A car struck the back of a Missouri metro bus in Overland today and quickly burst into flames, according to the Overland Police Chief. The crash occured just before 4:00 p.m. at Page and Lotsie. The driver was transported to a local hospital with no life threatening injuries. In addition, eight individuals on the bus reported being hurt but police indicated those injuries were not serious. At the time of the news report from KSDK, police did not yet know what caused the Overland, Missouri crash.
I handle bus accident cases frequently as a Missouri injury attorney. Bus accident cases are different from regular car crash cases in several ways. First, there are typically no seat belts on metro buses which can lead to serious injures because individuals can easily be thrown from their seats during a crash. Second, driving a large vehicle like a metro bus is much more difficult than driving a passenger car. The driver has to be experienced at making wider turns and grow accustomed to dealing with blind spots both in and out of the bus. Strategically, a bus accident case requires quick investigation. The metro company will want the bus fixed immediately so it can be put back in the rotation which may destroy key evidence. Further, there will typically be dozens of witnesses, the riders themselves, at the scene that will need to be contacted and interviewed. When someone is injured in an accident involving a MIssouri bus, it is important that he/she retains experienced legal counsel to protect his/her rights immediately.
Car bursts into flames after crashing into Metro bus, KSDK, November 2, 2010