Highway Accident Report: Multiple Vehicle Collision on Interstate 95, Fairfield, Connecticut, January 17, 2003

On Interstate 95 (I-95) near Fairfield, Connecticut, two consecutive accidents occurred within 11 minutes in the early morning hours of January 17, 2003. At the time of the accidents, light snow was falling, the roads were wet and icy, and snow covered the roadway shoulders. About 4:50 a.m., a 1996 Freightliner tractor flatbed semitrailer was involved in a nonfatal multivehicle accident. The truck was traveling in a work zone on I-95 north, near milepost 26.6, at a driver-estimated speed of 50 mph, when it slid out of control. The vehicle entered the median, overturned and overrode the portable concrete barrier, and collided with a southbound 1997 Dodge Avenger sedan. A southbound 2001 Freightliner tractor/refrigerated trailer combination unit struck the Dodge sedan and then struck the 1996 Freightliner tractor. The three vehicles came to rest blocking the southbound lanes of the highway. During the accident sequence, the flatbed semitrailer separated from the 1996 Freightliner tractor. The semitrailer came to rest perpendicular to the roadway, straddling the portable concrete barrier and partially obstructing the left lane of I-95 north. At 5:01 a.m. a 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe sport utility vehicle--occupied by nine college students and traveling north in the left lane--collided with and underrode the left side corner of the 1996 Freightliner semitrailer. Following the impact, the Chevrolet disengaged from the semitrailer and entered the median, skidded along the concrete barrier, and came to rest about 450 feet to the northeast. The driver and three passengers in the Chevrolet were fatally injured. The surviving occupants were seriously injured. Major safety issues identified in this investigation include the adequacy of snow and ice treatment strategies, lack of specific guidance on the use of high-performance median barriers, placement of portable concrete median barriers, and need for primary seat belt laws for all seating positions. As a result of this accident investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board makes recommendations to the Federal Highway Administration, the Connecticut Department of Transportation, and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. The Safety Board reiterates a recommendation to the Governor and the legislative leaders of Connecticut.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/HAR0503.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  National Transportation Safety Board

  490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20594
• Publication Date: 2005-11-16

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Maps; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: 80p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; College students; Crash investigation; Crash reports; Fatalities; Highway safety; Icy roads; Injuries; Interstate highways; Location; Medians; Morning; Multiple vehicle crashes; Portable equipment; Recommendations; Snow and ice control; Snowfall; Sport utility vehicles; Tractor trailer combinations; Traffic crashes; Traffic safety; Trailers; Underride override crashes; Utilization; Wet weather; Work zones
• Identifier Terms: Freightliner
• Uncontrolled Terms: Concrete barriers; High performance; Primary seat belt laws
• Geographic Terms: Fairfield (Connecticut)
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; Motor Carriers; Research; Safety and Human Factors; I80: Accident Studies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01029231
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: NTSB/HAR-05/03, Notation 7734
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 21 2006 2:33PM