Indianapolis, IN October 14, 2014: According to the Greenwood Fire Department Battalion Chief Chris Harrell, 48 passengers were on board a double-decker Megabus bound for Chicago when it crashed at 4:30 a.m. on I-65 just south of the Greenwood exit.
Authorities indicate the Megabus driver was swerving to avoid an earlier collision when the accident happened. Sgt. Shawn O’Keefe, with the Indiana State Police, said “the [bus] driver apparently didn’t see it because of the rain or something and swerved to avoid it [going over the median].”
35 patients are being treated at Eskenazi and six people are in stable condition at IU Health Methodist Hospital. The bus was traveling from Atlanta and made stops in Chattanooga and Nashville. It was on its way to Indianapolis and the final destination was Chicago.
“Common carrier” vehicle accidents are becoming more prevalent in recent years. Common carrier refers to a business or entity that is responsible for transporting passengers, goods, and services from one location to another. According to Charles Hankey, injury attorney in Indianapolis, “common carriers owe a heightened duty of care to passengers. This means they must exercise a high level of care and exhibit caution when transporting passengers.”
“Our hearts go out to the injured victims,” said Hankey. “We are reminded of how important it is to adhere to safety standards in order to prevent these kinds of tragedies. We are wishing all involved a safe recovery.”