Driver error, worn tires caused fatal bus crash in 2020

Excessive speed, worn tire treads and other factors played a role in a deadly 2020 bus crash in San Diego County, according to a preview of a report by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Three people died, and 18 were injured, when the 30passenger bus swerved off Interstate 15 amid rainy conditions on Feb. 22, 2020.

The bus veered off the road, rolled upside down, then rolled right-side up before landing on its back on an embankment, according to the federal agency’s findings, announced Tuesday.

The bus was traveling from the Los Angeles area to San Ysidro and then on to Tijuana, according to the California Highway Patrol. But by 10:20 a.m. that day, it encountered rain and went off the road.

Several passengers were ejected from the vehicle; others were trapped inside.

Federal investigators said one passenger was wearing a seat belt at the time of the rollover crash near Pala Mesa.

Worn-down tire treads on two inside rear tires, which were lower than the minimum level allowed by federal law, contributed to the crash, the NTSB said. The outside tires also had marginal tread depths, which affected stability, the agency said.

The bus was traveling at 73 mph to 75 mph just before the driver lost control, according to data from an engine module — too fast for the wet roadway and vehicle conditions, investigators said. Sustained braking and inconsistent steering contributed to the driver losing control, the federal agency said in its findings.

NTSB expects to publish its full report in several weeks.

“This fatal crash serves as a stark reminder: Seat belts save lives, and certain weather and road conditions require drivers to slow down,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said in a statement. “But bus operators also have an enormous safety responsibility to know — and follow — applicable laws, maintain their fleet and ensure safe speeds for conditions, as well as adequate driver training.”

NTSB said proper use of lap and shoulder belts would have likely reduced injuries sustained during the crash. The passengers were not given a safety briefing prior to departure, according to interviews conducted by the NTSB.

The agency recommends that bus companies set policies on speed and safe driving in wet weather, while asking the CHP to develop a public awareness program on proper use of seat belts.

The company’s carrier, Executive Lines Inc., said it was not aware of a California law requiring it to inform passengers about the state’s mandatory seat belt law. An email to the company was not immediately answered.

The report abstract does not say anything about the driver’s or bus company’s liability; it’s unclear if the full report will determine that.