six killed when charter bus plunges off overpass

[angelwngs]

I'm smelling a wrongful death batch of lawsuits against the GA DOT and rightfully so.

I went to my mayor in the Fall of 2006 requesting his help to get GA DOT to add both left turn lanes and left turn lights at excessively busy intersections in our small metro town. It takes 15 minutes to get from one side of our tiny town to the other on a Good Traffic Day and these intersections are increasingly dangerous to manuver.

I also requested a 4 way stop on a state hwy intersecting intersecting a county road where numerous deaths have occured.

The mayor's office sent me a copy of the letter from the DOT rejecting all requests. Their survey concluded there was not enough traffic or death/injury to warrant the cost of the changes!

It was further explained to me, point blank, VERBALLY, that the DOT will NOT fork over the cash to make any intersection safer until the death toll reaches a certain number per % of usage of the intersection!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ... I guess I should have known that our state's Govt. had actually equated human life w/ a dollar sign figure.

I am disgusted.

 

[Megs]

My hubbie went to this exact tournament over spring break when he played college baseball - they also went through Atlanta on a bus... . how sad.. I keep thinking that these players were probably sleeping since it was at 5:30... had no clue and no time to react. Wondering if driver possibly nodded off?

 

[southcitymom]

I'm with my fellow Atlantans that this is a terrible exit - 84 accidents since the HOV lane was put there not too long ago. If you go to www.ajc.com, they have a video showing the drive onto this HOV exit.

I don't think driver fatigue played a part - the driver was "fresh" having just taken over an hour prior to the accident. Obviously there was driver error, but it is a very confusing part of I-75.

 

[Annie]

This tells a little about each one. Such a tragic loss. I have grandchildren this age. My heart goes out to the families.

http://www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=93169

 

[southcitymom]

National officials are saying it seems clear that the bus driver thought he was still on the highway in the HOV lane.

 

[Details]

And good ole Georgia is saying they don't plan to change the signs - they're up to code, what more do you want from them! I guess the signs cost more than the value they place on 6 lives, we'll have to up the death rate, or maybe a critical kid can die to help them change their minds. :furious: