SafetyIssues Personal and Public Safety News Articles: Travel Get with the times: You're driving all wrong ================================================================================ Courtesy of MSNBC on 03/22/12 09:32:00 Courtesy of MSNBC- Most driving guidelines — including those now issued by AAA and most state transportation agencies — now say you should lightly grip the wheel at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions. New transportation bill creates safety concerns over bigger big rigs ================================================================================ Courtesy of CNN on 02/01/12 06:46:00 Washington (CNN) -- Could trucks almost as large as Boeing 737s be driving on a highway near you? If a new transportation bill proposed by House Republicans passes, the answer is yes, and the safety ramifications would be astronomical, say congressional opponents of the bill and the AAA Auto Club. The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act introduced Tuesday by Republicans would authorize about $260 billion over five years to fund federal highway programs. The legislation also contains a controversial provision allowing bigger tractor-trailer trucks on highways by increasing the federal weight limit from 80,000 pounds to 97,000 pounds. In some cases, it would allow 126,000-pound trucks onto highways. Keeping Yourself Safe on the Cruise ================================================================================ Courtesy of injuryboard.com on 02/01/12 06:42:00 With the unnecessary tragic loss of life in the Costa Concordia disaster near Italy, much attention is now being focused on safety issues for cruise ship passengers. Below are some useful points to keep in mind when deciding to take a cruise. Before Taking a Cruise: Book your cruise through a trusted travel counselor. Should there be an emergency, the travel counselor can be a trusted ally and provide valuable assistance. Analysis: Italy disaster shows Titanic lifeboat issues linger ================================================================================ Courtesy of Reuters on 01/20/12 09:42:00 The capsizing of the Costa Concordia will pressure the cruise industry to address a safety question that has lingered since the Titanic disaster almost 100 years ago - how to get thousands of people off a giant cruise ship into lifeboats quickly. Carnival Corp, owner of the Concordia, conceded on Thursday that the accident, which has led to the deaths of at least 11 people with another 24 unaccounted for out of its 4,200 passengers and crew, "has called into question our company's safety and emergency response procedures." A Carnival spokesman could not immediately comment on whether the company's safety review would include the lifeboats. Bullet-train crash raises safety issues ================================================================================ Courtesy of VancouverSun on 07/25/11 09:34:00 China clamped down on the reporting of safety concerns on Sunday after a crash on its high-speed rail network killed at least 43 people less than a month after the $32-billion line involved opened. The deaths mark the first major accident on the line that opened in a flurry of publicity and whose construction is a matter of national pride. But the wreck seemed sure to add to public suspicions about the scale and speed with which Chinese officials have pushed expansion of high-speed rail. While China's rail boom is frequently seen as a sign of the nation's increasing economic might, plans to lace the country with 16,000 kilometres of high-speed train line by 2020 have been hit with a series of scandals and problems. NHTSA is addressing bus safety issues ================================================================================ Courtesy of USA Today on 07/10/11 01:42:00 USA TODAY's reports on motor coach fatality data highlights important concerns for America's bus passengers, but your assessment of the data is misleading at best ("Bus crashes, fatalities worse than reported" and "Federal bus fatality count 'just doesn't add up'"). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration records traffic fatalities involving all types of vehicles — including the accidents cited by USA TODAY — but our current work to improve standards and statistics focuses on the largest buses that account for the largest proportion of the problem. Residents fear safety problems with new traffic pattern ================================================================================ Courtesy of NorthJersey.com on 07/08/11 10:48:00 Residents of Maple Avenue, Margaret Drive, and John Street attended the Montville Township Committee meeting on July 28 to express their concerns on the traffic pattern that will be created by the opening of the new Lowe’s Home Improvement store at the site of G.I. Auto Salvage off of Route 46 in Montville. Traffic, speeding issues, and noise pollution are all concerns of residents. Kevin Boswell, representing Lowe’s as its project engineer, also attended the meeting to give the results of a meeting with the Department of Transportation and to discuss the traffic report. Video: Netherlands' worst driver proves it in graphic video ================================================================================ Courtesy of Autoblog on 07/06/11 07:30:00 We've seen some pretty bad ideas for reality TV shows come to fruition, but they all pale in comparison to De Allerslechtste chauffeur van Nederland? (Who Is The Worst Driver In The Netherlands?) – a concept that takes bad drivers and puts them behind the wheel in a series of contests. Lost your travel documents? How to avoid being grounded ================================================================================ Courtesy of USA Today on 05/24/11 09:08:00 It's one of a traveler's worst nightmares. You're on the road, and your wallet is stolen, your smartphone is lost, or you get to the airport and find your passport has disappeared. At a time of heightened security, how do you get past airport screeners without your driver's license? What if your boarding pass was saved on your missing cellphone? How do you pay your hotel tab with no credit card? USA TODAY Road Warriors, who travel hundreds of thousands of miles a year, have relied on expired driver's licenses and even a library card to help them through security. Others learned the hard way to carry copies of their passport or boarding pass in case of a mishap. And it's not a bad idea to know the location of the nearest U.S. Embassy if you need to replace your passport. Feds unveil pipeline safety program ================================================================================ Courtesy of CNN on 04/04/11 12:45:00 Courtesy of CNN - Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Monday that the Obama administration will push legislation designed to overhaul and upgrade America's aging oil and gas pipeline network. The initative is partly a response to a series of deadly pipeline explosions, including one last year in San Bruno, California, that killed eight people and destroyed 37 homes. A February pipeline explosion in Allentown, Pennsylvania, resulted in the deaths of five people. San Bruno's faulty pipeline was installed in 1956; Allentown's was installed in 1928. During a news conference in Allentown, LaHood called on the major pipeline companies to conduct a review of their oil and gas delivery systems to identify the lines with the highest risk. He also urged them to speed up the most critical repair work. Driving Safely - Your car's side mirrors ================================================================================ Courtesy of Ford Motor Company on 04/02/11 03:24:00 Driving safely: Read a great article about keeping your car's side mirror's at 90 degree for reducing blind areas by Ford Motors. US Airways Plane Lands With Small Hole, FBI Investigates ================================================================================ Courtesy of Huffingtonpost.com on 03/31/11 06:54:00 CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A US Airways plane was grounded after a pilot making a pre-flight inspection found a hole in the fuselage and the FBI is investigating. The hole near the rear of the plane was found after it arrived at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Monday from Philadelphia. The airline said there were no apparent problems during the flight. Passengers who were going to be on the plane for its next flight were put on other flights, the airline said. Reagan air traffic incident renews fatigue debate ================================================================================ Courtesy of USA Today on 03/23/11 10:55:00 Courtesy of USA Today - Federal aviation safety investigators have worried for years that the fatiguing schedules that air-traffic controllers work could undermine safety, an issue that resurfaced Wednesday when the tower at Washington's Reagan National Airport went silent in the wee hours. 2011 Safest Cars: IIHS "Top Safety Pick" Awards ================================================================================ Courtesy of AOL News on 01/05/11 12:51:00 The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has issued its Top Safety Picks for 2011, with 66 vehicles making the grade. This year's evaluations show that when it comes to vehicle safety features, a strong roof, one that offers exceptional protection in the event of a rollover accident, is more important than ever. The Top Safety Pick designation is given to those vehicles that do the best job of protecting drivers and passengers in front, side, rollover, and rear crashes based on "good" ratings in IIHS tests – the organization's highest rating. IIHS's rating grades are "good," "acceptable," "marginal" and "poor." However, last year, the IIHS toughened its standards, adding the requirement that all qualifiers must earn a "good" rating in IIHS roof-strength tests that measure how much protection is offered in a rollover crash. That stricter standard sharply narrowed the initial field of 2010 models. But many carmakers have improved the roofs of their vehicles in the last year. What Airlines Are Doing For Traffic Control ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 09/08/07 06:15:00 Airlines are directly affected by the traffic control problems that have plagued the airline industry. Flight delays are increasing to record levels, and delays are something the airlines cannot afford. Are Air Traffic Controllers Burning Out? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 09/07/07 06:05:00 Air travel volumes are rebounding to pre-9/11 levels, and growing fast. In the meantime, flight delays have reached record levels, and rising fast. In June, close to one-third of domestic flights were late. Are Skies Being Made Safer? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 09/05/07 07:50:00 On Aug. 27, 2006, a Comair commuter jet used the wrong runway for takeoff from Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Ky. That crash resulted in the death of 49 of the 50 people on board. Plane Avoids Near-Collision in Majorca ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 09/05/07 05:30:00 A Boeing 737 filled with 146 British tourists on their way to a holiday in Majorca Monday, Sept. 3, narrowly avoided crashing into another plane at the Palma Airport on the island of Majorca, Spain. Brazilian Airlines to Avoid Rio Airport During Rains ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 09/03/07 07:20:00 Brazil’s biggest airlines on Tuesday, Aug. 28, instructed their pilots to avoid landing at Rio de Janeiro’s Santos Dumont domestic airport during rainy weather. This is a direct result last month’s accident in Sao Paolo, where a jetliner crashed while landing under wet conditions, killing 187 passengers and crew plus 12 people on the ground. China Airlines Jet Catches Fire ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 09/03/07 05:15:00 The engines of a China Airlines plane caught fire soon after landing at Naha Airport, Okinawa, Japan last Aug. 20, 2007. All of the 157 passengers and 8 crew members were able to slide down emergency chutes and escaped unharmed. 2007 SUVs Safer Than Earlier Models ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 08/31/07 04:25:00 The newer 2007 models of sport-utility vehicles are now less prone to fatal rollover crashes, thanks to anti-rollover technology. Election Day: Vote, But Drive Carefully ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 10/02/08 03:39:00 The coming election has many historic aspects to it and everyone should exercise the civic duty to vote for the country’s next president. But you’ll need to be careful because fatal car crashes tend to increase on presidential election days, according to a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. Runway Collision Risks Remain High ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 09/26/08 10:30:00 The incidence rate of near-collisions on airport runways has increased since 2007 and collision risks remain high, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Does Texting Increase Risks of Driving? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 09/18/08 08:54:00 In this age of pervasive, even invasive, hyper-connectivity, safety issues around text messaging while driving have often been raised. Car Interiors Are Laden with Bacteria ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 09/18/08 08:11:00 A woman’s home may be her castle, but her car is very often her second home. But whereas she would not allow her home to become a hotbed for bacteria, she neglectfully allows that to happen to her car. Two Trains Collide in L.A., 25 Dead So Far ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 09/13/08 11:20:00 At least 25 people were killed and 135 injured after a Metrolink commuter train had a head-on collision with a Union Pacific freight train in Los Angeles. Bedbugs are Alive and Well in our Sleeping Quarter ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 08/22/08 02:27:00 Bedbugs are making a comeback into many bedrooms across the country. These blood sucking bugs are about the size of an apple seed, have six legs and are very adept at hitchhiking onto luggage and landing in any bed. Uncertainty Lingers Over Bridge Safety ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 08/02/08 09:36:00 Despite the intense public furor over inspections of the nation’s bridges after the collapse of the Minneapolis Interstate 35-W bridge a year ago, industry experts say the inspection process on bridges continues to be flawed and pocked with errors. Regulators Don’t Screen Out Ill Truckers ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 07/22/08 10:24:00 The Department of Transportation’s process for medical examinations and issuance of commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) to truck drivers is flawed. Golf Cart Riding Can Be Risky ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 06/29/08 09:53:00 Golf carts have become popular alternatives to cars for getting around, but their increased use has also led to more injuries, according to a study by the Center for Injury Sciences based at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Stiffer Penalties for Drunk Driving? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 08/23/07 02:10:00 Traffic safety authorities launched their annual crackdown against drunken drivers with the warning to offenders that violating drunk-driving rules could easily cost at least $10,000 in fines, litigation costs, and lost wages. The officials also called on States to impose stiffer penalties as a way to encourage people to follow traffic laws. Is It A Bird, A Plane … Or A Drone? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 07/17/07 12:30:00 The U.S. Forest Service said Friday (July 20) that a group of Boy Scouts and other hikers who had been camping in Salt Creek Canyon were successfully airlifted in an emergency evacuation, as wildfire roared through the campground. Congress Moves to Make Rail Crossings Safer ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 07/29/07 10:00:00 Although fatal accidents at railroad crossings have gone down since 1997, there are still enough deaths to cause official concern — enough to induce U.S. congressmen, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) officials, and at least one consumer safety organization to call for new legislation. When News Choppers Collide ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 06/02/08 10:00:00 It is not often that newsmen become news themselves. For two news teams, it started as an airborne coverage of a police chase but ended in a double tragedy, when the two choppers carrying them collided in mid-air, killing all four people aboard. Two helicopter pilots and two photographers were killed in the accident. Can Technology Make Bridges Safer? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 06/06/08 06:45:00 The U.S. Department of Transportation had declared that “no imminent dangers were observed” on I-35 Bridge in Minneapolis. This was only 13 weeks before the bridge collapsed last August 1. Have You Checked Your Tire Pressure Lately? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 08/15/07 05:15:00 Drivers should remember to check their tire pressures and the condition of tire treads. This must be done often, says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but more so during the hot months of summer. FAA to Review Runway Safety ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 08/17/07 04:55:00 The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will be deploying special teams to review runway safety in 20 airports that reported the most number of runway incursions, or incidents that involve planes taxiing on the wrong runways and getting in the paths of other planes. Small Cars: Less Fuel But Less Safe? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 08/22/07 04:10:00 With people looking to reduce fuel costs, they are buying more small cars; for 2007, 15.4% of all new-vehicle sales consist of small cars, up almost a full percent from the 14.5% registered in 2006. Antarctic Cruise Ship Runs Into Iceberg ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 11/23/07 04:10:00 At least 150 people have been rescued from their sinking cruise ship in the Antarctic Ocean. The Canadian-owned cruise liner called the MV Explorer hit an iceberg early in the morning of Nov. 23, and was listing dangerously at 25 degrees by the time rescue ships arrived. Car Safety Checklist ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 03/02/10 03:10:00 Before a pilot takes off, he goes through a checklist to make sure that everything in his plane is operating correctly so he and his passengers have a safe flight. You should do the same thing with your car. Wayward Trailers Hit Random Targets ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 12/10/07 04:00:00 The next time you meet or follow a truck towing a trailer on the highway, you should be very wary and steer clear. The trailer could easily separate from the truck, and you could be in trouble. Woman Puts Plane Passengers At Risk Of TB ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 12/31/07 02:25:00 The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health officials are feverishly tracking down 44 people from 16 states who might have been exposed to multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) on an international flight from India to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. They all sat within two rows of a woman, who was sick with the dangerous type of TB, during the 16-hour flight. World’s Cheapest Car Unveiled ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 01/13/08 01:10:00 After four years of development, Tata Motors of India recently unveiled a corporate dream made real: the Nano, the world’s cheapest car. Minnesota Bridge Had Faulty Design ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 01/20/08 10:05:00 The Interstate 35W Bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, may have collapsed in August 2007 due to design flaws, according to investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (see Safety Issues coverage by searching for Bridge on safetyissues.com). Congress Mulls Tunnel Inspection Standards ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 01/23/08 06:05:00 The U.S. House of Representatives approved Tuesday, January 22, H.R. 409 — legislation that would require the mandatory inspection of all highway tunnels in the country and would establish the minimum inspection standards to be used. Will Speed Cameras Increase Road Safety? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 03/03/10 05:45:00 A study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in two areas has given indications that speed cameras induce motorists to slow down. The study was conducted in Scottsdale, Arizona and the Washington, D.C. suburb of Montgomery County, Maryland. States Consider Booster Seats for Older Kids ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 03/08/08 01:00:00 Nine more states may pass or beef up laws that may require booster seats for children older than 4 but younger than 8 years old. Such children have usually outgrown the child safety seats, which are required by law in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.