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Fatal KY Truck Crash May Have Been Caused by Driver Distraction/Speedi

May 13, 2010 - A new report detailing the preliminary findings by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) through the Kentucky State Police concerning the recent fatal truck accident that killed 11 people in March suggests that the truck driver may have been using his cell phone and speeding at the time of the crash.

According to reports released by the Courier-Journal, the driver of the truck, Kenneth E. Laymon, might have been using his cell phone in the moments leading up to the fatal truck accident. The report also cites vehicle evidence and a witness statement that suggest the truck may have been speeding as well.

While these findings have yet to be confirmed, the NTSB did state that Laymon did not have control of the truck at the time of the crash and listed "cell phone," "distraction," and "not under proper control" as items under "human factors" in the early crash report.

Some of these findings have already been refuted by Laymon's sister who claims his cell phone records reveal his last phone call was 10 minutes before the crash and that the truck was equipped with a "governor" which would have prevented the truck from speeding.

The report by the Kentucky State Police did include a mechanical inspection of the vehicle but did not mention if the truck had a governor installed. Laymon's actual cell phone records were not included in the information released from the report.

Since the truck accident is still under investigation, the final consensus as to what caused the fatal truck crash will have to wait until a final crash report is released by investigators.

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