A study conducted at Ohio State University has demonstrated that multi-tasking between two visual tasks is more difficult than multi-tasking between a visual task and an audio task. The study has implications for those concerned about distracted driving. The laws that have been passed to ban texting and driving address situations where a driver is splitting his or her attention between the visual task of driving the visual task of reading or writing a text message.
Distracted Driving And The Dangers Of Multi-Tasking
Pilot Who Reported Safety Concerns Ordered Reinstated
A pilot working for Ameriflight PR Incorporated repeatedly raised concerns about the way fuel calculations were made for planes flown out of the airline's Puerto Rico base. Fearing a potential plane crash, he took further steps including refusing to pilot a flight, emailing management and fellow pilots, and finally raising the issue with the Federal Aviation Administration. According to an investigation by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the pilot's termination from the company was in retaliation for those activities.
A Connection Between Road Rage And Texting
The dangers of texting while driving may go beyond the distraction and reduced reaction time that comes with it. In addition to causing car and truck accidents by taking the driver's attention off the road, texting while driving may also inspire road rage.
Boeing Faces Second Largest FAA Fine In History
In 1996, TWA Flight 800 exploded killing more than 200 people. The aviation accident was the result of a fuel tank explosion that occurred shortly after the Boeing 747 took from John F. Kennedy Airport in Queens. In response to the tragedy, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board developed regulations that required airlines to retrofit the fuel tanks of many older planes. Boeing was tasked with providing the airlines with instructions on what needed to be done to avoid another fuel tank explosion. Boeing's failure to deliver those instructions according to the timeline set forth in the regulations has led the FAA to propose a $13.5 million fine. The fine is the second largest proposed in the history of the FAA.
Can Technology Solve The Problem Of Distracted Driving
Putting a stop to texting and driving is a top priority among many safety experts. Several devices claim to be able to prevent people from engaging in this form of distracted driving. A device developed at an Indian university is taking the fight against texting and driving to a new level.
Medical Malpractice Claims At All Time Low According To Public Citizen
A consumer advocacy group known as Public Citizen claims that medical malpractice payments in 2011 were a record low. The group additionally claims that medical malpractice payouts have been decreasing for eight consecutive years. The data provided by the group was meant to demonstrate that malpractice payments are not to blame for the rising cost of health care in the United States.
Oversight Of Railroad Bridges Raises Safety Concerns
A train derailment occurred at a bridge on the Glenview-Northbrook border last Wednesday. The fatal railroad accident has drawn attention to the safety standards and oversight of thousands of bridges in Illinois and across the nation. While the Illinois Department of Transportation is responsible for the condition of most bridges, oversight of railroad bridges is left to the railroad companies, themselves.
Drivers Could Hit Roads In Unprecedented Numbers This Week
The AAA released a forecast this week indicating that there will be more travelers on the road this week than at any time in the last decade. The increase in drivers is said to come from the fact that the Fourth of July falls on a Wednesday this year, giving many people extra days in which to travel. If the estimated 40.3 million drivers materialize, the increase in accident rates that always attends the Fourth of July could lead to numerous car and truck accidents.
