KGUN 9 On Your Side, Tucson News, Weather & SportsCrash victims in AZ sue bus manufacturer
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Associated Press - October 9, 2009 10:04 PM ET
Corrected Version
PHOENIX (AP) - Family members of those killed and victims who survived a ski-bus crash in southwestern Utah in January 2008 are suing in hope of bringing about changes in safety standards for motor coach carriers.
The plaintiffs named Motor Coach Industries in the lawsuit filed in Maricopa County Superior Court and announced Friday at a news conference.
While the families could receive compensation from the bus manufacturer, their lawyer says the real goal is to ensure the roofs on buses are reinforced and that the coaches have laminated-glass windows and seat belts.
Nine Phoenix-area residents were killed and 43 were injured when the MCI-manufactured bus tumbled down a snowy hill near Mexican Hat on Jan. 6, 2008. All but two people were ejected.
An accident report the National Transportation Safety Board released in April cited speed and driver fatigue as major factors in the crash. It focused on the fact that seat belts in the bus would have prevented a significant amount of the injuries.
Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com
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