Many Pittsburgh residents ride in Port Authority buses every day. No doubt some of our readers take the bus to and from work, or use it to get to other destinations. This form of public transit can be a cheap, convenient alternative to driving, but riding the bus does not guarantee that you will not be hurt in a traffic accident, as a recent story from KDKA-TV shows.
As the station reports, two Port Authority buses were involved in crashes within a 10-hour period from June 14-15. Passengers suffered injuries in both cases.
The first accident occurred late at night. The Port Authority believes the driver of a car failed to stop at a red light and crashed into a bus, injuring both drivers in the head. Besides them, a total of five people were taken to the hospital, including a passenger who suffered a broken arm and another with a head injury.
The next morning, a second bus was involved in a crash near the Armstrong Tunnel. KDKA gives few details about the nature of the second auto accident, but noted that two passengers had to go to the hospital, including a 19-month-old child.
Fortunately, none of the injuries in either crash is considered life-threatening. But the first crash involved multiple head injuries, which could range from a mild concussion to severe brain trauma. And the nature of the injuries to the child and other person hurt in the second wreck is not clear.
It sounds as if the first accident, at least, was easily preventable. Traffic lights are there for a reason; not respecting them will often cause a serious crash.