Comments about ‘Speed, fatigue likely caused deadly bus crash in 2008’

whenever you go touring down this way you want to be prepared for any mishap ...not neccessarily for you but for others as mistakes take lifes all the time...water is paramount, remember the nearest distance to the hospital may be hrs...a top of the line first aid kit, the consider the terrain, insect, snakes, identify all the variables and then enjoy knowing you are prepared. stay alert because down here it is more than a country mile!!

The NTSB needs to follow European Safety Standards which include speed-limiters, stronger roll-over protection, seat belts and mandatory electronic logging for Motorcoaches. The Motorcoach Industry needs to stop fighting the implementaion of these rules and put the safety of the passengers ahead of cost. Having driven in Europe, as well as now in the USA, some of these passengers, along with members of the Bluffton Baseball team, from Ohio, who died in the Atlanta Crash, could have been saved if they had been wearing seatbelts. Once fitted, it should be the responsibility of the passenger to wear the belt, and, to remain in their seats at all times when the vehicle is moving. Also, think of the age of the driver, at 71 years of age.......he shouldn't have been driving an over the road coach. However, he is still younger than the Chippewa Falls driver, who was invloved in the fatal accident near Eau Claire, WI, on Interstate 90. He was 78!

This bus crash is not really near Mexican Hat, but is some 30 miles away.

I live in this area and drive the road between Bluff and Mexican Hat all the time. It's insane to think this bus was traveling near 90 mph! Especially on the curve where this accident happened.

Gee, thanks "remember" for those entirely off-topic, yet parental words of advice. If I weren't an eagle scout, I would never have thought of those traveling necesseties, especially considering the focus of this story was a FATAL BUS CRASH!

How was it determined that the bus was traveling 88-92 MPH? Did the reporter have access to data that supports this statement? If you drop a front wheel of a bus off that narrow pavement - even at 50 MPH - you have a bad situation in your hands. I doubt that a driver who is unfamiliar with a stretch of highway would travel at that rate of speed, assuming the bus was capable of that speed , even on that downgrade - particularly during night-time conditions - with very little visual reference beyond the play of the headlights. This is one dark, dark piece of road.