3 Dead, 14 Injured In Highland Greyhound Bus Accident on I-70

Bus Accident - July 12, 2023

Three Killed, 14 Injured In Illinois Greyhound Bus Accident Involving Semi-Trucks on Interstate 70

HIGHLAND, ILLINOIS (July 14, 2023) – Three people died and 14 were injured when a Greyhound bus headed to St. Louis collided with semi-trucks on I-70 in Highland.

Illinois State Police are saying that the collision took place just before 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday. A Greyhound bus was traveling from Indianapolis to St. Louis when it collided with multiple parked semi-trucks at a rest stop.

Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help all of the victims. A photo of the accident site showed the right side of the Greyhound bus completely sheared off.

In all, three people were killed in the crash. Another 14 people were seriously injured. Four of those victims were transported in helicopters and the other ten were taken to the hospital by ambulance.

A full investigation into the crash remains ongoing at this time.

Liability For Highland Bus Accidents 

Millions of people are transported on buses each year. Most of these trips are uneventful, but many still involve accidents. According to one report in the Journalist’s Resource, “while bus accidents comprise a relatively small share of the total accidents (0.6%) in the United States, the number of bus accidents per million passenger miles (3.04) is comparable to the number of car accidents per million driven miles (3.21).” There are a number of factors that could contribute to a bus accident.

• Bus drivers often work long hours and may naturally become fatigued.
• Buses are in constant use and their component parts wear down quickly.
• Buses weigh much more than passenger vehicles and are therefore much more difficult to stop.

Greyhound buses are considered “common carriers” under the Common Carrier Liability Act (740 ILCS 25/). Their driver must operate with the highest level of vigilance and do all that human foresight can to keep their passengers safe. Pursuant to Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5/11-601), all drivers must not operate their vehicle at a speed greater than what would be reasonable or safe given the prevailing conditions of the roadway. If a bus driver failed to slow down to avoid a collision, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. 

Depending on the facts of any case, liability for a bus accident could extent beyond an at fault driver. The company that a bus driver worked for could be vicariously liable for the collision. In general, companies are liable for the wrongful acts or omissions or their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. For example, a bus driver may have been transporting passengers when they crashed.

It is also possible that a truck company could bear some responsibility for a collision even if a truck driver was parked when an accident took place. If a truck driver is involved in a crash or is otherwise obstructing a roadway, there are a number of steps that they are legally obligated to take. The truck driver should activate their hazards and may need to put out flares or reflective triangles to warn other drivers about their presence. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any bus accident.

• Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
• Medical records should be preserved.
• Maintenance records for the bus should be reviewed.
• Work records for the bus driver should be examined.
• Photos of the accident scene should be taken.

It can be hard to know where to begin after any bus accident. But it is important for accident victims to know that they do have rights. The family of any person that is killed in a bus accident can seek some measure of accountability through a negligence claim. Likewise, any person that is injured is also able to pursue a civil claim. Sadly, though, bus companies will often fight extremely hard to deny any responsibility for a collision involving their driver.

Investigating Highland Bus Accidents

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to all of the families who have lost loved ones in this Greyhound crash. It is our sincere hope that all of the injured victims will be able to make a full recovery. This was a preventable tragedy that should have not taken place. There are so many questions that need to be answered. Was this bus well maintained? Was the bus driver traveling at a safe speed?

Do you need more information about a Greyhound bus accident? Our team of bus safety advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of assistance after a collision we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.