The investigation continues into the devastating Chesterfield, New Jersey school bus crash that occurred on February 16, 2012 at the intersection of Old York Road and Route 528. According to NJ.com, preliminary action has been taken against the drivers, although criminal charges have not yet been brought, pending the results of toxicology reports.
The accident occurred when a school bus, headed for Chesterfield Elementary School, entered the intersection of Old York Road and Route 528 and was subsequently struck on the driver’s side rear end by a loaded dump truck. The collision caused the school bus to spin into a traffic light utility pole. One child, a triplet, was killed and another 17 were injured in the morning crash. The fatally injured triplet’s sisters were critically injured, as was an 11-year-old boy. Although two remain under medical care, all three are no longer in critical condition.
Both the school bus driver and the dump truck driver have been issued summonses for their part in the fatal accident, with the bus driver receiving a summons for failure to stop and yield. According to a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) spokesman, the bus driver did not come to a complete stop at the intersection, but inched forward for a better view of traffic conditions and then entered the intersection. The dump truck driver was issued two summonses, one for failing to secure the container of the truck, and the other, for failing to cover the load with a tarp. Herman’s Trucking of Wrightstown, the owner of the dump truck, received four summonses for exceeding allowable weight limits and braking problems.
Rules of the road, such as coming to a full stop at an intersection, are meant to ensure the safety of vehicle occupants. If a driver breaches these rules, an accident mayoccur causing injury or death.
If you or a loved one has been injured, or you have lost a loved one, in a New Jersey motor vehicle accident due to the negligent actions of another, you may be entitled to pursue civil action.
The experienced New Jersey motor vehicle accident attorneys at Blume Forte have obtained significant verdicts and settlements for meritorious accident cases and can assist in determining the validity of your potential claim. Call us at 973-845-4421 for a no-cost consultation.