Idaho Law Blog
On Thursday, May 1st, a 2021 black Chevy Silverado and a Mercedes tour bus collided on US Highway 20. The accident took place at 7:15 p.m. as the tour bus, carrying foreign tourists, headed to Yellowstone National Park. Idaho State Police, Fremont County Coroner’s Office, Ada County Coroner’s office and Idaho State Forensic Service are continuing to investigate this collision.
At the time of the accident, the tour bus was headed East. The bus carried 14 people total, including the driver, a 30-year-old man who was licensed in California. Of the other passengers, 12 were tourists from China, and one was visiting from Italy. As they traveled, the other vehicle, the Chevy, crossed over the center line and collided with the van. Little information is provided regarding what occurred after the initial impact.
Following the accident, all 14 passengers on the bus and the driver of the truck, a 25-year-old man from Humble, Texas, were transported to hospitals to receive medical treatment. Three individuals were transported via life flight, two were flown to a hospital in Idaho Falls, and one with more severe injuries was taken to Bozeman, Montana. All other individuals were taken to local hospitals via ground ambulance. A Sheriff from Fremont County arrived just in time to assist in getting passengers off the van before it caught fire.
In the days following, 6 individuals from the tour bus and the driver of the truck all succumbed to their injuries. Idaho State Police provided this statement, “Given the dynamic nature of the crash, the number of casualties, and the involvement of foreign nationals, this has been a highly complex investigation. We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding as we’ve worked to confirm facts and provide verified information.” Local and state officers are continuing to gather information regarding this accident and are working closely with the tour company and other officials as they help these foreign individuals get home.
We are so sorry to hear about this devastating crash. We send our deepest condolences to the loved ones of the individuals who passed away in this accident. Our hearts go out to the individuals who reside in other countries that lost a loved one so far from home.
Unfortunately, according to Idaho Transportation Department’s crash report in 2023, 22% of all crashes involving multiple vehicles were a result of head on collision. Head on collisions were the largest contributing cause of multi-vehicle crashes in 2023. Multiple vehicle crashes accounted for 72% of all motor vehicle crashes in 2023, leaving a total of 19,807 multi-vehicle crashes.
LIABILTIY FOR ACCIDENTS IN IDAHO
No one who gets into or drives a vehicle wants to be involved in an accident. But unfortunately, car accidents happen. Idaho uses a fault-based system to impose liability on the party most at-fault for the accident. A legal principle called “comparative negligence,” is applied to determine the negligence of all involved parties. If the Plaintiff’s negligence is less than 50%, then she generally can recover damages from the Defendant (or the Defendant’s insurance policy).
Our personal injury attorneys can advise injured persons about their particular case and how Idaho’s legal principles of negligence, causation, and liability apply to it.
Notes: The information used to create this blog post comes primarily from the Idaho State Police News Releases. Information has not been independently verified by this firm. Please report any inaccuracies in this post to our firm. We will correct or remove the article, if asked.
Disclaimer: This blog is not intended as solicitation for professional employment to a specific person. It is intended as a legal news and advertisement post. The post does not constitute legal or medical advice.