driver suffered from moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea and likely fell asleep at the wheel.
Beyond securing full compensation for our clients and their families, our record-setting verdicts have driven meaningful safety reforms at Greyhound and throughout the bus industry. These changes have played a crucial role in reducing fatigue-related crashes and enhancing road safety for bus passengers and all those who share the highway with them.
Undefeated Greyhound Bus Accident Lawyers with Billions Won: Call 1-888-603-3636 for a Free Consult.
Our Undefeated Greyhound Bus Accident Lawyers are monitoring developments related to the U.S. 70 Greyhound crash near Jackson, Tennessee and will post additional updates as new information becomes available.
Having won Billions for thousands of clients across the United States, our Experienced Bus Accident Lawyers know what it takes to win against the largest companies in the world and ensure crash victims and their families receive the maximum compensation possible for all of their injuries and losses.
If you or someone you love were hurt in connection with the Tennessee Greyhound bus accident, please call 1-888-603-3636, or to send us a confidential email and schedule a free consultation
All consultations are free, and since we work exclusively on a contingency fee basis, you won’t pay us anything unless we win your case.