Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Bus Crash in Yucaipa Kills 7

By Douglas V. Gibbs

In the Inland Empire a bus without brakes drove down a mountain road near Yucaipa, killing seven, and injuring dozens.  The bus crashed into two other vehicles on State Route 38.  The driver tried to call 911, but the phone received no reception in the area.

The bus was a tour bus from Tijuana, Mexico heading home after a snow trip to the Big Bear Lake area of the San Bernardino Mountains.

It is believed the bus reached speeds of 60 mph during the descent down the mountain.

The highway is littered with body parts and debris.  The roof of the bus is peeled back like a tin can, lying on its side, blocking the lanes of traffic.  Crews worked through the night to recover the dead, but one body remained aboard the bus early Monday.  Officials hadn't been able to retrieve the body because the front end of the bus was dangling over the edge of the roadside.  It took nearly two hours to clear all the people who could be transported to hospitals and to go through the wreckage

The National City, California owner of the bus, though has often failed vehicle inspections by government officials, failing over a third of the time, has had no accidents in at least two years.  The company is licensed to carry passengers for interstate travel.

The national average for similar companies is a 21 percent failure rate.

The Southern California company still maintained an overall "satisfactory" rating from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

It is believed that all passengers were Mexican citizens.  

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

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