When a person is preparing for vacation, he or she might be thinking about what to pack, what places they’d like to visit and the transportation they’ll use on the trip.
Tour buses can be a fun way to travel from place to place without having to worry about renting a car. Most people, however, don’t consider that they could be seriously injured if the tour bus is in an accident.
Tour bus duties
Tour buses are referred to as common carriers, meaning that their business is to transport people from one area to another and they are paid to do so.
They are required to exercise a high degree of care for the safety of their passengers. This includes stopping at stop signs, driving the posted speed limit, not driving dangerously and making sure the bus is well-maintained.
When there is an accident, it can sometimes be hard to tell who is liable. There are potentially several parties who could be responsible.
Determining liability
Sometimes, a tour company will enter into an agreement with a bus company to transport people. If the bus driver is in an accident, the tour company and the bus owner could share responsibility.
A bus company can be liable if it did not hire licensed drivers, did not adhere to safety regulations and when the driver is negligent, for example. Also, if the bus stops at a venue and a passenger is injured on that premises, the property owner could be responsible.
If a person has been injured in a tour bus accident, an experienced attorney can pursue a claim for compensation on his or her behalf.