Stories from the road
A bus driver falls asleep before dawn on I-95
Interstate 95, near Doswell, Virginia, United States
Official investigation findingWhat happened
At about 4.55am on 31 May 2011, a motorcoach travelling north on Interstate 95 near Doswell, Virginia, with 58 passengers on board, left the road and overturned.
Four passengers were killed. Fourteen were seriously injured and 35 had minor injuries.
The NTSB determined that the probable cause was the driver's failure to keep control of the vehicle because he fell asleep, due to fatigue from acute sleep loss, poor sleep quality and circadian disruption. It also found that the bus company's management had failed to follow adequate safety practices or oversee the driver, and that weak regulatory oversight of the company contributed. News reporting at the time said court records showed the driver told police he had fallen asleep at the wheel.
What the evidence says about fatigue
The NTSB determined that the driver lost control of the vehicle because he fell asleep while driving, due to fatigue from acute sleep loss, poor sleep quality and circadian disruption.
Why it matters
The hours before dawn are when the body is most strongly inclined to sleep. Poor sleep beforehand makes that pull harder to resist.
Sources
- NTSB (opens in a new tab)Motorcoach run-off-the-road and rollover, Doswell, Virginia (HWY11MH010) · 31 July 2012
- CBS New York (opens in a new tab)NTSB to discuss Sky Express bus crash that killed 4 · 31 July 2012
This summary was written by Drowzy from the reports listed above. Please read the original reporting for full details. If anything here is inaccurate, let us know so we can correct it.