Each year, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) publishes a list of its most wanted transportation safety improvements. The list is designed to highlight serious issues Americans face as motorists and passengers – by land, sea, or air – and to suggest changes that will help reduce transportation accidents and save lives.
The Most Wanted List is compiled using common issues noted by NTSB investigators. These issues have been the cause of previous accidents and in many cases injuries and deaths. Below are just a few of the most pressing transportation safety issues according to the NTSB:
- Distraction – Electronic devices and smartphones have created an extremely concerning level of distraction across many modes of transportation, and have caused thousands of preventable injuries and deaths.
- Substance Abuse – Operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances is incredibly negligent, but a far too common behavior. The NTSB proposes stronger laws and better enforcement to fight this problem.
- Positive Train Control – Train accidents often garner considerable attention because they frequently result in mass casualties. To prevent these accidents, the NTSB proposes the use of positive train control, a technology capable of stopping rail accident before they happen.
- Mass Transit Safety – Mass transit – buses, trains, ferries, streetcars – are used by millions of people every day. To protect the public from preventable harm, mass transit systems should strengthen organizational safety cultures and utilize advance technologies.
- Health of Transportation Operators – The NTSB reports a number of accidents in which a transportation operator’s medical condition or physical health was a contributing cause. As any condition – or treatment – that affects a transportation operator’s performance is dangerous, stronger requirements for duty should be implemented.
- Commercial Trucking – Accidents, injuries, and deaths involving commercial trucks have increased in recent years. Improvements in the regulation of trucking companies and truck drivers can help reduce the number of preventable accidents.
At Fibich, Leebron, Copeland & Briggs, we have helped many victims and families after they’ve been involved in preventable transportation accidents, including truck accidents and commercial vehicle accidents. In many of these cases, we’ve seen how negligence and preventable mistakes caused tremendous damage and loss, and we continue to see such today.
If you have questions about your rights after any type of transportation accident, contact an experienced Houston personal injury lawyer from our firm to discuss your case.
