The driver of a bus that crashed on Interstate 65 this month was given a ticket for driving too fast for the conditions.
Indiana State Police are continuing to investigate the April 13 crash of a Megabus double-decker bus on I-65 near Edinburgh. The crash, which injured 19 people, happened when traffic slowed and stopped near a construction zone, and the bus struck the back of a semitrailer.
State police recently finished an inspection of the bus and found that mechanical issues did not play a role in the crash since all of the damage to the bus was done in the accident. The driver, Kimberly Lane, 50, Dolton, Illinois, was cited for speed too fast for the conditions, according to a news release from Indiana State Police.
That citation means the driver failed to do what was needed in the traffic conditions — in this case slowed and stopped traffic — to avoid a collision, Indiana State Police Sgt. Dave Bursten said.
So in this case, the bus was not speeding since it was traveling at less than 60 mph, according to information from the bus’ black box. But the speed was too fast since traffic in front of the bus had slowed or stopped, and the driver couldn’t avoid an accident, Bursten said.
“Megabus.com evaluates all incidents and seeks to find ways to improve our service. Megabus.com continues to make safety of our passengers, employees and other vehicles on the road our number one priority,” spokesman Sean Hughes said in an emailed statement.
State police are finishing the investigation of the crash and expect to complete an accident report in the next week, Bursten said.
Police also found the bus was not properly following rules about displaying its U.S. Department of Transportation identification, but that is an administrative issue and not part of the crash investigation, Bursten said.
The crash happened at 5:30 a.m. in the southbound lanes of I-65, near the State Road 252 exit. At the time, construction vehicles were moving out of the road and into the median, and a state trooper was there helping with traffic. Traffic had slowed, and the bus struck the rear of a semi that was stopped. The force of the crash pushed the semitrailer into the vehicle in front of it, and that vehicle struck the one in front of it.
Nineteen of the 63 passengers were taken to central Indiana hospitals, with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said alcohol was not a factor in the crash.
