Amphibious Vehicle Manufacturer Will Pay Up To $1M For Crash That Killed Five

The manufacturer of the amphibious vehicles used for Ride the Ducks tours will pay up to $1 million in civil fines related to a Seattle crash last year that killed five people. Ride the Ducks International admitted to violating federal safety regulations, and not notifying federal transportation regulators and recalling the vehicles after discovering they had potentially defective front axles. Federal investigators found that the Seattle vehicle had not been repaired, and its axle broke off, forcing it to collide with a bus chartered by North Seattle College. Five international students on the bus died, and dozens more were injured. Under the agreement, RTDI agrees to pay $480,000 in fines over the next two years, and to spend $200,000 on other safety and outreach measures to ensure compliance with federal transportation safety laws. If additional violations are found, the company will owe another $500,000.