NTSB Blames Fatigue, Fake Logs for Fatal Crash

A recent federal safety investigation revealed that a fatigued truck driver and a company culture that manipulated hours of service (HOS) regulations through fictitious logs contributed to a fatal crash in Virginia in 2022.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report, released last month, found that the Triton Logistics tractor-trailer was traveling at 65.5 mph in cruise control just before the collision, with no braking recorded prior to impact.

The incident occurred around 1:36 a.m. on I-64 near Williamsburg when a party bus, traveling at an estimated 25 mph shortly before the crash and around 20 mph at impact, was struck.

The collision forced the bus across multiple lanes and through a guardrail, resulting in the ejection of all 23 occupants and three fatalities. None of the bus occupants were wearing seatbelts, and the Triton driver’s seatbelt was found buckled behind the driver’s seat.

Image: The Triton Logistics tractor-trailer collided with a party bus on Dec. 16, 2022, in Virginia. The National Transportation Safety Board recommended a series of changes from the FMCSA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration following an investigation. Retrieved from Virginia State Police via the NTSB.

The truck driver was en route from Missouri to Chesapeake, Virginia, and was operating under the guise of a team driver, a practice that allowed the company to bypass HOS regulations.

Former Triton drivers reported that the company employed tactics to evade allowable driving hours. The driver involved in the crash admitted to providing false information about his codriver during inspections.

Triton’s CEO and HOS manager denied knowledge of the fictitious log entries, but the investigation found discrepancies between the driver and codriver logins. The company’s legal team is contesting these claims in an ongoing federal lawsuit.