A newly released video from DeKalb County, Georgia appears to show a MARTA bus driver falling asleep behind the wheel moments before the bus left the road and crashed into several trees on September 7. The footage shows the driver’s hands coming off the wheel and his head nodding before the bus crossed a curb, went down an embankment and struck at least one tree along North Shallowford Road. Three people were injured, including the driver, who suffered severe cuts and what may be a broken leg and pinkie. Two passengers reported back, hip and knee pain.
The driver told officials he didn’t remember what happened. MARTA confirmed it is reviewing the crash, and authorities plan to cite the driver for distracted driving and failure to maintain his lane. In a statement, the transit agency said the safety of riders and employees remains its highest priority.
For those of us here on the Suncoast, this story resonates more than the Georgia dateline suggests. Many of our neighbors, especially retirees and snowbirds, depend on local transit every day, and driver fatigue is a safety concern that doesn’t stop at state lines. Whether it’s a bus in Atlanta or a route here at home, the same question applies: are we doing enough to make sure the people driving us are rested and ready? What do you think would make public transit safer in your community?
