Most car crashes involve two or more drivers in their own vehicles losing control and colliding, and occasionally into objects or people nearby as well. Sometimes, collisions involve commercial vehicles transporting people, like tour buses or limousines.
Paying someone else to drive you around is often part of a relaxing vacation. You can see all the local sights on a tour bus with a guide who points out the historical buildings and important local landmarks. Riding in a limousine can be a way to enjoy a brewery crawl without risking a drunk driving charge later.
Unfortunately, you aren’t ensured safe passage just because you turn to a professional transportation company. Tourists can find their vacation ends early when their tour bus or other professional modes of transportation gets into a crash.
Tour buses and limousines can get into crashes, too
Tour bus drivers and other commercial drivers do have extra training and specialized licenses, but they make the same mistakes as others on the road. They may even have slightly elevated risk for certain kinds of crashes and mistakes because of how much time they spend on the roads.
When you drive all day, every day, it can become a mind-numbing part of your job. Think about how you feel during your daily commute, and then imagine that you spend eight or maybe more hours on the road with a vehicle full of rowdy or loud passengers.
You can easily see how distraction and chemical impairment can be safety issues for those in limousines or tour buses. While commercial drivers are aware that impaired driving and distracted driving rules strictly limit what they can do with the wheel, they might make selfish decisions that lead to their passengers suffering major injuries or property damage losses.
Who is liable after a tour bus or limousine crash?
The specific factors that contributed to your tourism-related collision will influence your compensation rights. The company should have insurance that can reimburse you for medical expenses, lost wages and property damage costs. In scenarios involving misconduct or negligence, you may be able to bring a civil lawsuit against the business or the individual driver.
Looking into all of your options for compensation can help you successfully reduce the financial losses you suffer in a vehicle collision as a tourist.