Two people were hospitalized after a coach bus allegedly ran a red light and collided with a car Wednesday morning on Route 30 in West Manchester Township, Pennsylvania.
According to West Manchester Township police, the crash occurred just before 8:40 a.m. in the westbound lanes of Loucks Road/Route 30 near Kenneth Road. Investigators reported that the coach bus allegedly failed to stop at a red light and struck the side of a passenger vehicle in the intersection. Both occupants of the car were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The bus driver was uninjured, and no passengers were on board at the time of the crash. Authorities stated that the bus driver will be cited for the incident.
When I hear about a commercial vehicle running a red light and causing a crash, I think about the importance of determining whether this was simply a momentary mistake or whether deeper issues like distraction, fatigue, or mechanical failure were involved. In my experience, these cases require a thorough investigation into every element of the crash to understand what went wrong and why.
Could Distraction or Fatigue Have Played a Role?
When a commercial driver fails to stop at a red light, one of the first questions investigators should ask is whether the driver was fully alert and attentive. Operating large vehicles like coach buses requires constant focus, particularly at intersections.
Driver logs, hours-of-service records, and electronic monitoring systems should be reviewed to determine if fatigue or distraction contributed to the failure to stop. If the driver had been on duty for an extended period without proper rest, or if there was in-cab distraction from devices or systems, those factors could have played a significant role in the crash.
Could a Mechanical Issue Have Prevented the Bus From Stopping?
While the report indicates that the bus driver allegedly ran the red light, it’s also important to rule out the possibility of equipment failure. Brake systems, in particular, are critical to the safe operation of large commercial vehicles. If there was a failure in the braking system or other mechanical problems that affected the driver’s ability to stop, those issues could shift the focus of the investigation.
Inspecting the bus’s maintenance history, recent inspection reports, and brake system condition will be key to determining whether mechanical factors played a part.
What Investigators Should Look At
To fully understand how and why this crash occurred, investigators should gather data from the bus’s Engine Control Module (ECM), which can provide information on speed, throttle activity, and braking input at the time of the collision. In-cab video systems, if available, may also show whether the driver was alert and whether any evasive action was attempted. Physical evidence from the scene—such as traffic signal timing, skid marks, and damage patterns—will also help reconstruct the sequence of events.
Why Every Detail Deserves Careful Examination
In my experience, commercial vehicle crashes are rarely the result of a single, isolated mistake. They often involve a combination of factors, including driver behavior, vehicle condition, and situational awareness. A thorough investigation is the only way to uncover the full story of what happened and provide answers to those affected by the crash.