Ontario authorities have filed charges against the 66-year-old GO Transit driver whose bus was involved in a fatal accident on Jan. 14. The accident happened around 10 p.m., and there were five passengers on the bus at the time. The bus was traveling to York University on the 407 when it ran into a guardrail and a grassy median. A 56-year-old woman, who worked as a custodian at the university, died at the scene after she was thrown from the bus.

On behalf of Joseph Caprara of CBLAW posted in Car Accidents on Friday, March 13, 2015.

Ontario authorities have filed charges against the 66-year-old GO Transit driver whose bus was involved in a fatal accident on Jan. 14. The accident happened around 10 p.m., and there were five passengers on the bus at the time. The bus was traveling to York University on the 407 when it ran into a guardrail and a grassy median. A 56-year-old woman, who worked as a custodian at the university, died at the scene after she was thrown from the bus.

The president of the bus company says that all buses are inspected for safety once per shift and that the driver had worked for the company for 15 years. He also said that the man had been in the middle of his shift and that the bus was eight years old. There was no report of any mechanical problems in the vehicle.

While the bus company does often have split shifts for drivers in which they work three hours each in the morning and afternoon, the company did not comment on whether the driver was working that type of shift. The president did say there is no mandatory retirement age at the company.

In a fatal accident like this one, the family of the individual killed may want to file a lawsuit against the responsible party or parties. In a case involving a transportation business, the family may want to name both the driver and the company operating the vehicle in the suit. Although the driver in this case is being charged, this circumstance is not necessary for a successful wrongful death lawsuit. A civil suit, is separate from the criminal case.

Source: City News Toronto, “OPP charges GO bus driver in fatal January crash,” March 2, 2015