Each year, the National Transportation Safety Board releases a list of the safety improvements it wants to target. The “Most Wanted List” identifies areas that the NTSB believes should be a priority in improving transportation safety. The 2016 list is scheduled to be released on January 13, 2016, at a press conference in Washington D.C. […]
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Trailer Guards and Fatal Trucking Accidents
Commercial trucks in the United States come equipped with underride guards. Underride guards are the metal pieces that hang down the back end of a box trailer. The purpose of these guards is to reduce the chances of a fatality if a passenger vehicle strikes the back of the truck. Without the guard, the back […]
Latest Estimates in Traffic Fatalities Released
The traffic fatality numbers from the first half of 2015 represent an estimated increase from the prior year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released the final numbers for 2014 traffic deaths, as well as the estimate for 2015, this week. The NHTSA cited the increase in calling for renewed efforts to combat the dangerous […]
Drowsy Driving Statistics Reveal a Widespread Problem
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is encouraging people to avoid driving when they are fatigued. The NHTSA recently wrapped up National Drowsy Driving Prevention Week and is looking at ways to put a stop to a widespread problem. The head of the NHTSA estimated that somewhere between 5,000 and 7,000 deaths per year are […]
Teen Driver Safety Week Emphasizes Household Rules
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is sponsoring Teen Driver Safety Week this week (October 18-24). The NHTSA is calling on parents and guardians to do their part in keeping young drivers safe. The agency is pushing the slogan “5 to Drive” to help parents set guidelines for the teen drivers in their homes. The […]
NHTSA to Consider New Truck Safety Technology
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently announced a plan to evaluate forward collision avoidance and mitigation (FCAM) technology. Depending on the result of that evaluation, the NHTSA may move to require FCAM devices on commercial trucks. The Truck Safety Coalition, Center for Auto Safety, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety and Road Safe America […]
A Call for Tighter Regulation
A scandal uncovered by one agency has led another to consider cracking down on the auto industry. The Environmental Protection Agency recently discovered that Volkswagen carefully engineered software to skirt U.S. emissions standards. VW diesel vehicles were programmed to run differently when being tested than during normal operation. After an EPA investigation, Volkswagen could be […]
The Push for Automatic Brakes
Automatic emergency braking systems are a technological solution to a common type of car accident, the rear-end collision. Distracted, fatigued, impaired or infirm drivers may apply brakes too late or too softly to avoid an accident. AEB systems provide automatic braking or supplemental braking to reduce the severity of a crash or avoid it altogether. […]
When Safety Fits, Part Two
Choosing a Motorcycle Helmet According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, wearing a helmet improves your chances of surviving a motorcycle crash by 29 percent. NHTSA studies have demonstrated that wearing a helmet does not hurt a rider’s ability to see or respond to traffic. There is no valid safety reason not to wear […]