Miami Dade Transit Fights Responsibility in Bus Driver Accident
An accident that has been getting a lot of attention lately surrounds a bus driver that was ran over by her own bus. The driver had been working as a county bus driver for about six months. Video footage shows her leaving the bus and getting caught by it. The parking brake wasn’t engaged.
But now new questions are being raised after authorities found that the seat alarm that should have warned the driver the brake wasn’t engaged wasn’t connected at all. The cord was found dangling behind the seat and tied in a knot. An inspection found that the seat alarm was either broken or disabled in 92% of the busses used by Miami Dade Transit.
The deputy director of Miami Dade Transit has repeatedly lain the blame on the accident on the driver, and has said the county is absolved of any responsibility and that the lack of an alarm played no role. He does, however, admit that around 70% of the busses have exceeded their lives, but also states that the vehicles they put out are safe. However, the chief union shop steward in the maintenance department disagrees. He believes unsafe busses go out every day.
Yes, the driver should have set the brake, but if there was a warning device on the bus then it should have been maintained for the safety of the employees. Miami Dade Transit is showing a lack of regard for the safety of its employees by not maintaining all safety equipment installed on a bus.