What is the NTSB?What is the NTSB?Gray Summit, MO BriefingGray Summit, MO Briefing

Chesterfield, NJChesterfield, NJPort St. Lucie, FLPort St. Lucie, FL

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Office of Highway SafetyOffice of Highway Safety

Barbara A. Czech, Deputy DirectorBarbara A. Czech, Deputy Director

MissionMission

To promote transportation safety byTo promote transportation safety by• Maintaining our congressionally mandated Maintaining our congressionally mandated

independence and objectivity; independence and objectivity; • Conducting objective, precise accident Conducting objective, precise accident

investigations and safety studies; investigations and safety studies; • Performing fair and objective airman and mariner Performing fair and objective airman and mariner

certification appeals; certification appeals; • Advocating and promoting safety recommendation; Advocating and promoting safety recommendation; • Assisting victims of transportation accidents and Assisting victims of transportation accidents and

their families. their families.

IndependenceIndependence

NTSB is independent of the DOTNTSB is independent of the DOT

The NTSB reports directly to CongressThe NTSB reports directly to Congress

The NTSB has no regulatory authorityThe NTSB has no regulatory authority

IndependenceIndependence

• The NTSB is The NTSB is composed composed of the Chairman, VC of the Chairman, VC and 3 Board and 3 Board MembersMembers

• There are three There are three Board members from Board members from the President’s the President’s political party and political party and two from the othertwo from the other

The NTSB is on The NTSB is on call 24 hours a call 24 hours a day, 365 days a day, 365 days a year to respond year to respond to accidents in all to accidents in all modes of modes of transportation.transportation.

Office of Highway SafetyOffice of Highway SafetyOffice of Highway SafetyOffice of Highway Safety

There are over 7 million There are over 7 million highway accidents per year in highway accidents per year in the U.S. (19,000 per day)the U.S. (19,000 per day)

Office of Highway Safety works Office of Highway Safety works in cooperation with the Statesin cooperation with the States

Gray Summit, MO – August 5, 2010Gray Summit, MO – August 5, 2010

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Construction ZoneConstruction Zone

88

First Collision – Truck and Pick-upFirst Collision – Truck and Pick-up

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Second Collision- SB1 and Pick-upSecond Collision- SB1 and Pick-up

1010

Second Collision….Second Collision….

1111

Third Collision – SB1 and SB2Third Collision – SB1 and SB2

1212

Scene PhotoScene Photo

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Photo courtesy of Joshua Gumpenber

Scene PhotoScene Photo

1414

Courtesy of Joshua Gumpenber

Scene PhotoScene Photo

1515

Courtesy of Joshua Gumpenber

Scene PhotoScene Photo

1616

Courtesy of Joshua Gumpenber

Fatalities and InjuriesFatalities and Injuries

• 2 Fatal Injuries2 Fatal Injuries• Driver of pickup truckDriver of pickup truck

• Rear passenger - lead busRear passenger - lead bus

• 38 Injured38 Injured• 35 Passengers35 Passengers

• 2 School bus drivers2 School bus drivers

• Driver of truck tractorDriver of truck tractor

1717

Safety IssuesSafety Issues

• Driver distractionDriver distraction

• Collision warning systemsCollision warning systems

• Video event recordersVideo event recorders

• Missouri oversight and inspection Missouri oversight and inspection of motor carriers in pupil of motor carriers in pupil transportationtransportation

1818

Safety Issues cont…Safety Issues cont…

• Design of school bus emergency Design of school bus emergency windowswindows

• Lack of pre-trip safety briefingsLack of pre-trip safety briefings

1919

Portable Electronic DistractionPortable Electronic Distraction

• Texting conversation while drivingTexting conversation while driving

• Driver’s movement, lack of brakingDriver’s movement, lack of braking

• Driver distracted by textingDriver distracted by texting

2020

Last message

Texting Direction

Lead Bus Lead Bus

• Lead bus driverLead bus driver• Current license and Current license and

medical certificatemedical certificate• Focused on the Focused on the

motorcoach on motorcoach on shouldershoulder

• Long attention away Long attention away from roadway from roadway increases crash riskincreases crash risk

• Can be addressed Can be addressed through trainingthrough training

2121

Following BusFollowing Bus

• Following bus driverFollowing bus driver• Current license and Current license and

medical certificate medical certificate• Less than Less than

recommended recommended minimum minimum separationseparation

• Can also be Can also be addressed through addressed through trainingtraining

2222

Lead SB Brake IssuesLead SB Brake Issues

2323

Wet / leaking master cylinder

Leak in hydraulic brake line from master

cylinder to ABS

Brake warning light inoperative

Brake pads issues

Following Bus Brake IssuesFollowing Bus Brake Issues

2424

Fabricated spring assembly

Out of place ABS sensor

No ABS for Right Rear Wheel

Vehicle Issue AreasVehicle Issue Areas

• Maintenance at the motor carrierMaintenance at the motor carrier

• Oversight of Copeland Bus ServicesOversight of Copeland Bus Services

• School bus inspections in MissouriSchool bus inspections in Missouri

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Inspection Form InadequaciesInspection Form Inadequacies

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Missouri Form: Example Form:

Emergency EvacuationEmergency Evacuation

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Lead SB Emergency ExitsLead SB Emergency Exits

2828

Emergency Evacuation BriefingsEmergency Evacuation Briefings

• Missouri requires emergency Missouri requires emergency evacuation drills K-6 gradesevacuation drills K-6 grades

• St. James requires drills 7-8 gradesSt. James requires drills 7-8 grades

• No pre-trip briefings prior to school No pre-trip briefings prior to school sports or sponsored eventssports or sponsored events

• Previous Safety Recommendation Previous Safety Recommendation to NASDPTSto NASDPTS

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Probable CauseProbable Cause

• The initial collision was caused by The initial collision was caused by distraction, likely due to a text distraction, likely due to a text message conversation being message conversation being conducted by the pick-up driver, conducted by the pick-up driver, which resulted in his failure to notice which resulted in his failure to notice and react to the truck that had and react to the truck that had stopped because of the work zone.stopped because of the work zone.

3030

Probable Cause cont….Probable Cause cont….

• The second collision was the The second collision was the result of the bus driver’s result of the bus driver’s inattention to the forward inattention to the forward roadway due to excessive focus roadway due to excessive focus on a motorcoach parked on the on a motorcoach parked on the shoulder of the road…shoulder of the road…

3131

Probable Cause cont…Probable Cause cont…

• The final collision was due to the The final collision was due to the driver not maintaining the driver not maintaining the recommended minimum distance recommended minimum distance from the lead SB in the seconds from the lead SB in the seconds proceeding the accident.proceeding the accident.

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Chesterfield, NJ – February 16, 2012Chesterfield, NJ – February 16, 2012

3333

Accident Location

Accident SequenceAccident Sequence

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Pole

Roll-off Truck w/Snow Plow Roll-off Truck w/Snow Plow

3535

Damage caused by Truck ImpactDamage caused by Truck Impact

3636

Impact with poleImpact with pole

3737

School Bus InteriorSchool Bus Interior

3838

Fatalities and InjuriesFatalities and Injuries

• 1 passenger was fatally injured1 passenger was fatally injured

• 17 passengers injured17 passengers injured• serious to minor injuriesserious to minor injuries

• School bus driver sustained School bus driver sustained minor injuriesminor injuries

3939

Port St. Lucie, FL – March 27, 2012Port St. Lucie, FL – March 27, 2012

4040

Accident Location

Accident SequenceAccident Sequence

4141

4242

4343

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Fatalities and InjuriesFatalities and Injuries

• 1 passenger was fatally injured1 passenger was fatally injured

• 19 passengers and school bus 19 passengers and school bus driver received serious to minor driver received serious to minor injuriesinjuries

• Truck operator refused treatmentTruck operator refused treatment

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Comparison of Accident BusesComparison of Accident Buses

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