Model X Crash on US-101 (Mountain View, CA)

[TEG]

Pretty sure that's just one of the dark seams in the road.

Yeah, it looks like that line was a road seam, not a skid mark:

 

[SMAlset]

I am curious about the extent of the front end damage to the model x. Even if there is nothing between the car and the concrete divider, I would have expect a severely crumpled front structure rather than a one that's completely sheared away. It's almost as if the car hit it sideway rather than head on. Just very strange to me.

I know what you mean. I'm still kind of in shock about how little of the front of the car is recognizable from all the photos/videos of debris. I'm not even sure from the photos where the larger parts like the hood went, the dashboard, the windshield. Did notice the wheels/tires and steering and suspension components. Also saw the steering wheel/airbag. I keep thinking back to the poor Model X owner in Scottsdale, AZ back in July 2017 that was hit head on by I think it was a Ford SUV. DPS IDs wrong-way driver killed in crash on SB Loop 101 (Highway 101 again! in another state though) That MX vehicle still had something recognizable for it's front. I know the vehicle that is the "striker" is the one that takes the most damage, and understand the Ford front was pretty much unrecognizable too. In this case it would have been the Model X hitting a concrete wall. Just shocking to see all the same.

We can tell where the Audi hit the Tesla (driver rear corner) but not sure about the Mazda. I'm guessing its tires gotten flatten going over debris. I didn't see any noticeable damage on the rear or passenger side of the MX--no dents or white paint streaks. And the Mazda ended up to the right of the Tesla.

 

[TEG]

The road markings are well worn down in some parts there. The diamond lane markings are almost gone, and the solid white line isn't so solid anymore:

(picture from today)

 

[SMAlset]

I nominate TEG as the Official Forensics Investigator of TMC.

I really am impressed at how you have analyzed so much of this and pointed out numerous factors involved in this crash. Many of which potentially could have avoided a tragic death.

As kind of depressing as it can be for a job given you sometimes have to work with so much death (not sure I could handle that part), I have always found crash investigations an interesting field. Putting the pieces together, figuring out what transpired, what failed, what improvements could have prevented it. Takes lots of education in different disciplines and science, physics. In the end you hopefully make products safer and sometimes it gives grieving loved ones some closure. Tough job and I remember reading about an FAA investigator who said at some point he just had to quit after doing it for so long. Car accidents not much different really.

@TEG I can't believe signage from 10/2017 is still posted there today and I can see how someone could drive by and be confused what the story is. With so much room over there to the left of the HOV 85 lane I wonder why they didn't separate the 85/101 HOV lanes sooner from each other so the separation near the barrier was even further apart than it is. With the lanes closer together at the wall seems to me to be easier to move over at the last minute.

 

[TEG]

After seeing that "HOV LANE CLOSED" sign, it does look like the "not a lane" to the right looks kind-of like a real lane you might consider moving into:

 

[phaduman]

Thank you @Joelc for posting your dashcam video. Very sad to see those barriers were not reset :=(. A life could have been saved!!

Anything revealed on the driver? Was he a TMC member?

 

[bhzmark]

What gov't agency has authority to maintain road safety devices and what is their contact information? And who supervises them and has firing and funding authority for them? Someone needs to make some changes.

At least sand or water barrels should be dropped the same day after the accident is cleared.

Deadly negligence by the agency failing to maintain the road safety devices.

 

[TEG]

2011 CALTRANS report on Smart Cushions:
http://web.transportation.org/tig_solicitation/uploads/Caltrans SMart Cushion TIG Nomination Final.docx
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Name the technology: Smart Cushion Impact Attenuator
...
Please describe the technology:
The Smart Cushion Impact Attenuator is a severe duty crash attenuator that can withstand roadway design speed frontal and side impacts without damaging system components. This provides lower repair parts costs compared to systems that are damaged in similar impact conditions. The Smart Cushion passed the requirements for crash attenuators as specified in the National Cooperative Highway Research Project (NCHRP) Report 350, "Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features" test level 3, in 2003.

Cost Savings and Improved Worker Safety:

The Smart Cushion was designed to only require two shear bolts to restore the unit back to full function after a design criteria impact. providing the following benefits over other lower severity rated attenuator systems:
1. Reduces worker exposure due to fewer repair parts and repairs normally take under 30 minutes.
2. Few repair parts allows workers to quickly repair the Smart Cushion which puts the attenuator back in service and reduces the traveling publics' exposure to repair vehicles and lane closures. Sometimes it is possible to repair the Smart Cushion during incident management which may eliminate a site visit and associated lane closure.
3. Quick repairs lowering labor and equipment costs when compared to lower severity rated systems.
4. The side panel design and supporting structure of the Smart Cushion virtually eliminates damage from side impacts within design criteria. Reducing repairs needed for side impacts results in a cost savings, as well as improved worker and public safety.
5. No police reports for injuries or deaths have been filed.
...
Please describe the history of the technology’s development.
The Smart Cushion passed the requirements for crash attenuators as specified in NCHRP Report 350, in 2003. The Smart Cushion (SCI-1000GM) was approved for use by Caltrans in 2006 and has been installed in a number of Districts. It has also been installed other states.
...
For how long and in approximately how many applications has your State DOT used this technology?
The Smart Cushion was first installed in California in November of 2006. There are approximately 140 installed on California roads. These are located throughout the state with concentrations in District 4 and 7 (San Francisco and LA, respectively).
...
How does the technology meet customer or stakeholder needs in your State DOT or other organizations that have used it?
The major benefit is safety to the traveling public. There have been no reports of deaths or injuries related to hitting the Smart Cushion. It provides excellent life cycle cost for high hit locations. It is able to absorb full design impacts with minimal hardware damage and allows for straight forward resetting by crews. A benefit is the low repair costs and speed at which the attenuator can be back in full service after an impact.
...

What type and scale of benefits has your DOT realized from using this technology? Include cost savings, safety improvements, transportation efficiency or effectiveness, environmental benefits, or any other advantages over other existing technologies.
There have been savings on frontal impacts and side impacts when compared to estimated repairs for alternate attenuators. Additional side impact savings have been realized. Savings can be significant due to the cost of approved attenuators, repair parts, decreased repair time and reduced worker exposure. Savings can be significant due to the low cost of repair parts (approximately $40), decreased repair time (usually under 30 minutes) and reduced worker exposure. Savings are very specific to site conditions, impact frequency and crew access costs.
...
The system is particulaly suited for higher hit locations (severe duty). Maintenance Training can be done in about 20 minutes and after the first repair, assistance is usually not needed.
...
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[SMAlset]

The driver was a 38-year old from Foster City according to the Mountain View Patch: New Details In Fiery Mountain View Crash

 

[TEG]

This document says the smart cushions are 24" wide:
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/esc/oe/project_ads_addenda/06/06-0Q3504/supplemental_info/06-0Q3504IH.pdf

Would that fit between the frame rails of a Model X ?

 

[TEG]

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/esc/oe/project_ads_addenda/07/07-288504/supplemental_info/07-288504_IH.pdf

...The SMART CUSHION® attenuators use a patented system for stopping vehicles. The system is speed dependent and stops small and large vehicles by automatically regulating the stopping force exerted on a vehicle. Essentially, the system provides the necessary forces based on the speed of the vehicle automatically compensating for the mass of the vehicle...

...Maintenance: SMART CUSHION® impact attenuators are low-maintenance units. In a two-year inservice evaluation report submitted to the Federal Highway Administration, the average cost of parts to repair the SMART CUSHION® impact attenuator was $39, excluding two catastrophic impacts. More than four out of five of the reported repairs only required two shear bolts costing under $2. A trained, two-person maintenance crew can return most impacted SMART CUSHION® attenuators to full service within 30 minutes. This short repair time reduces the maintenance workers' exposure to traffic and minimizes motorist inconvenience. Side impacts usually result in no damage to the impact attenuator....

 

[TEG]

Here are a whole lot of testimonials about Smart Cushions from various DOTs with the main praise being the low cost and ease of resetting/reusing them:
http://4fhmzg4ct6wezwll3wmp9kl9.wpe...enuator-Documented-Performance-Statements.pdf

Since they are so easy and cheap to reset, I don't understand why they leave them not-reset so much of the time.
( As evidenced by all the various Streetview images showing it left in a "not-ready" state. )

More from that document:
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Additional DOT Statements

Earl Sherman III – Caltrans District 4 Maint. Supervisor Southwest Region (San Jose) I have limited experience with the Smart Cushion. We have one unit in my area of responsibility and it has been struck once. The unit was close to being fully collapsed. The supervisor and crew trained with the vendor using a video then went out and did some hands on training repairing the unit. Even though the crew had to be instructed on the process it only took approximately one half hour to complete repairs. The only materials needed for the repair were two quarter inch shear bolts and the unit looked like it was brand new. The fact that these units can be repaired so quickly with so few parts greatly reduces worker exposure. If all the repairs we do are similar to this experience this will be a great product for us.

Rosemary Chalukian – Caltrans District 6- Highway Maintenance Supervisor We have two units installed in District 6. Both units have been hit and repaired. The first to be hit is in my area and with some help from D&M Traffic Services was repaired in less then 30 minutes. replacement parts 2- 1/4" bolts. Cost for parts $ 0.68. Second unit hit was in another supervisor's area. I sent him the Caltrans repair video and one person from my crew. This repair took 18 minutes and cost for parts $0.68. Needless to say we are very impressed thus far with the Smart Cushion. Safety is #1 and both T/C s resulted in non-injury. Maintenance employees exposure time has been reduced in regards to repairs. So far everything I had heard or read about this device has been true. facts are facts and seeing is believing.

Jon Stidman – Caltrans District 4 Maint. Supervisor North Bay Region (San Francisco) Since I started working for the State of California in 1972, which was then THE DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS and then became the DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION, I have worked with many styles of crash attenuators. The Hydraulic "water filled", which is not used anymore, the Sand Barrels, the Hex-Foam Sandwich Style, The "GREAT" System, The Quad-Guard System, the Adiem II, and a few others including the "Smart Cushion". At this time I am most impressed with the performance and repairability of the Smart Cushion. We installed one at the N/B 101 @ 080 Junction as this location seemed to be getting the most frequent impacts. The system has had three hits since installation last year and all three repairs took less than 30 minutes to reset. The last time it took us 22 minutes from start to finish with a cost of approx. $1 for the shear pins which is far more cost effective while most important to us is the shorter amount of employee exposure time to Traffic.
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[TEG]

If you really want to immerse yourself in Crash Attenuator knowledge:
http://ahmct.ucdavis.edu/pdf/UCD-ARR-10-07-16-01.pdf

...

I wish there was "Self-Restoring" crash attenuator there...

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

To begin with that is crap signage to leave out there if the lane is open.
I am a CT engineer (fortunately not in that district) and we ( our field maintenance crews)would have put up a lit message board with chevrons in the gore if the crash cushion wasn’t repaired. Or closed the 2 lanes on either side. This is a high speed area, it may be 65mph signed but 80-85 seems more common when I am there.
If it was hit overnight that’s a different story. That doesn’t seem to be the case.
Super sad

This looks particularly confusing to me:
View attachment 288995

That is from today. I could totally see someone reading that and thinking they needed to get out of the HOV lane and start moving to the right there.

And the paint is pretty bad too, although am sun makes that hard to see regardless.

 

[cwerdna]

Here is what it looks like today:
View attachment 288986

Someone collapsed that barricade warning sign and set it on top of the smart cushion rails. Is that sign just left there to open up again when the next accident happens?
Someone put one cone on each side now instead of both on the left. I wonder who is deciding the cone placements there?
The X chewed up those warning chevrons.

It was probably a good idea to lay that barricade warning sign flat. If it were left up, winds and passing cars could blow it over, causing a traffic hazard, including cars changing lanes or swerving to avoid an object on the highway. From Hourly Weather Forecast for Mountain View, CA (94043) - The Weather Channel | Weather.com, looks like it could get windy on Sunday.

What gov't agency has authority to maintain road safety devices and what is their contact information? And who supervises them and has firing and funding authority for them? Someone needs to make some changes.

At least sand or water barrels should be dropped the same day after the accident is cleared.

Deadly negligence by the agency failing to maintain the road safety devices.

It's likely Caltrans.

 

[timvracer]

Didn't we just have a big surplus? Yet our roads are in crap condition and CalTrans can't get supplies and resources?

On the wreck, I see 2 plausible theories right now:

A) AP failure and a driver not paying attention (reading his phone). The bright head on sun and glare confused AP, as it followed the documented "seam" across the glared out and quite worn white lines. It then found itself in the "middle lane" and drove the X directly head on and square into the barrier.

B) The theory posted by someone above, the Mazda sharply turned left into the X trying to get over at the last minute (not seeing it in its blindspot at that moment), and hit the LF fender of the X and put it into barrier. The problem with this theory is that a) the Mazda would not have had so much damage (fender looked crushed and torn off), and I would have expected the Mazda to end up much further down the road as it would have only had a glancing blow.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

I don’t think maintenance has really gotten anything out of the SB1 bill, at least not yet. There are a ass load of new environmental hires and new projects though

 

[RedOctober]

Hopefully someone makes those in power aware of the situation involving road signage and safety devices being neglected to prevent further deaths. That’s the main issue now that a man has died and it may have been preventable. I know once the victims family lawyers get involved things will get done, of not it will cost the government more money in the end.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

Personally I call the crews responsible for the area when I see a safety, storm water or trash issue in the area I live. There is a # to call for the public to send complaints (or compliments, super rare but does happen up here) and the crew has 24 hrs to respond and check on the problem. We get hundreds a week in a ~100k populated area. I actually sit near the lady who takes our calls, some are craaazy, many are valid. Either way the maintenance supervisor needs to address the call and respond.

Contact Caltrans

Please do your part to help us if you see a problem!
At least those signs should have been reported long ago! Not sure when the smart cushion was hit? Was it reported?
We are all in his together, our culture sucks, it needs to change.
I was just in Taipei and actually would consider living in the craziness because the culture and people are actually nice(...and food mmmmm)

 

[TEG]

For what it is worth, it looks like Caltrans has a maintenance facility practically right next to that location...

Caltrans Middlefield Rd Maintenance Station, Santa Clara County, California, United States