OK.
(CNN)A truck driver’s fatigue — exacerbated by his decision to drive 12 hours to work before he even started his 14-hour shift — is the probable cause of the June 2014 crash that killed comedian James McNair and seriously injured comedian Tracy Morgan in New Jersey, federal officials said Tuesday.
I ask this out of true curiosity and without any accusation of wrongdoing… why did the NTSB investigate a routine traffic accident? Is it because a semi was involved? Do they investigate all semi accidents? Just wondering why it required a federal investigation and local authorities couldn’t handle the investigation.
State and local authorities in New Jersey did the first investigation, and I believe the driver was already criminally charged in the matter.
The NTSB became involved after the root cause — driver fatigue — became known. The NTSB has no regulatory nor enforcement powers, so its focus is strictly on improving safety. This report isn’t even admissible as evidence in court.
Let me introduce you to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, part of the US Dept of Transportation (just like the NTSB). They’re the ones who set the rules & limits for truckers’ on-duty hours, so it’s perfectly logical that NTSB would investigate the accident once it became apparent the Hours of Service rules were violated.
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-of-service
Thanks, guys. I thought that might be the case, but couldn’t find anything to verify it.