Once a quiet college town, Austin has been growing exponentially in the last few decades. With the increase in population came an increase in the need for public transportation. CapMetro has served the city of Austin faithfully, but there have been a few incidents where CapMetro buses have caused accidents. One such incident occurred on December 22, 2016 when a pedestrian walking across Parker Lane at East Oltorf was struck by a CapMetro bus.
The woman, estimated to be in her 50s, was hospitalized with minor injuries. An investigation has yet to point out whether the woman or the bus had the right-of-way. CapMetro will be requesting better crosswalk lighting in that area, in cooperation with city police and the Vision Zero project.
Austin Pedestrian Accidents Involving CapMetro
CapMetro has come under fire lately for a number of pedestrian accidents involving its buses. In September, a pedestrian was struck and killed by a CapMetro bus that failed to yield. A lawsuit is ongoing in that case, alleging that CapMetro’s negligence was a key component in the pedestrian’s death. Another accident in East Austin happened in February, when a CapMetro bus struck an incapacitated man lying in the road. In that incident, the driver said he had not seen the man in the road.
Liability in bus accidents can come from many places. Perhaps the bus driver was negligent and caused the crash through reckless driving. Or maybe the bus company failed to maintain the bus appropriately, leading to part failures that caused an accident. No matter what the cause of your bus accident injuries, it is important to seek legal representation as soon as possible.
