Thursday morning around 11:15 a.m. an SUV traveling on U.S. 33 northwest
of Fort Wayne collided head-on with a Barons charter bus, forcing the
bus off the road violently and into a ditch. The accident happened in
Whitley County near Churubusco. Police say it appears the SUV sped up
unexpectedly, then crossed over into the bus’s lane. Of the approximately
40 people aboard the
Barons charter bus heading from Chicago to Columbus, Ohio, 17 were injured. The bus driver,
Berl Shaw, incurred a broken leg, and at least one other passenger was
taken to the hospital in critical condition.

The driver of the SUV, 86-year-old Edward M. Dahm, was killed in the crash.
Dahm was well-known in Indianapolis and around the state as one of the
co-founders of Mike Carwash, now operating in Indianapolis as Crew Carwash.
Dahm’s dog also died in the accident. The investigation into the
crash is ongoing, so we don’t yet know what caused Dahm to leave
his lane. Officials have said it is possible he suffered a medical emergency
while driving. An autopsy will determine if this was the case.

Mass Transportation Accidents More Dangerous for Other Drivers

In general, mass transportation vehicles are involved in far fewer accidents
than are individual cars. That said, there are still approximately 20,000
injuries and several hundred deaths each year related to mass transit
accidents. Injuries can range from bumps and bruises to soft tissue damage,
broken bones, whiplash, contusions, head or internal injuries, or even
death. There are risk factors that partially explain why both riders and
other drivers may be more likely to be seriously injured when buses or
other large mass transport vehicles are involved in an accident:

  • Risk of tip-over or rollover is higher for buses
  • Lack of safety features such as seat belts or airbags

Drivers of passenger cars hit by buses or trains are more likely to be
seriously injured, due to the size of the vehicles and possible force
of a collision. In this particular accident, the impact was maximized
because the collision was head-on, the most deadly type of accident by
all measures.

If you have been injured in a charter bus or mass transit accident, we
can help. The vehicular accident lawyers at Wagner Reese have decades
of experience and success working with bus accident victims to ensure
they are compensated properly for the injuries sustained due to the wrongdoing
of another. Call us now for a FREE initial consultation: (888) 204-8440.