MULTIPLE-VEHICLE COLLISIONS UNDER FOG CONDITIONS, FOLLOWED BY FIRES, NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE, NORTH OF GATE 2 NOVEMBER 29, 1969

IN NOVEMBER 1969, A CAR TRAVELLING AT 45 MPH ENTERED SUDDEN DENSE FOG ON THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE, ABOUR 1 1/2 MILES NORTH OF EXIT 2. ALTHOUGH THE DRIVER SLOWED TO 30 MPH, HE WAS RAPIDLY OVERRUN BY A TRACTOR AND A TANK-SEMITRAILER WHICH OVERTURNED AND BLOCKED BOTH LANES AND SHOULDER. IN RAPID SUCCESSION WHEN OTHER VEHICLES ENTERED THE AREA, MULTIPLE COLLISIONS OCCURRED, RESULTING IN 6 FATALITIES, 3 SERIOUS AND 15 LESS SERIOUS INJURIES. 29 VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED IN THIS MULTIPLE-VEHICLE ACCIDENT. THE SAFETY BOARD DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE WAS DUE TO VEHICLE PENETRATION INTO A DENSE FOG AREA WHERE VISIBILITY WAS 20 TO 50 FT., TOGETHER WITH THE VARYING RATES OF SPEED WHICH PREVENTED APPROPRIATE EVASIVE ACTION. OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE ABSENCE OF OBJECTIVE INDICATORS OF FOG DENSITY, AND INADEQUACY OF THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM IN THAT IT FAILED TO PROVIDE TIMELY ACTIVATION OF SPEED REDUCTION WARNING SIGNS. /NTSB/

• Corporate Authors:

  National Transportation Safety Board

  490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20594
• Publication Date: 1969-11

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures;
• Pagination: 90 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crashes; Fatalities; Fog; Injuries; Multiple vehicle crashes; Reduction (Chemistry); Speed; Speed control; Vehicles; Visibility; Warning signs; Warning systems
• Old TRIS Terms: Reduction
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00221342
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: HAR-71-3, HS-010 170
• Files: HSL, TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 2 1971 12:00AM