Animation released of crash involving Tracy Morgan’s limo

A speeding Wal-Mart truck driver who had been awake for 28 hours was held responsible on Tuesday for a 2014 highway crash that left “30 Rock” star Tracy Morgan with brain injuries and killed a fellow comedian, U.S. transport regulators said.

The National Transportation Safety Board scheduled a meeting for Tuesday morning in Washington, D.C. The NTSB recommended that New Jersey health officials establish minimum training and practice standards fof organizations that provide emergency services on the New Jersey Turnpike.

The driver of the truck in the 2014 accident, Kevin Roper, has been charged with death by auto and four counts of assault by auto after he told police he was awake for 24 hours at the time of the crash. The truck was traveling in the middle lane behind Morgan’s SUV, but the driver did not notice the slow traffic ahead and struck it from behind, causing the Limo to strike other vehicles and flip over.

“It really makes no sense at all why this driver accepted this last load”, NTSB board member Robert Sumwalt said.

But the board added that the actor and his travelling companions contributed to the seriousness of their injuries as none of them were wearing seat belts at the time of the collision. The accident occurred at 1 a.m., when the human body craves sleep, he said.

The board said the National Limousine Association should urge limo drivers to give their passengers pretrip safety briefings and urge them to wear restraints. “Not only are we disputing it, it is factually wrong”, he said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. But he said the emotional loss has been more hard than the physical injury.

Moments before the crash, the trailer was traveling at 65 mph, or 20 mph over the construction zone’s 45 mph speed limit. It is also in the process of implementing a comprehensive fatigue management plan that takes into account drivers’ commutes.

Investigators said emergency responders, mostly volunteers, didn’t have the training to address some of the logistical and coordination issues arising from the complicated accident. He has pleaded not guilty to death by auto and other charges. The agency also pointed out that the limo bus had been modified, which “delayed emergency evacuation”.

Hart also said that the limousine-van the entertainers were in had no means of escape after the accident because it had been “customized”. “In such an environment, passengers may easily overlook the use of seat belts if not prompted by the vehicle operator”.