About 1:50 a.m. on Monday, January 9, 1995, a multiple-vehicle rear-end collision occurred during localized fog at milepost 118 on Interstate 40 near Menifee, Arkansas. The collision sequence initiated when an uninvolved vehicle and the accident lead vehicle entered dense fog. As the lead vehicle reportedly slowed from 65 miles per hour (mph) to between 35 and 40 mph, it was struck in the rear. Subsequent collisions occurred as vehicles drove into the wreckage area at speeds varying from 15 to 60 mph. The accident eventually involved eight loaded truck tractor semitrailer combinations and one light-duty delivery van. Eight vehicles were occupied by a driver only, and one vehicle had a driver and a codriver. Three truckdrivers, the codriver, and the van driver were killed. One truckdriver received a minor injury, and four truckdrivers were not injured.
We determined that the probable cause of the accident was that many of the drivers entered the area of dense fog at speeds that precluded successful evasive action to avoid the preceding or the stopped vehicles
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We made recommendations to:
- the Secretary of Transportation;
- the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration;
- the Federal Communications Commission;
- the 50 States, the District of Columbia. the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Territories;
- the Telecommunications Industry Association;
- the Intelligent Transportation
- Society of America; and
- the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.
