Navistar has recently recalled almost 900 school and commercial buses in their RE series. In these recalled vehicles, the drop hose on the air brakes might not be positioned correctly, which could prevent the brakes from working entirely. Continuing to drive a bus with a faulty brake line could have devastating consequences, should the brakes fail during a route.
Buses that are involved in this recall will be thoroughly inspected for defects. Should the drop hose be incorrectly placed or damaged, or should a defect be found anywhere else, everything will be repaired and replaced before the bus is sent back out on the road.
Daimler also recalled about 900 of their school buses. Unlike Navistar, Daimler’s school buses were recalled because of the possibility of a propane leak. The leak might be caused by the propane fuel line crossing paths with the transmission yoke. A leak such as this one can result in a fire. As with Navistar, any recalled buses found with this defect will be repaired before it is used again.
Manufacturers can and should do better
This is not the first recall Navistar has conducted this year. Every few months, it seems, one of Navistar’s bus lines faces a potential safety hazard that leads to a recall. Just over a year ago, Navistar recalled more than 20,000 buses because of a defect that could potentially cause severe burns to the bus driver and might lead to a crash.
While it is good that these safety issues are taken care of before too many serious accidents occur, more must be done to ensure that Navistar buses, as well as Daimler and any other manufacturer’s school buses, are in proper working order before ever leaving the lot. The number of recalls in recent years, especially for Navistar, is staggering. Manufacturers can and should do better. Every day, more than 25 million children ride the school bus. Those children and their parents deserve to know that they will make it to and from school safely.
With a total of 990 Houston school buses used to transport 36,000 students on a daily basis, it's crucial that safeguards are put in place to reduce accident risks in school zones. The Houston Independent School District has been taking measure to ensure the safety of children taking the bus to school. A total of 44 new buses and upgrades to 1,100 existing buses will be upgraded with three-point seatbelts. These seatbelts are designed to secure the lap and should of children seated on one of the buses. Additionally, seven cameras will be installed to monitor children in the back of the bus as well as surrounding traffic. These measures are being taken to counter the hundreds of crashes that happen in school zones.
If you or your child has been injured in an school or commercial bus accident, contact Tracey and Fox today. Our Texas bus accident lawyers know how important it is to have peace of mind when you send your kids to school.