A federal safety watchdog has a “most wanted” list of things it would like to see happen in this country to reduce dangers, whether it be on the road by car, truck, or train, or in the air.
The National Transportation Safety Board just issued its 2016 list, emphasizing work to be done to improve safety. The list highlights safety issues identified from the NTSB’s accident investigations.
The 2016 list of NTSB’s priorities include:
– Fatigue-related accidents. NTSB would like to see a comprehensive approach focused on research, education, and training, technologies, treatment of sleep disorders, hours-of-service regulations, and on-and off-duty scheduling policies and practices.
– Protection from cellphone distraction. NTSB recommends that every operator embrace strict rules minimizing the threat of distraction on every trip.
– Automated braking or collision-avoidance systems. NTSB is promoting collision avoidance technologies and passenger and commercial vehicles as standard equipment on all new vehicles.
The safety board also urges continued progress to combat drug and alcohol abuse in transportation. Drunken drivers account for one-third of highway deaths over the past 15 years. The NTSB chairman said recent data indicates prescribed, over-the-counter and recreational drugs are making the problem worse.
NTSB also called for stepped-up oversight of rail networks and improved rail technology. The board said technology to prevent locomotive engineers from speeding or disregarding signals could have prevented the fatal May 2015 derailment of an Amtrak train in Philadelphia, which ran through a tight curve at twice the speed limit.
