A recently filed lawsuit is seeking more than $10 million on behalf of victims of a fatal bus crash that left six dead in southwest Baltimore last fall.
Lawsuit Claims Bus Driver Was Improperly Cleared
According to the Baltimore Sun, the lawsuit alleges the driver of a school bus involved in the collision was wrongful cleared for work despite previous crashes and health issues.
Among those named in the lawsuit is Concentra, a Texas-based healthcare corporation which provides commercial driver certifications. According to the lawsuit, Concentra overlooked multiple seizures suffered by 67-year-old Glenn Chappell before clearing him to drive.
Federal investigators have previously stated that Chappell’s history of seizures combined with his diabetes and hypertension should have disqualified him from operating a commercial vehicle under both state and federal law.
The lawsuit also names Chappell’s employer, AAAfordable Transportation, and its owners, Tracy and Aliyu Dabo.
Details of the Fatal Bus Crash
The crash occurred November 1 when a school bus operated by Chappell struck a Ford Mustang before veering into oncoming traffic and colliding with a Maryland Transit Administration bus.
The crash resulted in Chappell’s death as well as the deaths of the MTA bus driver and four passengers on board the MTA bus. An additional 11 people were injured in the crash.
Fortunately, no students were aboard the school bus when the crash occurred.
Bus Accident Statistics
The following information is provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA):
- 3,978 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal accidents in 2014.
- Transit buses accounted for 33 percent of all bus accident recorded between 2004 and 2014. Inner city buses account for 13 percent of bus accidents.
- From 2009 to 2014, the number of injury related crashes involving buses and large trucks increased by 55 percent.
