In an agreed statement of facts reported by news media, the RCMP investigation concluded that both drivers in the Humboldt Broncos crash could see each other 2 seconds before impact. The RCMP also concluded that the bus was travelling at 96 to 107 km/h when it struck the side of the truck. Furthermore the RCMP concluded that the bus driver braked for 24 metres before impact. There is an obvious error in these findings.
Maximum braking for 24 meters would result in a speed loss of just over 60 km/h. Combining this result with an impact speed of 102 km/h would indicate that the initial speed of the bus would have been about 118.6 km/h.
The time required to brake for 24 metres from the initial speed of 118.6 km/h to an impact speed of 102 km/h would be just over 2.7 seconds. Thus, according to the RCMP findings the bus driver commenced braking before he was capable of seeing the truck. But that is not the full extent of the problem with the RCMP analysis.
Anyone who performs motor vehicle accident reconstruction understands that there is a certain amount of detection and processing delay that is needed before a driver can commence a braking action. Furthermore there will be a further delay between the time that the bus driver strikes the brake pedal and the wheels of the bus slow down enough to produce visible braking marks. Thus the RCMP analysis is even more inaccurate than what the 2.7 seconds indicates.
When it is obvious that such a crucial error exists in the analysis, why have the journalists covering this story helped to misinform the public? Why would a journalist not take these conclusions reported by the RCMP to any experienced, independent, accident reconstructionist to confirm whether the police analysis made any sense before delivering the RCMP erred conclusions for the public to see?