Safety Board Aims to Increase Transportation Safety
Safety officials employed under the Federal government are indicating that they want to enact change that will reduce rates of distracted and impaired driving. Additionally, they are seeking more common use of accident-preventive smart technology in cars and stricter regulations for operators of medical flights and air tours. On Monday, February 4, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) designed a list of ways to increase transportation safety. The list was created while keeping in mind the findings from a recent data analysis of board-investigated accidents, according to chairman Robert Sumwalt.
Government Shutdown’s Impact on NTSB
One of the functions of the NTSB is to investigate car accidents and determine potential strategies to reduce such collisions. Originally, the agency was planning to reveal their recently collected data last month, but the government shutdown amended these plans. Sumwalt admitted the 35-day long government shutdown stalled the investigation into 97 separate auto accidents. He was disappointed to say that they might have lost potentially life-saving information during this period. Nevertheless, the board has been increasingly challenged by the Trump Administration, as the administration seems to be focused on reducing industry regulations. Proposals to install electronic speed-limit software in heavy trucks have been put on pause, in addition to a proposal to install vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems into light trucks and future cars.
List of Topics to Address Moving Forward
Board members in Washington announced their list of transportation conditions they want to address through new rules over the next two years. The list covers a variety of systems, including cars, trucks, trains, planes, and pipelines. Some of the items can be reviewed below:
- Introducing a ban regarding the use of handheld or hands-off phones with the exception of an emergency. On top of reducing the rates of distracted driving, the NTSB would also like to crack down on impaired drivers. For drivers with a past DUI conviction, they suggest a breathalyzer car feature that prohibits drivers from starting their vehicle after drinking.
- Getting automakers to agree to make accident-preventive technology standard in all new vehicles. This could currently save up to 1,000 lives per year, according to Sumwalt.
- More advanced training and stricter requirements to enhance the safety regulations of operators of medical flights, air tours, air taxis, and charters.
- Installation of positive train control, a GPS-based technology designed to prevent accidents such as the Amtrak and CSX freight train collision which killed two Amtrak employees. The technology was mandated by Congress in 2018, however, since then compliance has been inconsistent and deadlines were extended.
Sacramento Car Accident Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer. Motor vehicle accidents can flip your life upside down in a matter of seconds. If you or a member of your family has experienced this, I encourage you to contact an injury attorney in your area for further assistance. Speak with me for a free consultation by dialing (916) 921-6400 or my toll-free line (800) 404-5400.
I have worked with a number of clients on a wide variety of personal injury and wrongful death claims over the last 36 years. To see what my former clients have to share about their experiences with my firm, check out the rating websites below:
I am thrilled to be part of the California chapter of the Million Dollar Advocates. Additionally, I am a member of the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, which contains just one percent of the nation’s top attorneys that have demonstrated their proficiency of legal excellence.
Want to see what case outcomes my firm has achieved? Check out our online list of Settlements and Verdicts.
Safety Board Aims to Increase Transportation Safety: AutoAccident.com
Image: Free-Photos on Pixabay
:jf cha [cs 655] cv