The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently proposed new regulations aimed at improving passenger survival when a commercial bus rolls over. Rollover accidents are one of the most deadly types of vehicle crash, as many experienced Colorado bus accident attorneys have seen.
The proposed standards would require new buses to pass certain safety tests. When the bus rolls over, for instance, the roof and sides must not collapse so far that they crush passengers. Equipment attached to the roof, like overhead luggage racks, must not come loose from the roof when the bus rolls. And emergency exits must stay closed during a rollover, but remain operable so that passengers can escape a bus after a crash.
The NHTSA plans to implement the proposed regulation by creating testing standards for all new bus models. In one such crash-test, new bus models are tipped off a raised platform onto a hard surface below, simulating the impact and effects of a rollover accident. Engineers will then examine the tipped-over bus to see if sufficient passenger space still exists, whether or not equipment has not come loose from the roof, and that emergency exits are still operational.
Other proposals the NHTSA is considering include improved stability control for new buses, which reduces the risk of a rollover occurring.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which oversees commercial bus companies, has announced its support of the proposed safety standards. The agency has also increased its scrutiny of bus companies, working harder to stop companies that violate safety rules or engage in questionable safety practices.
To learn more about your legal rights and options after a motor coach accident in Colorado Springs, please contact The Bussey Law Firm, P.C.