Two visitors on a rented moped were recovering Thursday after sustaining injuries in a Wednesday evening head-on crash with a Vineyard Transit Authority bus on Eastville avenue in Oak Bluffs.

Hospital spokesman said two people were injured in the collision. — Mark Lovewell

Oak Bluffs police said Altagracia Melo, 46, from Roslindale was recovering from surgery at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, where she was taken by MedFlight Wednesday evening after sustaining serious injures.

Lieut. Timothy Williamson said Mrs. Melo had injuries to her abdomen that required surgery. She was seriously injured but is expected to recover, he said, and she will likely be in the hospital for a week or so.

Mrs. Melo was a passenger on a rental moped driven by her husband, Ruben Inoa-Rodriguez, 42. Lieutenant Williamson said Mr. Inoa-Rodriguez was in stable condition and recovering at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, where he was taken after the accident.

Police said the couple was visiting Martha’s Vineyard for the day.

Oak Bluffs police, fire and EMS all responded to the scene just after 5 p.m. at the corner of Eastville avenue by Temahigan avenue near the hospital, where there is a narrow curve. Other moped crashes have taken place over the years at the stretch of road by the hospital, including three fatal accidents.

EMS, fire, and police responded to scene. — Mark Lovewell

Fire chief John Rose told the Gazette by phone Wednesday evening that the rented moped was traveling toward Oak Bluffs when it collided with a VTA bus traveling toward Vineyard Haven. “The moped collided almost head-on with the bus,” the fire chief said.

He said both driver and passenger were wearing helmets. Lieutenant Williamson said it appeared the moped lost control trying to negotiate the corner, crossed the center line of the road, and struck the bus head-on. Police said the moped had been rented from Adventure Rentals in Vineyard Haven.

Lieutenant Williamson said it was clear that the moped operator was at fault, and the driver admitted he took the corner too fast and crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic. “He actually mentioned he observed the sign that said ‘caution mopeds’ before the accident,” Lieutenant Williamson said.

He said police did not intend to issue any citations to the moped driver. “The investigations shows the moped operator was at fault for the crash,” he said. “It’s not going to do any good to issue a citation.”

Lieutenant Williamson said the bus driver, Nephtalie Faustin, 25, tried to take evasive measures and pull to the right, but she was unable to avoid the collision.

The VTA driver and six passengers aboard the bus were not injured, police said.

“Everybody was fine, just a little shaken,” Chief Rose said. At the scene a short time after the accident the bus was parked with a damaged windshield, and a blue moped was on the side of the road nearby. Police were tracing the bus’s position with paint.

Traffic was backed up and police diverted motorists through the parking area at the hospital.

The crash took place in a year of intense debate about how to more strictly regulate moped rentals on the Island, spurred in part by an accident last July. Discussions remain ongoing in Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven — the only two towns where moped rentals are licensed.