SEPTA buses, trains, trolleys and other vehicles are an essential mode of transportation for those in and around Philadelphia. Individuals in the city can use SEPTA’s many lines to get around, and suburbanites can utilize SEPTA’s regional rail system to get into the city and to travel throughout Pennsylvania. In short, SEPTA provides a transit system that is affordable and reasonably reliable for most people in southeast Pennsylvania.
However, the convenience of SEPTA would mean little if the organization’s various modes of transportation were not typically safe. Luckily for most people who board a SEPTA train or bus, their trip is completed safely and uneventfully. However, there is always the risk of a serious bus or train accident in Philadelphia occurring due to the actions of SEPTA operators or conductors, fellow passengers, or other motorists. Unfortunately, on Monday, November 2nd, a SEPTA bus was involved in a serious accident with a commercial flatbed truck.
How Did the SEPTA Bus & Commercial Truck Accident Occur?
According to news reports detailing the events, the accident involving the SEPTA bus and the flatbed truck occurred in the Fox Chase area of Philadelphia. At about 12:30 in the afternoon, the Route 18 SEPTA bus was driving its normal route. As it was exiting a turnaround area to turn onto Oxford Avenue, a flatbed truck carrying a front-end loader and escorted by police passed through the area.
According to eyewitness reports, the police escort was in the lead and the large commercial truck was following. The police escort apparently passed by the exit of the turnaround area without incident. However, as the truck carrying the front-loader passed by the exit to the turn-around area, the double-long bus also exited the turnaround in an attempt to make a right turn. The bus struck the flatbed truck causing both vehicles to careen into the Blooming Artist Studio.
The SEPTA bus came to rest blocking all the traffic lane and blocking the sidewalks on both sides of the road. Oxford Avenue was closed for hours until roughly 8 p.m. According to one individual interviewed by NBC10 and inside the Blooming Artist Studio at the time of the wreck. She was in the painting session and there was a loud terrible crash. When she looked up, there was a truck at her window.
What Injuries Occurred As a Result of the Fox Chase Bus Crash?
In the bus accident, three injuries were reported. However, details about the exact nature of those injuries have been rather sparse. According to one individual who was present immediately following the crash, “I jumped out and went into the front of the bus to see if everybody was alright.” Thus, it appears that at least two of the injured on the SEPTA bus were older individuals. The fact that they were found on the ground could mean that they suffered simple injuries such as bumps, bruises, cuts, and abrasions. However, it is also possible that the force of the impact could have resulted in more serious injuries such as broken bones or a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The third reported injury was apparently to the driver of the SEPTA bus. Further details regarding the nature of the bus driver’s injuries were not available. Reports also indicate the driver of the commercial truck was not injured in the crash. The three injured individuals were transported to Aria Health Torresdale for observation and treatment. It appears that all three have been released after receiving treatment for their non-life threating injuries.
Injured in a SEPTA Bus, Train, or Trolley Crash?
While most SEPTA trips are completed successfully and without incident, there is always the chance for a serious bus accident or car accidents that produces catastrophic, life-altering injuries. Whether your injury was caused by a defective bus or train that malfunctioned or due to a bus driver, train engineer, or train conductor error you are simply looking for a way to be made whole and to pay your medical bills and cover other expenses imposed on you by the accident. For more than 34 years the Philadelphia truck accident attorneys of The Reiff Law Firm have been trusted to fight for injured Pennsylvanians and Philadelphians. To schedule a free, confidential SEPTA accident legal consultation call (215) 709-6940 today.