A blown truck tire may have led to the deadly Greyhound bus crash that tragically killed 9 people in New Mexico last summer.
Truck Driver Lost Control, Collided Head-on with Greyhound Bus
According to a preliminary report issued yesterday by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the horror began when an eastbound 18-wheeler experienced the sudden loss of air in its left-front tire, causing the driver to lose control of the rig.
The truck careened over the highway median and into the westbound lanes of I-40, directly into the path of a Greyhound bus bound for Los Angeles.
After colliding head-on with the bus, the semi-trailer separated from the truck tractor, spilling its load of produce onto the roadway.
The Greyhound bus came to rest along the right edge of I-40 West.
Premature Infant Among Dead in New Mexico I-40 Crash
A total of 48 people were aboard the Greyhound bus when it encountered the 18-wheeler just outside of Thoreau, New Mexico.
The August 30th crash killed the 50-year-old bus driver and 7 passengers.
An infant – one of twins born prematurely to a Greyhound passenger in the immediate aftermath of the accident – passed away on September 16th.
38 Greyhound passengers were injured, some critically.
New Mexico Greyhound Bus Crash Investigation is Far from Over
The NTSB’s post-crash inspections did not turn up any mechanical defects in either vehicle.
Drug and alcohol tests performed on both drivers were negative.
However, the report stressed that the Board’s findings are only preliminary.
“All aspects of the crash remain under investigation as the NTSB focuses on determining the probable cause, with the intent of issuing safety recommendations to prevent similar crashes,” the report states.
Truck Maintenance, Driver Backgrounds Remain Under Review
The Board’s investigators continue to work with other federal and state officials to “compile a complete and accurate account of the crash.”
For example, the NTSB continues to review the vehicles’ electronic driver logs and recording devices, while the remains of the blown tire have been sent to the Board’s materials lab for testing.
The truck’s maintenance records remain under scrutiny, as do both drivers’ qualifications, experience, training, and medical condition.
The NTSB is also trying to determine whether any Greyhound passengers were using their seatbelts when the crash occurred.
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