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(Trends Wide) — The car containing six teenagers who died after colliding with a truck in Oklahoma failed to come to a full stop at a stop sign before entering the highway, witnesses said, according to an update to an investigation by the National Safety Board in Transportation Board (NTSB).
The teenagers were traveling in a small passenger car when it collided with a truck at an intersection in the city of Tishomingo, about 200 km south of Oklahoma City.
There is a stop sign regulating traffic at this intersection and the speed limit for the road is 80 km/h. Witnesses said the Chevy entered US-377 after failing to come to a full stop at the stop sign and was struck by the truck on the left front, which pushed it off the roadway, according to the update.
The semi truck then went off the road and stopped on a private road. The truck driver was uninjured, according to the statement.
The investigation continues and the NTSB, in coordination with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, has sent a team of four investigators and a family assistance specialist to Oklahoma to investigate various matters.
They will assess road conditions such as lighting and weather conditions, as well as on-site accident history and potential reasons behind human error. They will also examine the vehicle’s compliance with federal and state regulations.
Investigators will reconstruct the events of the crash and analyze the physical evidence and damage to the vehicle, according to the statement.
The team’s work at the scene is expected to wrap up Monday with a preliminary report expected late next month. The full investigation, which would include probable cause and any contributing factors, will be completed in the next year or two.
“On behalf of our students, staff, families, and community, I want to thank you for your consideration, prayers, and encouragement,” Bobby Waitman, superintendent of Tishomingo Public Schools, said in a statement.
“As we begin the heartbreak process, I am reminded that our highest priority as educators is meeting the emotional, mental, social and physical needs of our students. This is our focus right now, and every day we serve our students,” he added. Waitman’s statement.
— Rebekah Riess contributed to this report.
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