Rear-end and Multi-vehicle Accident Involving a Highway Bus: Caused by Drowsiness Due to Long-distance Driving and Inadequate Post-accident Response

The Commercial Vehicle Accident Investigation Committee (Chair: Yutaka Yoshida), an organization commissioned by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to prevent traffic accidents involving commercial vehicles and mitigate damage, has approved and released an investigation report regarding a rear-end collision involving a large passenger bus that occurred in Komono-cho, Mie Prefecture, on April 17, 2023. 【About this Accident】 ■ Accident Overview On April 17, 2023, at approximately 0:12 AM, an accident occurred in Komono-cho, Mie Prefecture. Despite having two drivers assigned to the bus, the driver operating the vehicle on the northbound Shin-Meishin Expressway failed to switch with the relief driver, leading to prolonged driving. This resulted in the driver falling asleep and rear-ending a large tractor traveling slowly in front, causing the first accident. Due to the first accident, the hazard light operation lever was damaged. The driver failed to activate hazard lights and neglected to take safety measures such as placing warning triangles or flares. Consequently, a second accident occurred when a following large truck collided with the bus, which was stopped in the first traffic lane. Note that both drivers on the bus were on loan from a different company. (Please refer to the attachment for details.) ■ Causes of the Accident The accident was caused by driving for longer periods than planned and insufficient response to the accident while on the expressway. ■ Preventive Measures Thorough implementation of appropriate operation management, such as strictly adhering to the operation plan (switching drivers at scheduled times). Thorough guidance and supervision of drivers regarding post-accident procedures on expressways. Additionally, fostering an open workplace environment to ensure transport safety. ～Message from the Commercial Vehicle Accident Investigation Committee for Prevention～ ・If a relief driver is on board, switch drivers according to the operation plan to prevent the accumulation of fatigue! ・If you stop on an expressway, notify following vehicles of the accident by turning on hazard lights and setting up warning triangles or flares! This investigation report was prepared by the Commercial Vehicle Accident Investigation Committee for the purpose of investigating and analyzing the causes of commercial vehicle accidents and associated damages to contribute to accident prevention and damage mitigation; it is not intended to assign legal liability. The Committee will continue its activities to realize a society with fewer traffic accidents. Rear-end Collision Involving a Large Passenger Bus Drowsiness from Prolonged Continuous Driving Leads to Multi-vehicle Accident on Expressway Accident Overview April 17, 2023, around 0:12 AM, Komono-cho, Mie Prefecture