Hamlet NC Bus Crash Results in Four Deaths and Multiple Injuries
A terrible and tragic accident on Saturday afternoon on U.S. 74 near Hamlet, North Carolina has resulted in the death of four people and injuries to at least 42 other people. The accident involved a charter bus transporting a South Carolina football team to a football game in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The accident happened around 2:35 pm near exit 316 off of Highway 74.
There will certainly be a significant investigation into what happened in this accident. Early indications suggest that a blown tire on the left front side of the bus may have caused the bus driver to lose control of the vehicle. The bus then apparently struck a guardrail which then caused significant damage to the driver side of the bus. It is not clear what caused the tire to fail and there are many questions about the condition of the tire that should be answered. For instance, did the tire strike some debris in the roadway or was the tire defective as a result of a manufacturing error? Another significant question involves the possible failure of the guardrail. Certain guardrail systems in North Carolina have prompted criticism from safety experts. It is not known whether the guardrail system in this case is one of the guardrail systems that has caused problems and this should certainly be investigated.
Of the four who died in the accident, one was a young boy who was only 8 years old. The driver of the bus was also killed as was two passengers who appear to be members of the football team. The football team goes by the name of Ramah Juco Academy and they were traveling to play a game against University of God’s Chosen in Fayetteville at the Lake Rim Park.