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CHICAGO, Cook County, Ill., Sept. 30, 2026 — At least 12 people were taken to hospitals after a crash involving a CTA bus Sunday evening, September 27, near North Michigan Avenue and East Huron Street on the Near North Side, Chicago fire officials said.
An SUV reportedly struck the side of the bus, according to fire officials.
Chicago Fire Department crews transported at least 12 people to area hospitals following the crash.
The crash remains under investigation, and no further details have been released. We hope everyone who was hurt makes a swift and full recovery.
What Actually Reduces Bus Crashes
Distraction takes away the seconds a driver needs to see a bus pulling into an intersection or stopping ahead. A driver glancing at a phone or dashboard screen for even a few seconds can miss the moment a bus starts crossing a lane, leaving no time to brake or steer around it. That gap between what a driver could react to and what they actually notice is where many bus collisions happen.
Road design plays a large role in closing that gap. Dedicated bus lanes, better signal timing at intersections where buses turn, and improved lighting at crossings all give drivers more warning and more time to adjust. Cities that have added protected turn phases or raised medians near transit corridors have seen fewer vehicles clip buses making routine stops or turns.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, buses are excluded from the large-truck definition used in the agency's 2023 large-truck traffic-safety fact sheet in 2023, a reminder that bus crashes are tracked and studied as their own category with their own patterns. Slower speeds near transit stops, clearer sightlines at intersections, and enforcement of distracted driving laws all factor into whether a bus and another vehicle collide or pass safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do weather and road conditions affect the chances of a crash like this?
Rain, glare, and poor visibility can all shrink the time a driver has to react to a bus entering an intersection or changing lanes. Wet pavement also extends stopping distance, which matters when a large vehicle like a bus is involved.
What should someone do right after a crash involving a bus?
Check for injuries, call 911, and stay at the scene until police and fire crews arrive. If it's safe to do so, take photos of vehicle positions and any visible damage before traffic or cleanup crews move things.
Where do bus crashes tend to happen most often?
Many occur at intersections or near stops, where buses slow down, turn, or merge back into traffic and are more exposed to vehicles that don't yield in time.
What can drivers do to avoid colliding with a bus?
Giving buses extra following distance, watching for turn signals near stops, and staying off the phone near transit corridors all cut down on the kind of last-second reactions that lead to crashes.
What to Do After a Bus Accident in Chicago, IL
If you're involved in or witness a bus crash in Chicago, move to a safe spot if you're able and call 911 right away. Even if you feel fine, it's worth getting checked by a medical professional, since injuries like whiplash or internal bruising don't always show symptoms immediately.
Get the names and badge numbers of responding officers, and if you're a passenger or bystander, ask how to obtain a copy of the police report once it's filed. Keep any paperwork from hospital visits or follow-up care, and note down what you remember about the scene while it's still fresh. The CTA and city agencies typically conduct their own review of serious incidents involving transit vehicles, so cooperating with investigators can help establish what happened.
