NTSB Examines Atlanta Bus Accident on I-75 Involving Fatalities to Baseball Team

July 8, 2008 - The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) met this morning to determine the probable cause of the tragic 2007 Atlanta bus accident as well as courses of action to prevent similar accidents. On March 2, 2007, a 57-passenger motorcoach was transporting 33 baseball players from the Bluffton University team in Ohio through Atlanta on I-75 when it entered an intersection on an overpass, traveled over a bridge wall, and plummeted 19 feet to the Interstate’s southbound lanes. Seven occupants were killed and twenty-eight passengers were injured in the devastating accident. Upon completing investigations, the NTSB stated in today’s press release that the driver’s mistaking of an HOV-only exit ramp for an HOV through-lane was the probable cause of the crash.

As a result, NTSB chairman Mark V. Rosenker re-emphasized the need for "clear and consistent highway signage and traffic devices across the U.S. interstate system" and reiterated a former recommendation to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for improved motorcoach occupant protection systems. In total, 5 recommendations were made to the Federal Highway Administration, 5 to the Georgia Department of Transportation, and 4 previous recommendations were stressed to the NHTSA. To read the synopsis posted by the NTSB, click here.

Our law firm handles serious and fatal accidents such as this. If you have been involved in a serious accident or lost a friend or family member due to another’s negligence, call us at 770-577-3020 for a free consultation.