An automobile accident involving a hotel shuttle bus and a tractor trailer near Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport left over eighteen people injured, with at least two in serious condition. Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is the world’s busiest airport. The hotel shuttle bus services Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn, and Hilton hotels; it was operated by MTI Limos.

The accident occurred at approximately 10 a.m. on Saturday. College Park police were informed of a motor vehicle accident and reported at the scene immediately. According to Sgt. Keith Stanley, it appeared that the hotel shuttle collided with the side of the tractor trailer while attempting to make a U-turn in order to turn onto the divided road. Based on road marks, it appeared that the hotel shuttle bus skid nearly 160 feet before hitting the tractor trailer.

The hotel shuttle bus sustained serious damage as a result of the collision including, a cracked windshield and smashed engine block. In addition, the driver and seventeen passengers were injured and taken to local hospitals for treatment.

Some of the buses’ occupants had to be removed from the wreckage. However, none of the injuries appeared life threatening. According to Leon Haley, chief of emergency medicine at Grady Memorial Hospital, one passenger suffered from a collapsed lung and another suffered fractures to both shoulders.

Investigation will not be completed for several weeks.

Sgt. Stanley could not verify whether the hotel shuttle bus was equipped with seatbelts and, if so, whether the buses’ occupants where wearing them. However, based on his experience he did not believe that the passengers where wearing seatbelts and that as a result, they were all thrown out of their seats when the collision occurred.

In addition, Sgt. Stanley reported that law enforcement officials had not yet determined whether either of the vehicles violated any traffic laws. He stated that the investigation into the accident would take up to several weeks to complete.

4 percent of fatal accidents involve a bus.

According to the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute, over 4 percent of all motor vehicle accident fatalities that occur in Georgia involve buses of some sort including: school, public transit, and charter buses. Nationwide, twenty nine percent of fatal bus accident involved the bus hitting an object on the road such as, a non-motorist. Nearly twelve percent of fatal bus accidents involved a vehicle crossing the center line and striking the bus head on. Over 6 percent of bus accidents occurred after the bus stuck the side of another vehicle.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a bus accident, you should contact an attorney immediately. An attorney will be able to review the circumstances of your case to determine your legal rights and ensure that you receive the representation that you deserve.