2019 Westboro station bus crash

At 3:50 pm EST, on January 11, 2019, an OC Transpo double-decker bus, operating on route 269 to Kanata, crashed on approach to Westboro Station, Ottawa, Canada, by swerving and striking the bus shelter at the station. Part of the upper deck of the bus was torn off on impact, killing three people on board, as well as injuring 23 others.^[1][2] The driver was arrested at the scene for allegedly failing to cooperate with police, and was released with no charges laid.^[3]

Westboro Station bus crash
Details
Date	January 11, 2019 3:50 pm EST
Location	Westboro Station in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates	45°23′48″N 75°45′05″W / 45.396735°N 75.751522°W / 45.396735; -75.751522Coordinates: 45°23′48″N 75°45′05″W / 45.396735°N 75.751522°W / 45.396735; -75.751522
Operator	OC Transpo
Statistics
Deaths	3
Injured	23

Investigation

The Ottawa Police Service are leading the investigation into the collision. From the early hours, experts, the public and politicians called on the City of Ottawa to invite the Transportation Safety Board, TSB, an independent federal agency that advances transportation safety, to conduct a full safety investigation.^[4]

On January 16, five days after the crash, the Ottawa police accepted an offer of technical assistance from the TSB. The Ottawa police stated that the skills of the TSB would augment the reconstruction portion of the investigation especially in terms of collision reconstruction, human factors and electronic data gathering, based on the TSB's engineering expertise in collision reconstruction and analysis of vehicle and road design.

The bus crash falls outside the current mandate of the TSB, which includes only air, rail, marine and pipeline transportation. Without jurisdiction, the TSB could not lead a full investigation, or have the authority to make national safety recommendations based on their findings.^[5] Investigators have ruled out impaired driving as the cause of the collision.^[6]

Aftermath

On August 23, 2019, it was reported that 38 charges of dangerous driving have been laid against the bus driver. The city of Ottawa and OC Transpo were cleared of criminal wrongdoing.^[7][8]

In September 2021, the driver, Aissatou Diallo was acquitted of all charges.^[9] According to Judge Webber, "The "oppressive" sun setting in front of her was "obviously a hazard," while an "errant" and misleading road marking led her directly into a snow-filled gutter, contributing to the crash."

References

1. "3 dead in bus crash at Ottawa transit station". CBC News. January 11, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
2. Laucius, Joanne (January 16, 2019). "All three killed in Friday crash were on OC Transpo bus, police chief clarifies". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
3. Crawford, Blair (January 14, 2019). "Victims of Westboro Station bus crash identified". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
4. Rizza, Alanna (January 13, 2019). "Experts call on TSB to investigate fatal Ottawa bus crash". The Globe and Mail.
5. Shalaby, Ahmed (January 21, 2019). "We should let the Transportation Safety Board dig deeper on Westboro crash". Ottawa Citizen.
6. Wright, Teresa (January 16, 2019). "All three victims were passengers on Ottawa bus when it crashed, police chief confirms". The Canadian Press. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
7. Yogaretnam, Shaamini (August 24, 2019). "OC Transpo driver faces dozens of criminal charges in Westboro bus crash". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
8. "Driver in fatal OC Transpo bus crash facing 38 criminal charges". CBC News. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
9. "Ottawa bus driver acquitted of all charges in fatal Westboro crash". CBC News. Retrieved February 21, 2023.