Crash involving Chicago-bound Greyhound bus injures 11 people

Many significant auto accidents occur on Chicago’s streets and highways each year. But Chicago residents don’t always hear about the crashes that happen to vehicles on their way to or from the Windy City. Of particular concern are mass-transit accidents involving buses, trains and trucks that run in and out of Chicago every day.

Last week, for instance, a Chicago-bound Greyhound bus was involved in a crash with a semi in southwestern Michigan. According to news sources, the bus had departed from Toronto, Canada, and 11 people were injured when it crashed into the back of a semi.

The crash occurred in Charleston Township, which is in Kalamazoo County. The cause of the accident was not disclosed in news reports, but it appears as though the Greyhound bus driver was among those injured. The other 10 were passengers aboard the bus, including one woman who was traveling with friends to see last weekend’s Lollapalooza concert in Chicago.

She was sitting directly behind the driver, and the force of the collision caused her to slam her head into the glass directly ahead of her seat. She told local news sources that “I woke up and just saw glass shattering everywhere all over me.”

Thankfully, all injuries were described as relatively minor. Still, one has to wonder why this accident occurred at all. Whether boarding a bus across town or across the country, passengers have to place a lot of trust in the competency and experience of the driver. It is reasonable to expect a safe trip for the price of a ticket.

Sadly, accidents like this one show that traffic safety is not something that can be taken for granted. After a serious bus crash, injured passengers often choose to seek appropriate compensation through a personal injury lawsuit.

Source: TimesColonist.com, “11 hurt after bus travelling from Toronto to Chicago crashed in Michigan,” Aug. 1, 2013