A Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) bus driver was suspended and faces charges after appearing to fall asleep at the wheel, causing the bus to veer off the road and crash into trees on September 7. The incident occurred in the suburb of Dunwoody, Georgia.
Video footage from inside the bus shows the driver appearing to struggle to stay awake around 11 a.m. An automated announcement briefly seemed to rouse him, but within minutes, he appeared to doze off again. His hands reportedly slipped from the steering wheel, and his head dropped as the bus began crossing lanes.
The vehicle then veered off the highway, crashing into roadside trees. Branches broke through the bus windows as it came to a stop. Passengers could be heard yelling during the incident.
According to the Dunwoody Police Department, two passengers sustained injuries in the crash. One passenger was thrown across the vehicle, while another managed to hold on as the bus stopped abruptly.
The driver, whose identity has not been released, has been charged with distracted driving and failure to maintain lane. MARTA stated that the operator was immediately pulled from service and will remain so pending the completion of an exhaustive investigation.
'The safety of our riders and employees is our highest priority, and an incident like this is unacceptable,' a MARTA spokesperson told the Daily Mail. 'Following the incident, the operator was immediately pulled from service and will remain so until an exhaustive investigation is complete.'
Under Georgia law, a conviction for distracted driving could result in a fine of up to $50 and one point on the driver's license. Failing to maintain lane carries a potential penalty of an additional $1,000 fine and three points on the license.