William Hiebel Killed In Chicago CTA Bus Accident on North Marine Drive In Buena Park

Bus Accident - October 19, 2021

William Hiebel Died In Buena Park, Chicago Bus Accident Along North Marine Drive

COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS (October 18, 2021) – An 85-year-old man identified as William Hiebel has tragically died in a CTA bus accident on North Marine Drive in the North Side of Buena Park.

Chicago police officials are saying that the collision took place around 5:10 p.m. on Sunday, October 10th. William Hiebel was walking when he was hit by a northbound CTA bus.

Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help the elderly victim. Despite the life-saving measures of first responders, William Hiebel died as a result of his injuries.

A full investigation into the cause of the Chicago bus crash remains ongoing at this time.

Liability In Chicago Bus Accidents

Buses are among the safest forms of transportation for bus passengers. But they pose a number of unique hazards to pedestrians and those in smaller vehicles. According to the FMCSA, “In 2018, 5,096 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal crashes, a 1-percent increase from 2017. Although the number of large trucks and buses in fatal crashes has increased by 48 percent from its low of 3,432 in 2009, the 2018 number is still 3 percent lower than the 21st-century peak of 5,231 in 2005.” There are a number of factors that could potentially contribute to a pedestrian accident involving a bus.

Blind Spots: Buses have large blind spots that are especially pronounced on the sides of the vehicles. They can easily make a pedestrian disappear and regularly contribute to accidents. Bus drivers are supposed to rock back and forth to check these spots, but that doesn’t always happen.
Distracted Driving: Bus drivers can become distracted like anyone else. One accident in Albuquerque was blamed on a bus driver eating a burrito.
Left Turns: In general, left turns are one of the most dangerous maneuvers that a driver can make. A large number of pedestrian collisions are due to drivers that make dangerous left turns.

Bus drivers must obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and are held to a high standard in terms of safety. Committing a serious traffic infraction could jeopardize a person’s ability to maintain a CDL. Bus drivers must take precautions to avoid hitting pedestrians. According to Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1), every driver must exercise due care in order to avoid hitting pedestrians and bicyclists. Bus drivers that hit pedestrians may be held at fault through a civil claim.

Depending on the specific facts of any case, liability for a collision could extend beyond any driver. For example, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is owned by the city of Chicago. If a (CTA) bus driver was negligent and caused an accident, the city of Chicago could be on the hook for damages. Generally speaking, corporations and municipal entities are liable for the negligent conduct of their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the scope of their job duties.

Consider, for example, a 2019 CTA bus accident that injured a bicyclist. A 24-year-old bicycle rider was struck by a southbound CTA bus when the bus pulled into the victim’s bicycle lane while approaching a bus stop. The victim was seriously injured and filed a lawsuit against the CTA and the operator of the bus. Attorney’s for the plaintiff were eventually able to settle with the CTA. Victims of bus accidents tend to suffer very serious and costly injuries including:

Broken bones
Head injuries
Lacerations
Spinal cord injuries

The family of any victim that died in a Chicago bus accident may be able to seek justice through a wrongful death claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover some of the unexpected expenses that often follow the sudden and tragic loss of a loved one. In order to win any civil claim plaintiffs will typically need to demonstrate negligence. A wrongful death attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case free of cost and let you know what your legal options are.

Investigating A Chicago Bus Accident

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of William Hiebel. Any person that may have information about what happened should reach out to police. There needs to be a thorough investigation for the sake of all who have lost so much. This accident raises a number of safety concerns. What was the bus driver doing prior to the collision? Did the bus driver receive adequate training? Could this tragedy have been prevented? The vast majority of pedestrian collisions can be prevented when drivers slow down and scan the road ahead of them. Far too often expeditious trips are prioritized in a way that jeopardizes the safety of pedestrians.

Do you need more information about a Chicago bus accident? Our team of personal injury attorneys are here to answer any questions that you may have. We are committed to helping accident victims get the information and support that they are entitled to. Whether you just have questions about the law or need a free, independent investigation into an accident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.