L’Observateur / May 19, 1999

The after-shocks of the deaths of 22 people in the Mother’s Day bus accident continue to reverberate, with lawsuits hitting the courts, even as the funerals and memorial services end.

While some lawsuits are calling for seat belts to be placed on all buses, that solution may be too impractical and expensive. What can be donehowever, as the lawsuits are also calling for, are tougher restrictions on who drives these buses.

The bus driver in this case apparently was in poor medical condition and had a history of drug use. However, the fact remained, he was behind thewheel. Whether either of those factors had anything to do with causing theaccident remains to be determined.

With so many buses transporting gamblers to the Mississippi Gulf Coast casinos and countless school buses, more attention can and should be made to insure the safety of their passengers by hiring the best drivers possible. More training of these drivers, especially in handling emergencysituations, would also be welcome.

Should reforms such as these become implemented, aimed at preventing any future such accidents, the Mother’s Day accident victims’ deaths would have served a purpose. Perhaps the next such accident might be agroup of children.

When tragedy such as this strikes, we search for meaning and purpose. Wehope this will generate positive change, as no one wants to see another such accident.

L’Observateur

Copyright © 1998, Wick Communications, Inc.

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