Support Needed for Investigators Facing Trauma at Crash Sites

BY ANTHONY OMOH

Renowned Managing Director of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Dennis Jones, has issued a strong call for greater attention to the mental health support for investigators, highlighting the often-overlooked emotional toll that accident scenes inflict on those tasked with uncovering the truth.

Jones, who shared his experience during the NSIB Multimodal Transportation Stakeholders Workshop in Abuja, Nigeria, disclosed that several investigators under his watch at the NTSB were forced to quit after just one crash site deployment due to the psychological trauma they encountered.

“I honestly cannot count how many first-time investigators I’ve seen walk away after one crash,” he revealed. “They step onto that scene, see the devastation — the lives lost, the personal effects scattered — and they’re never the same again.”

According to Jones, the NTSB addresses this challenge by deploying psychologists alongside its investigative teams to accident scenes. These mental health professionals are tasked with monitoring the well-being of personnel, especially those new to the field or showing signs of emotional distress.

“At NTSB, we recognize early signs of trauma. We give investigators space to step away and speak with a psychologist when needed,” he said. “Sometimes, they just need to get off the site for a few hours, decompress, and process what they’re witnessing.”

Jones emphasized that the emotional and mental strain of dealing with fatalities, destruction, and grieving families can be overwhelming — especially for those unprepared for the gravity of transport accidents. He noted that such conditions could lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) if not handled proactively.

“It’s not weakness; it’s human. This is why leadership must treat mental health as part of the safety culture. An investigator carrying trauma may miss something. Or worse — may never return.”

His remarks drew attention to the invisible costs of transport safety work and the importance of a support system that includes not just technical training but also psychological readiness and recovery.

Jones urged the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and other safety agencies across Africa to consider formal protocols for trauma support, especially as their role in multimodal transport investigation expands.

“If we want accurate investigations and sustainable safety outcomes, we need to protect the people doing the hard work,” he added. “This should not be optional — it should be embedded in every bureau’s standard operating procedure.”

Jones’ submission aligns with global best practices where emotional wellness is considered essential to effective safety investigation, and where post-incident care is factored into overall response planning.

His advocacy comes at a time when the NSIB is deepening its engagement across air, rail, road, and marine transport sectors, with an emphasis on strengthening standards through collaboration, the central theme of the Abuja workshop.

As Nigeria expands its safety investigation capabilities, industry experts say Jones’ message should serve as a critical reminder that technical excellence must go hand-in-hand with mental resilience.