Public transit officials in Denver are trying to figure out why there have been a slew of fatal bus crashes this year, according to the Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/technology/ci_14861061
In just a four-day period in April, four people were killed in accidents involving Regional Transportation District buses. That is more fatalities from bus accidents than any full year from 2005 through 2009, The Post says.
According to research by the newspaper, in 2005 and 2007 there were no deaths stemming from accidents involving RTD buses.
RTD has been trying to stem the tide of accidents by having its supervisors deliver safety briefings before drivers go out of the garage in the morning.
In the three lethal accidents in Denver, only one RTD bus driver has been cited for any violations or wrongdoing. Tidenekiyalesh Hawariyat, 30, ran a red light April 3 and crashed into two cars. Two people in a Volkswagen Rabbit were killed, and about 12 others were hurt, including Hawariyat and the driver of one of the vehicles she hit.
Police pressed charges against Hawariyat, namely two counts of careless driving resulting in death and 11 counts of careless driving resulting in injury.
In the other fatal accident, a 78-year-old man was hit by a bus in Aurora as it pulled out of a bus stop. And the night after that, a bicycle rider crashed into an RTD bus. That 42-year-old man died of his injuries the next day.
Because of the rash of fatal accidents, RTD is giving more than 1,000 bus and light-rail drivers a one-hour refresher course on safety procedures, according to the Post.
Denver Transit Officials Try To Figure Out Reason For Recent Spate Of Fatal Accidents
Public transit officials in Denver are trying to figure out why there have been a slew of fatal bus crashes this year, according to the Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/technology/ci_14861061
In just a four-day period in April, four people were killed in accidents involving Regional Transportation District buses. That is more fatalities from bus accidents than any full year from 2005 through 2009, The Post says.
According to research by the newspaper, in 2005 and 2007 there were no deaths stemming from accidents involving RTD buses.
RTD has been trying to stem the tide of accidents by having its supervisors deliver safety briefings before drivers go out of the garage in the morning.
On the three lethal accidents in Denver, only one RTD bus driver has been cited for any violations or wrongdoing. Tidenekiyalesh Hawariyat, 30, ran a red light April 3 and crashed into two cars. Two people in a Volkswagen Rabbit were killed, and about 12 others were hurt, including Hawariyat and the driver of one of the vehicles she hit.
Police pressed charges against Hawariyat, namely two counts of careless driving resulting in death and 11 counts of careless driving resulting in injury.
In the other fatal accident, a 78-year-old man was hit by a bus in Aurora as it pulled out of a bus stop. And the night after that, a bicycle rider crashed into an RTD bus. That 42-year-old man died of his injuries the next day.
Because of the rash of fatal accidents, RTD is giving more than 1,000 bus and light-rail drivers a one-hour refresher course on safety procedures, according to the Post.
