2009 — Jan 30, Tour Bus Crash (loss of control and rollover), Dolan Springs, AZ — 7
–7 Las Vegas Sun. “NTSB points to driver inattention in fatal tour bus crash.” 6-22-2010.
–7 NTSB. HAR. Bus Loss of Control and Rollover, Dolan Springs, Arizona, Jan 30, 2009. Abs.
NTSB Abstract: “On Friday, January 30, 2009, about 4:06 p.m. mountain standard time, a 2007 Chevrolet/Starcraft 29-passenger medium-size bus, operated by DW Tour and Charter and occupied by the driver and 16 passengers, was traveling northbound in the right lane of U.S. Highway 93, a four-lane divided highway, near Dolan Springs, Arizona. The bus was on a return trip from Grand Canyon West to Las Vegas, Nevada, after a day-long tour. As the bus approached milepost 28 at an estimated speed of 70 mph, it moved to the left and out of its lane of travel. The driver steered sharply back to the right, crossing both northbound lanes and entering the right shoulder. The driver subsequently overcorrected to the left, causing the bus to yaw and cross both northbound lanes. The bus then entered the depressed earthen median and overturned 1.25 times before coming to rest on its right side across both southbound lanes. During the rollover sequence, 15 of the 17 occupants (including the driver) were fully or partially ejected. Seven passengers were killed, and nine passengers and the driver were injured.
“Major safety issues identified in this investigation were the failure of the bus driver to attend to the road ahead and maintain control of his vehicle; the need for regulatory definitions and classifications for bus body types; the limitations of medium-size buses in retaining and protecting passengers during rollovers; the need for technology to assist commercial drivers in maintaining control of their vehicles; and the need for event data recording in commercial vehicles to aid in accident reconstruction and safety research. As a result of its investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board makes recommendations to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.” (NTSB. Highway Accident Report. Bus Loss of Control and Rollover, Dolan Springs, Arizona, January 30, 2009 (NTSB/HAR-10/01). Washington, DC: NTSB, adopted 6-22-2010.)
Las Vegas Sun: “A bus accident that killed seven tourists near the Hoover Dam last year was caused by driver inattention, the National Transportation Safety Board said today.
“The board met this morning in Washington, D.C., to discuss an investigation into the accident and suggest changes to safety rules to prevent similar accidents in the future.
“The 29-passenger bus was carrying 16 Chinese tourists returning to Las Vegas from a tour of Grand Canyon West on Jan. 30, 2009. The bus crashed while traveling north on U.S. 93 near Dolan Springs, Ariz., about 27 miles south of Hoover Dam, killing seven passengers and injuring 10 people, including the driver….
“The NTSB said the bus was traveling more than 70 mph when the driver was distracted while trying to fix a problem with the bus door. The driver then lost control of the vehicle, which moved left into another lane of the highway, the report said. The driver then steered sharply to the right, causing the bus to cross both northbound lanes and go onto the right shoulder. The driver overcorrected to the left, the report said, causing the bus to cross both lanes again before entering the road’s median. The bus rolled over and landed on its side. Of the 17 occupants on the bus, 15 were fully or partially ejected, the NTSB said.
“The deaths were caused by the driver’s actions and the lack of restraints and safety features on the bus windows, the NTSB said.
“The board recommended that medium-sized buses have additional safety features, including a lane departure warning system, stronger roofs, occupant protection and window glazing. The board said if the bus had been equipped with a lane departure warning system, the driver might have been able to take corrective action more quickly to avoid the chain of events that led to the rollover. The other safety features might have prevented the occupants of the bus from being ejected, the board said.
“The company that operated the bus, DW Tour and Charter, had a safety management program that lacked periodic inspections, but the report said the condition of the vehicle did not cause or contribute to the accident.” (Las Vegas Sun (Kyle B. Hansen). “NTSB points to driver inattention in fatal tour bus crash.” 6-22-2010.)
Sources
Las Vegas Sun (Kyle B. Hansen). “NTSB points to driver inattention in fatal tour bus crash.” 6-22-2010. Accessed 6-23-2015 at: http://lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jun/22/ntsb-points-to-driver-in-attention-in-az-bus-crash/
National Transportation Safety Board. Highway Accident Report. Bus Loss of Control and Rollover, Dolan Springs, Arizona, January 30, 2009 (NTSB/HAR-10/01). Washington, DC: NTSB, adopted 6-22-2010, 78 pages. Accessed 6-23-2015 at: http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/HAR1001.pdf