DRIVER'S LACK OF VIGILANCE CAUSES FATAL SEPTEMBER 1987 NEW JERSEY BUS ACCIDENT

The National Transportation Safety Board has determined that the probable cause of a September 1987 intercity bus accident was the busdriver's lack of vigilance which resulted in his failure to perceive that his vehicle was leaving the roadway. The busdriver's lack of vigilance resulted from the combined adverse effects of sleep deprivation, illness due to a cold or influenza, and a high dosage of medication probably ingested to treat the symptoms of that illness and to control his weight. The bus, operated by Academy Lines, Inc., struck a guradrail and bridge rail and then overturned on the New Jersey Garden State Parkway on September 6, 1987. The busdriver and his 13-year-old son were killed and 32 of the passengers were injured. The Safety Board found that Academy Lines, Inc., was lax in following its own procedures for monitoring the busdriver's hours of service. No duty status records were located for the busdriver since he had rejoined the company in July 1987. Because he operated his bus across state lines, the busdriver was required by federal regulations to have a valid medical examiner's certificate that the busdriver gave to Academy Lines was a forgery. The busdriver was diagnosed as having diabetes mellitus type II and morbid obesity. He was not on insulin therapy. It could not be determined if his diabetic condition was a factor in this accident. No preexisting mechanical defects were found during the postcrash examination of the bus, and no defects were reported. The Safety Board concluded that the mechanical condition of the bus did not cause or contribute to the accident. Bridges for the express roadway are equipped with 32-inch-high New Jersey-type concrete barriers topped with chainlink fence. If the bridge for the local roadway had been similarly equipped--rather than with a steel bridge rail--the Safety Board believes that the New Jersey barrier may have successfully redirected the bus back into the travel lanes before it encountered the fence. The New Jersey Highway Authority plans to replace the existing steel bridge rail at the accident site with a 32-inch-high concrete barrier. As a result of its investigation, the Safety Board recommended that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) require a driver's prospective employer to verify the authenticity of a medical examiner's certificate if the physician was not selected by the carrier. The Safety Board also reiterated a 1985 recommendation that the FHWA reinstitute a rule which requires that a duty status record be forwarded to the employer upon completion. The Safety Board also asked the New Jersey Highway Authority to replace the bridge rail at the accident site with 42-inch-high extended New Jersey Safety Shape bridge rail. The Safety Board believes that 42-inch-high concrete barriers are more effective in redirecting large vehicles, such as trucks and buses, at larger impact angles and higher speeds.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Transportation Safety Board

  800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20594
• Publication Date: 1988-6-6

Media Info

• Pagination: n.p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Barriers (Roads); Bridge railings; Bus drivers; Buses; Concrete structures; Fatalities; Interstate transportation; Medical examinations and tests; Physical condition
• Uncontrolled Terms: Barriers
• Subject Areas: Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00475617
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 31 1988 12:00AM