At least 12 people were injured on January 20th, 2020 following a crash involving an SUV and a RIPTA bus. The accident took place at the intersection of South Main Street and Power Street in Providence, Rhode Island.
The injured were taken to area hospitals soon after the collision that happened around noon. Traffic came to a halt, but South Main Street was opened after about two hours.
Jeep Grand Cherokee Driver Rams into RIPTA Bus
The crash occurred when a white Jeep Grand Cherokee collided into a RIPTA bus. Deputy Fire Chief Steve Capracotta said that the SUV driver tried to take a left from the right side of the South Main Street. He drove straight into the bus.
A spokesperson for RIPTA said that the agency was cooperating extensively with the police to investigate the crash. According to the Providence police accident report the SUV driver did not notice the oncoming bus.
Injured Rushed to Area Hospitals
Deputy Fire Chief Steve Capracotta claimed that eleven people were injured on the bus, including the bus driver. The SUV driver also sustained severe injured. There was another passenger in the Cherokee who avoided getting injured as per Capracotta. Most of the injuries were broken ribs and broken bones.
Ambulances at the accident scene came from Providence, East Providence, North Providence, Cranston, Pawtucket and West Warwick. Three of the injured were driven to Williams Medical Center. Six people were taken to Rhode Island Hospital and three to Miriam Hospital.
The accident is still under investigation.
Uncovering Liability in Rhode Island Bus Accident
It is possible for a bus crash to have multiple causes. The most common causes contributing to an accident are driver fatigue, distracted driving, faulty bus parts, aggressive driving, road rage, intoxication, and lack of experience. Multiple responsible parties can make a bus accident lawsuit complicated. Victims may need the expertise of a capable city bus accident attorney to navigate the lawsuit.
Doctrine of Common Carrier Liability
Where bus accidents are concerned the responsibility of common carriers comes into effect. This refers to the duty of care during operation that all bus drivers need to uphold. Liability can be directly placed on the bus company if this standard of care is not upheld.
For instance, it is the bus company’s fault if they allow a poorly trained driver or an inexperienced driver to operate the bus. Government liability laws come into play where a government agency is responsible for the accident. These cases require a well-qualified city bus accident lawyer to establish liability.