Sask. Bus Accident

[dogspoiler]

And that's the truth.

[vinnied]

Who knows what the truck driver said at the time but just because he may have said he didn't see the sign doesn't take away the responsibility of blowing through it nor does it negate the investigation's efforts to determine what all the facts are. Don't forget the truck driver was also involved in the accident and there will be ill effects and even the possibility of misinterpreting what happened.

Your absolutely right. We don't know what he said. But we can be rest assured, it wasn't much considering the accident investigation team is trying to figure out the cause of the accident. including any mechanical issues. If it was as simple as blowing through the stop sign, that would be the cause. Instead, in the meantime well they're investigating, were all left to believe the Semi T-Boned the bus, and no one knows why.

[vegas1500]

They will investigate this to the very last minute detail to help deal with the multiple lawsuits that will be in the courts for many many years to come. Its so sad and tragic that its almost hard to comprehend. Trees, no trees, flashing sign, no flashing sign, sun or no sun......he had the stop sign, hes at fault...IMO.

[my5cents]

Your absolutely right. We don't know what he said. But we can be rest assured, it wasn't much considering the accident investigation team is trying to figure out the cause of the accident. including any mechanical issues. If it was as simple as blowing through the stop sign, that would be the cause. Instead, in the meantime well they're investigating, were all left to believe the Semi T-Boned the bus, and no one knows why.

From the damage to the two vehicles and the location of the debris, it appears the truck was moving pretty good (ie, not starting from a stopped position) Also the bus likely swerved to the left, those two factors resulted in the debris on the NW corner. Looks like the truck was a B Train and was hit just behind the drive wheels near the front of the lead trailer.

It's not gospel but one of the fathers who attended at the scene, stated on the news that he spoke with an RCMP officer who indicated the truck driver said the sun was in his eyes.

I would hope the RCMP get use of a semi of the same year and make and ASAP check the location at the same time of day. I really doubt the sun had any bearing on this collision.

As for the trees, they factored very big in the collision IF the truck was travelling through the intersection without stopping. HOWEVER if the truck stopped at the intersection there would have been NO obstruction of his view of the bus because of the trees, they are a long way back from the East side of the North bound lane.

Sadly those same trees that WOULD NOT have obstructed the view of the truck driver (if he had only stopped), would have obstructed the view of the bus driver, who may have been able to be warned that the truck wasn't stopping further from the intersection.

I wonder what limits the trucking firm has on it's liability coverage.

[Bsuds]

I wonder what limits the trucking firm has on it's liability coverage.

With all the money that has been donated it really doesn't matter as it looks like they will have more than enough to cover all the issues.

[vegas1500]

I wonder what limits the trucking firm has on it's liability coverage.

With all the money that has been donated it really doesn't matter as it looks like they will have more than enough to cover all the issues.

I doubt that. Lots of people, and lots of lawsuits. Granted everyone in their dog will be named in the lawsuit. Bus company, bus driver, hockey team, the municipality, highway maintenance company, trucking company, truck driver, the province, etc. lots of resources to come up with the cash that will be needed.

[my5cents]

I wonder what limits the trucking firm has on it's liability coverage.

With all the money that has been donated it really doesn't matter as it looks like they will have more than enough to cover all the issues.

16 dead, 13 injured some severely. A hockey team decimated. I doubt it very much.

[GordonH]

I wonder what limits the trucking firm has on it's liability coverage.

With all the money that has been donated it really doesn't matter as it looks like they will have more than enough to cover all the issues.

Its up to each family if they want to pursue with a wrongful death action. Now if the investigation concludes the driver was in the wrong, then the Crown in Saskatchewan I suspect would lay charges.

[Urban Cowboy]

They will investigate this to the very last minute detail to help deal with the multiple lawsuits that will be in the courts for many many years to come. Its so sad and tragic that its almost hard to comprehend. Trees, no trees, flashing sign, no flashing sign, sun or no sun......he had the stop sign, hes at fault...IMO.

I'll only comment on what I've seen, and the pictures, as well as aerial video, do not suggest to me that the big rig T-boned the bus, and I'd be willing to bet money on that since the truck has been retrieved and the picture of it sitting at the tow yard, shows hardly any front end damage to the vehicle.

The big rig cab was simply laid over on it's side (explaining why the driver was uninjured), just as would likely happen if the rig was blocking the highway, and the bus nailed the trailer at speed. Since the trailer is also a flat deck, that explains why the bus looks like it was opened like a sardine can. It also explains why the devastating results of the crash.
The deck of that trailer would be about the same height as a passenger's knees and a solid mass of steel. It also flipped over and as it did that's probably how the roof of the bus was bent upward as if someone were trying to peel it off.

What remains to be determined is why the big rig was blocking the whole highway. Did it's brakes fail? It wouldn't seem so given the driver gave no such indication. We can be sure law enforcement will rule that out one way or the other.
That doesn't really leave a lot of other possibilities. Either the rig blew through the stop sign, or the driver pulled out, completely misjudging the speed of the oncoming bus, not to mention how much time it takes to get a fully loaded B-Train through an intersection from a standing start.

I hate to say it but if I had to guess, I'd have to go with running the stop sign, and that simply because it's the only scenario I can think of, where the bus driver would have virtually zero time to take evasive action.
Had the big rig been at a full stop, I'd have to speculate the bus driver would have seen the rig from a ways down the road already, the trees no factor here as the stop sign is well ahead of the tree line, plus sun at his back, so the bus driver would have been able to determine that rig wasn't going to clear the intersection soon enough, giving the driver ample time to hit the brakes and safely stay out of harms way.
Given the account that said the bus driver screamed, it completely suggests he was caught totally by surprise.

[vinnied]

I think everyone is in agreement that the truck blew the stop sign. Only thing I want to know is if that sun played any part in it. I have my doubts given other people on the scene said it wasn't. So If not, then he is lying, and that brings into play a whole new set of charges that should be laid against him.

[vegas1500]

I think everyone is in agreement that the truck blew the stop sign. Only thing I want to know is if that sun played any part in it. I have my doubts given other people on the scene said it wasn't. So If not, then he is lying, and that brings into play a whole new set of charges that should be laid against him.

He was probably grasping at straws and would say anything in the interest of self preservation. He up.....sun or no sun. Even if the sun was in his eyes.....doesn’t change a damn thing.

[generalposter]

I think the treeline will be revealed to have contributed to the accidents occurrence.

The truck may have been moving west towards the intersection with no intent of stopping at the stop sign. The bus drivers typical field of view might not have been broad enough to see the truck enter the treeline and thus the truck was concealed as it approached the intersection. Then , when the truck emerged from the treeline, still travelling at speed with no intent to stop, the bus driver had insufficient time to react or adjust to the truck. Suddenly the truck was in his field of view, (neither driver intending to stop) and the timing was such that the bus struck the truck .

Obviously the truck should have been slowing to a stop as it emerged from the treeline however the damage and scene would suggest it was not slowing and both collided at road speed.

Maybe, just maybe, if the treeline was not obstructing the movement of the truck, the bus driver would have seen the approaching truck and realized it didn't appear to be stopping and could have adjusted sooner. Effectively, the truck may have appeared out of no where as the trees concealed it's approach. Both vehicles being at road speed left no time to adjust because the trees are in reasonably close proximity to the intersection.

I think the real question will be why was the truck approaching the stop sign at road speed?

[Urban Cowboy]

I think everyone is in agreement that the truck blew the stop sign. Only thing I want to know is if that sun played any part in it. I have my doubts given other people on the scene said it wasn't. So If not, then he is lying, and that brings into play a whole new set of charges that should be laid against him.

He was probably grasping at straws and would say anything in the interest of self preservation. He up.....sun or no sun. Even if the sun was in his eyes.....doesn’t change a damn thing.

I'm afraid I'm not buying the "sun" argument. That rig has a really decent visor, plus if the sun is in my eyes that bad to where I can't see, what on earth would compel me to pull a loaded B-Train out onto a main highway? I'd use my hand or whatever it takes, to get a confirmation on whether it's clear to go ahead or not, plus as I've said prior, if that were the case, and he was stopped at the stop sign, the bus driver would have had advance warning and time to react.

A big rig like that, fully loaded no less, doesn't just jackrabbit into the middle of the road. The bus driver would have seen the thing make a move forward, and had time to react to it. All accounts say he was a very competent capable driver, and as such with a cargo of kids, he would have headed for the field if he had time. His reaction time was stolen from him.

[my5cents]

Its up to each family if they want to pursue with a wrongful death action. Now if the investigation concludes the driver was in the wrong, then the Crown in Saskatchewan I suspect would lay charges.

Anyone suing would sue for negligence.

The truck driver will likely be charged, but "the driver being in the wrong" doesn't factor in the decision to charge.

[my5cents]

They will investigate this to the very last minute detail to help deal with the multiple lawsuits that will be in the courts for many many years to come. Its so sad and tragic that its almost hard to comprehend. Trees, no trees, flashing sign, no flashing sign, sun or no sun......he had the stop sign, hes at fault...IMO.

Actually, the police investigation will move more towards charges. The FACTS gathered at the scene, such as photos, measurements of everything will be used by engineers who do nothing but accident analysis.