A 59-year-old bus driver from New Jersey was involved in a fatal collision with a jackknifed tractor-trailer on a road in Vermont. No passenger was reported to have died or suffered any serious injuries. Two passengers did suffer moderate injuries, while the other 29 passengers suffered minor injuries.
On the night of Feb. 21, according to Vermont state troopers, the tractor-trailer from JP Logistics, while transporting K-Cup coffee products, had jackknifed and stopped on state Route 22A in West Haven, obstructing the whole roadway. State police officers stated that as the New Jersey-based Triple D Travel tour bus reached the apex of a hill on the ice-covered road, the driver lost control and barreled into the guard rails and the 53-foot trailer.
A spokesman for Triple D Travel commented that the bus driver's skillful maneuvering prevented serious injuries to the majority of the passengers. A total of 32 people, including the JP Logistics truck driver, were taken to nearby medical facilities. The 59-year-old bus driver, who had been trapped in the crash, was soon pronounced dead. While full details of the truck accident were not released at the time of the report, Vermont State Police remarked that icy conditions of the road were a contributing factor to the collision.
Though the commercial vehicle wreck may have occurred partly due to bad road conditions, driver negligence may have also played a role in the trucking accident as drivers have a responsibility to slow down or avoid driving when roads become dangerous. However, truck drivers are often operating on a tight schedule, which could cause them to breach their duty of care to other motorists. If injured parties believe that their injuries were caused by driver negligence, they may seek help in obtaining proof of responsibility.