A truck driver’s inattention set off a deadly chain-reaction crash on Interstate 70 near Etna, Ohio, killing six people and injuring more than 40 others, according to a new National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report.
On Nov. 14, 2023, a Mid-State Systems truck failed to slow for backed-up traffic from an earlier crash. It struck the rear of the queue, colliding with a passenger vehicle and a chartered motorcoach carrying schoolchildren. Fire spread through the wreckage, killing three students on the motorcoach and three occupants of the passenger vehicle.
Investigators concluded the driver’s inattention and failure to respond were primary causes. But they also cited weak traffic management, lack of real-time information for travelers, and the absence of a driver monitoring system that could have redirected the driver’s attention. The speed difference between the truck and stopped traffic, along with the post-crash fire, worsened outcomes.
“We’ve seen this crash scenario far too often — and it’s preventable,” said NTSB chairwoman Jennifer Homendy. “Proven technologies can warn drivers of slowed traffic and prevent collisions before they happen.”
Eight new recommendations
The board issued eight new recommendations and reiterated two earlier ones. They include stronger federal guidance for traffic queue management, performance standards for commercial-vehicle collision avoidance systems, mandatory driver monitoring, and tougher fire safety standards for motorcoaches.
The Tuscarawas Valley School District was urged to prioritize bus operators offering lap/shoulder belts. The Ohio DOT was advised to implement a statewide variable speed limit strategy.
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