COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report released today determined that a truck driver's inattention caused a deadly crash on I-70 near Etna, Ohio, on Nov. 14, 2023.
The incident involved two passenger vehicles, a chartered motorcoach carrying school children, and another truck. According to the report, the truck operated by Mid-State Systems, Inc. failed to slow for a traffic queue from a previous minor crash, leading to a chain-reaction collision and fire. Three students on the motorcoach and three individuals in a passenger vehicle died, with over 40 others injured.
The NTSB also identified contributing factors, including ineffective traffic management and insufficient traffic condition information. The truck lacked an in-vehicle driver monitoring system that might have alerted the driver to the traffic ahead.
NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy highlighted the preventability of such incidents, stating that enhanced vehicle safety standards and traffic management are needed to avert future collisions.
In response to the findings, the NTSB issued eight new safety recommendations, including stronger federal guidelines for traffic queue management and collision avoidance technology in commercial vehicles. The board urged the Tuscarawas Valley School District to prioritize charter operators that provide lap/shoulder belts for all seating positions.
Additionally, the Ohio Department of Transportation was encouraged to implement a statewide strategy for variable speed limits.
Read the full NTSB report here.