Texas Fatal Accident Prompts Prison Board Calls for Reform

A Texas fatal accident involving a train and a prison bus has prompted the state legislature to call for a review of prison transport methods. The Texas fatal accident took place on January 14. Ten of the fifteen passengers on a Texas Department of Criminal Justice bus died when the bus struck a train. Several members of the Texas House of Representatives took part in a conference call asking for a review of how the department handles the transportation of prisoners.

Details of the Texas Fatal Accident

The Texas fatal accident occurred on Interstate 20 just outside Odessa. The prison bus was headed to El Paso from Abilene when it skidded on an icy overpass, ran off the bridge and onto a freight rail line. The bus slid down the embankment onto the train tracks, where it collided with a freight train. Two guards and eight inmates died in the Texas fatal accident. The remaining five passengers were transported to Medical Center Hospital in Odessa for non-life-threatening injuries and have since been released. Neither of the engineers on the train were injured.

Prison Bus Conditions Led to Texas Fatal Accident?

Some legislators are asking about the conditions that contributed to the Texas fatal accident. The legislators pointed out that the prisoners were not wearing seat belts and were handcuffed and chained together. They also mentioned that the emergency exits on the bus were locked and could only be opened by the guards. The restraints and lack of safety systems may have made the Texas fatal accident more deadly than necessary, as the prisoners and guards were unable to protect themselves.

NHTSA Investigating Texas Fatal Accident

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has sent investigators to look into the Texas fatal accident. The NHTSA will determine the causes of the Texas fatal accident and if or how it could have been prevented. A spokesman for the correctional officers’ union released a statement reiterating the TDCJ policy of not allowing its buses to travel in hazardous driving conditions. The temperatures in the area were well below freezing at the time, while overpasses are also more susceptible to icy conditions, all of which may have contributed to the accident.

Source: El Paso Times

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