Office of Research and Information Technology
Motorcoach CrashesMotor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee
Motorcoach Hours-of-Service Subcommittee Meeting
May 23, 2012
Crashes Involving Cross-Country/Intercity Buses
YearFatal
Crashes
Buses Involved in
Fatal Crashes
Total Fatalities
Occupant Fatalities
2000 40 40 48 32001 38 38 46 32002 35 35 54 202003 26 26 36 32004 35 35 57 232005 37 38 70 332006 32 33 39 82007 35 35 51 192008 20 20 52 382009 38 38 46 92010 36 37 53 15
Source: FARS
Motorcoach Fatal Crashes: 2000 - 2010
Motorcoach Fatal Crashes: 1991 - 2010
05
10152025303540
Num
ber o
f Fat
aliti
es
Motorcoach Driver and Passenger Fatalities (1991-2010)
DriverPassenger
Source: FARS
Motorcoach Fatal Crashes: 2011 - 2012
• 2011 Preliminary Count– 8 crashes– 28 occupant fatalities
• 2012 Preliminary Count (to date)– 1 crash– 2 occupant fatalities
Source: FMCSA
Motorcoach Fatal Crash Driver FactorsDriver-Related Factors for Cross-Country/Intercity Bus Drivers in Fatal Crashes
2009 2010Inattentive/Careless (Talking, Eating, Car Phones, etc.) 4 Failure to Yield Right of Way 2
Drowsy, Sleepy, Asleep, Fatigued 2 Speeding Related 2
Failure to Yield Right of Way 2 Operating Without Required Equipment 1
Cellular Telephone 2 Failure to Obey Traffic Control Devices, Signs, Officers, Safety Zone Laws 1
Ill, Passed Out/Blackout 1 Over Correcting 1
Failure to Keep in Proper Lane 1 Ice, Water, Snow, Slush, Sand, Dirt, Oil, Wet Leaves on Road 1
Failure to Obey Traffic Control Devices, Signs, Officers, Safety Zone Laws 1 Other Non-Moving Traffic Violation 1
Making Improper Turn 1 Vision Obscured: Obstructing Angles on Vehicle 1
Driving Wrong Way on One-Way Trafficway 1 Distraction: Looked But Did Not See 1Stopping in Roadway (Vehicle Not Abandoned) 1 Distraction: Distraction/Inattention, Details
Unknown 1
Distraction: Inattentive or Lost in Thought 1
Impairment: Asleep or Fatigued 1No DRF Recorded 25 No DRF Recorded 28At least 1 DRF Recorded 13 At least 1 DRF Recorded 9Total 38 Total 37
Vehicle-Related Factors for Cross-Country/Intercity Buses in Fatal Crashes
2009 2010
Tires 1 Brake System 2
Unknown 1 Suspension 1
Head Lights 1
No VRF Recorded 36 No VRF Recorded 33
At least 1 VRF Recorded 2 At least 1 VRF Recorded 4
Total 38 Total 37
Motorcoach Fatal Crash Vehicle Factors
Source: FARS
Motorcoach Fatal Crash Harmful Events
Rollover61%Roadside
13%
Multivehicle12%
Other, 13%
Motorcoach Fatalities by Most Harmful Event (FARS 2001-2010)
49 Events, 171 Fatalities
Bus Crash Causation Study: 2005 - 2006Table 1 – Bus Body Type
Body Type NumberMotorcoach 26Transit 5School 3Large vans 3Small buses 3Total 40
Table 2 – Bus OperationOperation Type Number
Charter 16Intercity regular route 10Private/business 4Transit 4School 2Other 4Total 40
Bus Crash Causation Study: 2005 - 2006Coding of Critical Reason to
Buses
Reason Number TotalDriver Inadequate surveillance 6Inattention 4Following too close 2Other 3
Driver Total 15Vehicle Bus fire 2Brakes failed 1
Vehicle Total 3Environment Ice on the road 1
Environment Total 1Total assigned to buses 19
Associated Factors Coded to DriversAssociated Factor Number
Line of sight obstructed 22In a hurry 16Inadequate evasive action taken 15Uncomfortable/unfamiliar w/ road 11Inadequate surveillance 10Made an illegal maneuver 9Prescription drug use 8Driver had vision problems 6Inattention/distraction 5Impending problem masked by traffic flow 4Distracted by a person/object/event 4Line of sight obscured by weather 4Misjudged gap or velocity 4Following too close 3Driver had hearing problems 2Traveling too fast 2
Bus Crash Causation Study: 2005 - 2006
Driver and Vehicle Pre-Crash Out-of-Service Violations
Violation
Buses Coded with Critical
Reason
Buses Not Coded with
Critical Reason Total
Driver Violations No Commercial Drivers License 1 010-hour rule 1 0No passenger endorsement on CDL 1 0Reckless operation 2 0
Total Driver Violations 5Vehicle ViolationsBrakes 5 1Repair & maintenance 2 1Lighting devices 2 1Other 3 3
Total Vehicle Violations 18Total OOS Violations 23
Based on 19 crashes between 1998 and 2008
NTSB Fatal Crash InvestigationsRoot Cause of NTSB-Investigated Motorcoach
Accidents
Driver Fatigue37%
Recognition, not driver fault
19%
Inattention13%
Vehicle Condition
13%
Medical Condition of Bus Driver
6%Other6%Road
Conditions6%