Robert A. Clifford, senior partner at Clifford Law Offices, was interviewed by Dane Placko, reporter for Fox News Chicago, on the important issue of safety of bus drivers in Chicago. The story became the top of the news when earlier this month a speeding Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) accordion-style bus crashed through a crosswalk and jumped a curb at the crowded intersection of Michigan Avenue and Lake Street during evening rush hour. A 51-year-old mother of two was killed and several others were injured. The family of the mom retained Clifford Law Offices to get to the bottom of what happened.
Media reports have stated that the driver had been on the job since September after only five weeks of training. The head of the CTA subsequently announced that they are looking into further training for its bus drivers as well as the policy that newer drivers are assigned more challenging routes whereas more senior drivers are given routes that are considered easier. Clifford told Placko in the interview that these policies must be more carefully examined by the CTA as well as the union. Clifford noted that this is not the first time this has happened; the firm has represented a number of people over the years who have been victim to being hurt or killed by CTA drivers who were reckless in their carriage of passengers or people nearby. To watch the entire story on this important issue, watch Fox News Chicago at 9 p.m. (Channel 12 for Comcast subscribers).