# Presentation: 157722

## Introduction

- David S. Rayburn

## Investigative Team

- Mark Bagnard and Robert Accetta – Forensic mapping and accident reconstruction
- Dan Walsh – Highway factors
- Don Eick – Weather factors
- Jennifer Russert and Ken Suydam  – Vehicle factors

## Investigative Team, cont’d

- Burt Simon – Human performance
- Hank Hughes  – Survival factors
- James LeBerte – Motor carrier operations
- David S. Rayburn - Investigator-in-Charge

## Report Development Staff

- Christy Spangler – Graphics
- Debbie Stocker- Editor
- Mary Jones – Audiovisuals
- Rafael Marshall – Project manager

## Parties to the Investigation

- Federal Highway Administration
- Connecticut DOT
- Connecticut State Police
- Yale University
- General Motors Corporation
- Freightliner Corporation

## Parties to the Investigation, cont’d

- Arrow Trucking Company
- BH Trucking Company
- DMJM+Harris
- M. DeMatteo/Brunalli
- Fontaine Trailer Company

## Safety Issues

- Adequacy of snow and ice treatment strategies
- Lack of specific guidance on use of high-performance median barriers
- Placement of portable concrete median barriers
- Need for primary seat belt laws for all seating positions

## Collision Into Portable Barrier

## Final Rest of 1996 Freightliner 

**Final Rest of 1996 Freightliner **

## Final Rest of Chevrolet SUV 

**Final Rest of Chevrolet SUV **

## Slide 11

## Human Performance

- Burt Simon

## Overview

- Driver experience
- Medical condition
- Driving conditions
- Fatigue
- Distraction

## Driver Backgrounds

- Properly qualified, experienced, and licensed
- Good health
- Free of alcohol or drugs

## 1996 Freightliner Driver 

- Loss of control due to ice on roadway
- Supported by
- Several other early morning accidents
- Witness statements
- Adequate rest prior to accident
- 4:50 a.m. accident due to speeds too fast for icy roadway

## Chevrolet Driver 

- No evidence of evasive maneuver before collision
- Factors examined
- Visibility
- Fatigue
- Distraction

## Slide 17

## Slide 18

## Fatigue and Distraction 

- Driving at low point in circadian cycle
- Microsleep
- Reduced vigilance
- Awake for 18 hours prior to accident
- Possible distraction from crossover accident
- 5:01 a.m. accident due to combination of fatigue and distraction

## Slide 20

## Survival Factors  and Occupant Restraint	

- Henry F. Hughes

## Restraint Use

- Chevrolet equipped with 2 safety belts for front seats and 3 for rear seats
- Front** **–** **driver and passenger belted
- Rear –** **4 passengers not belted
- Cargo area – 3 passengers unrestrained

## 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe

## Connecticut State Seat Belt Law

- Requires:
*Front seat* occupants to be belted
- Rear seat occupants under 16 to be secured in child safety seat or be belted
- Recent attempt to amend State safety belt regulation failed

## Recommendation H-97-02

- Issued to all 50 States, territories, and Washington, D.C.
- Enact legislation for primary enforcement of mandatory seat belt use laws

## Slide 26

## Roadway Condition and Median Barrier

- Dan Walsh

## Summary

- Snow and ice guidelines
- Median barrier
- Incident management

## Snow and Ice Guidelines

- ConnDOT *Snow and Ice Guidelines*
- Address only 100 percent treatment coverage
- Cannot be considered an LOS program
- Both FHWA and AASHTO advocate LOS programs
- Neighboring States of New York and Massachusetts have LOS programs

## Snow and Ice Guidelines

- 7:2 mixture of sand and salt was not effective
- Straight salt is more effective in light-to-moderate snow and icy roadway conditions

## Summary

- Snow and ice guidelines
- Median barrier
- Incident management

## Median Barrier

- I-95 construction project
- To eliminate grassy median
- To provide full shoulders
- To install a permanent concrete median barrier

## Stage 1

**Stage 1**

- Earthen median

- Southbound (2 inside lanes)

- Northbound (2 inside lanes)

- 32-inch-high permanent concrete barrier

## Detail of Median Barrier

**Detail of Median Barrier**

## Relocation of Median Barrier

**Relocation of Median Barrier**

- Earthen median

- Southbound (2 inside lanes)

- Northbound (2 inside lanes)

- 32-inch-high portable concrete barrier

## Stage 2

**Stage 2**

- Southbound (2 inside lanes)

- Northbound (2 inside lanes)

- 45-inch-high-permanent concrete barrier

- Concrete barrier

- Concrete barrier

## Stage 3

**Stage 3**

- Southbound (2 inside lanes)

- Northbound (2 inside lanes)

- 45-inch-high permanent concrete barrier

## Median Barrier

- Barrier was located on unpaved surface (a common practice for short periods of time)
- Barrier was not anchored to ground

## Median Barrier

- FHWA
- No impact tests for unpaved surfaces
- Requires that barriers meet NCHRP Report 350 crash test guidelines
- Limited guidance in AASHTO *Roadside Design Guide*

## Median Barrier

- At issue
- Frictional properties of barrier
- Performance of barrier

## At issue
Heavy trucks on I-95
32-inch standard barrier vs. 42-inch high-performance barrier

- Heavy trucks on I-95
- 32-inch standard barrier vs. 42-inch high-performance barrier

**Median Barrier**

## Median Barrier

- AASHTO *Roadside Design Guide*
- Limited guidance
- Lacking specific warrants for high- performance barriers

## Summary

- Snow and ice guidelines
- Median barrier
- Incident management

## Incident Management

- Earlier, 3:56 am, accident
- Vehicle overturned on I-95 north
- Connecticut State Police arranged 2 sets of flares in left lane
- Connecticut State Police cleared accident at 4:43 am

## Incident Management

- Connecticut State Police has no incident management policy

## Incident Management

*Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices* (MUTCD)
- New chapter on incident management (Nov 2003)
- Focuses on moving traffic around an incident and reducing likelihood of secondary accidents

## Slide 47