Transportation Safety


This Boeing image by Joe Naujokas shows the SkyHook Heavy Lift Vehicle

Boeing, SkyHook Finalize Configuration of VTOL Aircraft

The U.S. aircraft manufacturer and its Canadian partner have reached the configuration freeze milestone for a vehicle they say will "radically change the way [customers] resupply and operate in remote regions, especially the north."

Virginia Tech Studies Support Total Texting-While-Driving Ban

The results, reported Monday afternoon by The New York Times, dispel the belief that truly hands-free phones are just as dangerous as driving drunk but pinpoint texting as highly dangerous.

signal equipment on train tracks

Agency Sets Hearing on Positive Train Control Rule

The Federal Railroad Administration is implementing a requirement of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 and will hear from stakeholders in the all-day meeting Aug. 13 in Washington, D.C.

NTSB Acting Chairman Announces Resignation

In his letter to the President, National Transportation Safety Board Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker announced his intent to leave his position once a new chairman and an additional board member are confirmed, ensuring a quorum remains at the board.

USCG Tests New Airborne Radar with Vessel Monitoring System

The goal is to measure the performance of the planes' radar-operator systems in a realistic scenario using 40- to 60-foot long commercial fishing vessels underway in the fishing grounds off the New England coast.

MACOSH Meeting to Discuss Marine Terminal Safety Issues

The committee advises the Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA on issues relating to occupational safety and health policies, programs, and standards in the maritime industries, focusing on the shipyard and marine cargo handling (longshoring) industries.

Study Finds Speed Control Law Repeal Costs Lives

According to a recent study, the repeal of the federal speed control law in 1995 has resulted in speed limit increases that have caused approximately 12,500 deaths during the decade that followed.

Federal Transit Administration Acts Quickly on NTSB Plea

A "Dear Colleague" letter from Administrator Peter Rogoff asks all transit rail operators to add redundancy if their train control systems are susceptible to a single-point failure.



an officer administers a nighttime sobriety test

Drunken Driving Down, But Drugged Driving Raises Alarms

NHTSA's first roadside survey to test for drugs as well as alcohol found 16.3 percent of nighttime weekend drivers were drug positive, most commonly from marijuana, cocaine, and OTC or prescription drugs.

Ford uses a robot simulating the impact of a hard-thrown ball to test air bag sensors on 2009 models

Are Robots Hitting the Wall?

Japan's recession is idling both industrial and toy robots there, but the situation apparently isn't so dire in American industry. Ford uses robots to test new air bag sensors on its 2009 F-150 pickup to Taurus models; this Ford photo shows a robot inflicting a door impact simulating a hard-thrown ball.

traffic zone safety cones

Renewed Alliance Focuses on Roadway Safety, Materials Handling

Training programs will be offered on a monthly basis and are normally conducted jointly by personnel from both the Delaware Safety Council and OSHA.

Marine MRAP Drivers Get Rollover Safety Training

Delivered using a special vehicle at an air base in Iraq, the training includes simulated rollovers to varying degrees and a casualty rescue, according to an article from the Pentagon.

instrument displays in a jetliners cockpit

FAA Updating Flight Crew Alerting Standards

The new proposed rule would encompass all alerting functions, not just visual displays, and would limit the use of red, amber, and yellow in the flight deck to reduce potential human errors caused when those colors are used in non-alerting ways.

Disney Monorail is NTSB's First Inquiry of Private-Property Accident

The Disney company is fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation of the July 5 fatal accident on the Walt Disney World monorail system.

Obama Announces Picks for MSHA Head, U.S. Fire Administrator

"Each of these individuals brings with them valuable expertise in their respective fields, and I am grateful for their decision to serve in my administration," the president said.

Disney, DC Crashes Spotlight Train Control Systems

With two OSHA investigators on the scene, Walt Disney World yesterday reopened the monorail line where one of its trains struck another train early Sunday morning, local newspapers reported.

NTSB Advocates Safety for July 4 Celebration

National Transportation Safety Board Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker prompted Americans to keep safety in mind when celebrating our nation's independence this Fourth of July weekend.

Coast Guard: Weekend Marks Busiest, Deadliest Boating Period

"Your chance for survival usually comes down to one thing: having your life jacket on when you need it," said USCG's Al Johnson. "The misperception persists that you can put on a life jacket once you’re in the water. It is extremely difficult to do, and unfortunately for most people immobilized by the shock of sudden immersion, it can be tragically impossible."

Tips for Staying Safe During Fourth of July Weekend

Summer's brutal heat brings with it the dangers of skin-scorching sunburn, heartbreaking accidents, and deadly dehydration. Summer is also the time when travel season peaks, as people journey to various locations for rest and relaxation. Here's some tips for staying safe.

NTSB Delivers 2008 Annual Report to Congress

The National Transportation Safety Board yesterday released its annual report to Congress, providing a summary of accident investigations and safety recommendations in the past calendar year.

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