The Safety Board also said the median barrier, recently installed following another cross-median fatal accident on the same section of I-65, contributed to the severity of the accident because it was not designed to contain a large truck.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recommended banning the use of all types of cell phones by commercial drivers except in emergencies. The Safety Board said cell phone use by the driver of an 18-wheel semi truck was the probable cause of a crash that killed 11 people in Kentucky.
“Distracted driving is becoming increasingly prevalent, exacerbating the danger we encounter daily on our roadways,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman. “It can be especially lethal when the distracted driver is at the wheel of a vehicle that weighs 40 tons and travels at highway speeds.”
The fact remains that all distracted driving accidents are potentially deadly, accounting for more than 5,000 fatalities in the U.S. annually, according to the Department of Transportation, which is forbidden by Congress to address the problem on a national basis.
On March 26, 2010, at about 5:14 a.m., near Munfordville, Kentucky, a truck-tractor semitrailer combination unit driven by a 45-year-old male departed the left lane of southbound Interstate 65, crossed a 60-foot-wide median, struck and overrode a cable barrier system, entered the northbound travel lanes, and struck a 15-passenger van, driven by a 41-year-old male and occupied by 11 passengers (eight adults, two small children, and an infant). The truck driver and 10 of the 12 occupants of the van were killed.
Investigators said that the driver used his cell phone for calls and text messages a total of 69 times while driving in the 24-hour period prior to the accident. The driver made four calls in the minutes leading up to the crash, making the last call at 5:14 a.m., coinciding with the time that the truck departed the highway.
The Safety Board also determined that the median barrier system, recently installed following another cross-median fatal accident on the same section of I-65, contributed to the severity of the accident because it was not designed to redirect or contain a large truck.
Yesterday, the NTSB issued 15 new safety recommendations to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), all 50 states, and the District of Columbia. The Safety Board also reiterated two previously issued recommendations to the FMCSA.
A synopsis of the NTSB report, including the probable cause, findings, and a complete list of all the safety recommendations, is available on the NTSB’s website. The NTSB’s full report will be available on the website in several weeks.
