Ever hear the old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? Well, this seems to hold true, especially when it comes to San Francisco MUNI accidents. I have been following the poor service record of San Francisco’s MUNI transit system for awhile now, pointing out more recently their claimed defenses in the face of a shabby safety record amidst repeated MUNI accidents. Recently, the results from a major crash in July 2009 highlight MUNI’s startling reality — MUNI faces $32 million bill on MUNI collisions from recent collisions, including the July 2009 MUNI crash where the driver blacked out.
Now the transit
agency knows that it must repair eight cars that have been structurally damaged in different accidents. I’m pleased to report that it’s finally time for MUNI to acknowledge that it needs to make necessary repairs to its vehicles so that no one else gets injured. Proper scheduling and training of MUNI operators and proper maintenance are just a few ways that MUNI can invest a little to save a lot down the road.
The July 2009 crash specifically resulted in $7 million in payouts to its 47 injured victims.
According to a report which describes the repairs, it is suggested that
lumbering, snaking, creaking, squealing cars are subject to the kind of precise alignment requirements associated with Swiss clocks. MUNI car frames, which carry tons of weight over many miles, must remain relatively straight or else the doors could jam, moving stairs might get stuck, and articulation joints will go out of alignment.
Even though I am a San Francisco MUNI Accident Attorney, I am not alone in criticizing MUNI for too many at fault accidents. MUNI is made up of the following vehicles: buses, LRVs, street cars, cable cars and electric buses. MUNI vehicles are often involved in serious accidents, causing injury or wrongful deaths to pedestrians, motorists, motorcyclists, bicyclists and MUNI riders alike. The payouts for damages to seriously injured survivors of MUNI negligence are tragic for the City and for those who deserve a safe and efficient public transport system. If some of these MUNI accidents had been prevented, the money could have been used for the improvement of the MUNI system for all of us.
About the author: Claude Wyle is an aggressive advocate for pedestrians and other survivors of San Francisco MUNI accidents. Claude and his firm have decades of experience representing those harmed by the wrongful conduct of others, and, as a San Francisco MUNI and accident lawyer, has fought to protect the rights of injured victims throughout his legal career.
