Teenagers Injured in Bus Rollover Accident on Highway 99 in Merced, CA
Merced, CA -- March 4, 2023, teenagers were injured following an accident where a bus overturned along Highway 99.
Preliminary details from authorities say the incident happened at around 2:00 p.m. along the off-ramp from Highway 99 to Martin Luther King Jr. Way.
Right now, the cause of the crash remains unclear. Authorities said only that a group of teenagers was on a small bus traveling to a quinceañera. Somehow, the bus lost control and overturned onto its side.
Reports say 16 teenagers were on the bus, and multiple were hurt. The conditions were not specified, but they're expected to recover. No further information can be confirmed at this time, but the bus driver reportedly told authorities a mechanical failure led to the crash.
To be rather blunt, mechanical failures are not very common. Even when they happen, they are usually the result of poor maintenance or something normal like a tire blowout. However, I've consistently advocated for proper investigations into possibilities regarding unusual mechanical defects, and I see no reason why this crash would be an exception. Many families no doubt had a moment of panic when they got a call about their kids being in a serious crash. They no doubt want some answers, and they deserve to get them.
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