What is the NTSB? Gray Summit, MO Briefing Chesterfield, NJ Port St. Lucie, FL 1 Office of Highway Safety Barbara A. Czech, Deputy Director

Mission To promote transportation safety by Maintaining our congressionally mandated independence and objectivity;Maintaining our congressionally mandated independence and objectivity; Conducting objective, precise accident investigations and safety studies;Conducting objective, precise accident investigations and safety studies; Performing fair and objective airman and mariner certification appeals;Performing fair and objective airman and mariner certification appeals; Advocating and promoting safety recommendation;Advocating and promoting safety recommendation; Assisting victims of transportation accidents and their families.Assisting victims of transportation accidents and their families.

Independence NTSB is independent of the DOT The NTSB reports directly to Congress The NTSB has no regulatory authority

Independence The NTSB is composed of the Chairman, VC and 3 Board Members The NTSB is composed of the Chairman, VC and 3 Board Members There are three Board members from the President’s political party and two from the other There are three Board members from the President’s political party and two from the other

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

Office of Highway Safety There are over 7 million highway accidents per year in the U.S. (19,000 per day) Office of Highway Safety works in cooperation with the States

Gray Summit, MO – August 5,

Construction Zone 8

First Collision – Truck and Pick-up 9

Second Collision- SB1 and Pick-up 10

Second Collision…. 11

Third Collision – SB1 and SB2 12

Scene Photo 13 Photo courtesy of Joshua Gumpenber

Scene Photo 14 Courtesy of Joshua Gumpenber

Scene Photo 15 Courtesy of Joshua Gumpenber

Scene Photo 16 Courtesy of Joshua Gumpenber

Fatalities 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 17

Safety Issues Driver distractionDriver distraction Collision warning systemsCollision warning systems Video event recordersVideo event recorders Missouri oversight and inspection of motor carriers in pupil transportationMissouri oversight and inspection of motor carriers in pupil transportation 18

Safety Issues cont… Design of school bus emergency windowsDesign of school bus emergency windows Lack of pre-trip safety briefingsLack of pre-trip safety briefings 19

Portable 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 20 Last message Texting Direction

Lead Bus Lead bus driverLead bus driver Current license and medical certificateCurrent license and medical certificate Focused on the motorcoach on shoulderFocused on the motorcoach on shoulder Long attention away from roadway increases crash riskLong attention away from roadway increases crash risk Can be addressed through trainingCan be addressed through training 21

Following Bus Following bus driverFollowing bus driver Current license and medical certificateCurrent license and medical certificate Less than recommended minimum separationLess than recommended minimum separation Can also be addressed through trainingCan also be addressed through training 22

Lead SB Brake Issues 23 Wet / leaking master cylinder Leak in hydraulic brake line from master cylinder to ABS Brake warning light inoperative Brake pads issues

Following Bus Brake Issues 24 Fabricated spring assembly Out of place ABS sensor No ABS for Right Rear Wheel

Vehicle 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 25

Inspection Form Inadequacies 26 Missouri Form:Example Form:

Emergency Evacuation 27

Lead SB Emergency Exits 28

Emergency Evacuation Briefings Missouri requires emergency evacuation drills K-6 gradesMissouri requires emergency evacuation drills K-6 grades St. James requires drills 7-8 gradesSt. James requires drills 7-8 grades No pre-trip briefings prior to school sports or sponsored eventsNo pre-trip briefings prior to school sports or sponsored events Previous Safety Recommendation to NASDPTSPrevious Safety Recommendation to NASDPTS 29

Probable Cause The initial collision was caused by distraction, likely due to a text message conversation being conducted by the pick-up driver, which resulted in his failure to notice and react to the truck that had stopped because of the work zone.The initial collision was caused by distraction, likely due to a text message conversation being conducted by the pick-up driver, which resulted in his failure to notice and react to the truck that had stopped because of the work zone. 30

Probable Cause cont…. The second collision was the result of the bus driver’s inattention to the forward roadway due to excessive focus on a motorcoach parked on the shoulder of the road…The second collision was the result of the bus driver’s inattention to the forward roadway due to excessive focus on a motorcoach parked on the shoulder of the road… 31

Probable Cause cont… The final collision was due to the driver not maintaining the recommended minimum distance from the lead SB in the seconds proceeding the accident.The final collision was due to the driver not maintaining the recommended minimum distance from the lead SB in the seconds proceeding the accident. 32

Chesterfield, NJ – February 16, Accident Location

Accident Sequence 34 Pole

Roll-off Truck w/Snow Plow 35

Damage caused by Truck Impact 36

Impact with pole 37

School Bus Interior 38

Fatalities 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 minor injuriesSchool bus driver sustained minor injuries 39

Port St. Lucie, FL – March 27, Accident Location

Accident Sequence 41

42

43

44

Fatalities and Injuries 1 passenger was fatally injured1 passenger was fatally injured 19 passengers and school bus driver received serious to minor injuries19 passengers and school bus driver received serious to minor injuries Truck operator refused treatmentTruck operator refused treatment 45

Comparison of Accident Buses 46