Motorcoach Safety: A Work in Progress

By Debbie Hersman

Today marks the one-year anniversary of a deadly motorcoach rollover accident. Last May 31, before dawn, a 59-passenger motorcoach traveling northbound on Interstate 95 near Doswell, Virginia, departed the right side of the highway and rolled over onto its roof. Four passengers were killed, 54 were injured, and the bus sustained extensive damage. The Board meets to determine the probable cause of this accident on July 31, 2012.

Next week, on June 5, the Board will meet on another deadly bus rollover accident that killed 15 passengers and injured 17 others on March 12 in New York City. While buses are among the safest forms of transportation — they carry some 750 million passengers a year — because of the large number of people onboard, when something goes wrong, more people are at risk of death or serious injury. That’s why improving motorcoach safety has been a priority for the NTSB for many years.

Furthermore, our bus investigations have regularly identified businesses that should not have been operating and who deliberately restructured their operations to shirk Federal safety regulations. Today, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced that, after a year-long safety investigation and multiple bus safety task forces, it has shut down 26 bus operations for repeatedly and flagrantly violating safety rules.

With these actions, the DOT and its state partners are telling operators to put safety first or get put out of business. I commend Secretary LaHood and FMCSA Administrator Ferro for taking a strong stand for the safety of bus travelers and all motorists on our interstate highways.

The Secret to a Safer Summer Travel Season

By Debbie Hersman

Today, as we enter into the busy Memorial Day weekend I am visiting an elementary school in Northern Virginia to talk about highway safety. Did you know that as we mark the start of summer, AAA estimates that more than 34 million travelers will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day weekend?  And, of those travelers, more than 30 million are expected to use an automobile.

Did you know that car crashes are the number one killer of children ages 1 to 12? I’m sad to say that, on average, 2 children are killed and 325 more are injured in car crashes every single day. With this in mind, it’s essential that children be properly restrained on every trip. Children should ride in an age and size appropriate child safety seat or booster seat until an adult seat belt fits them properly – at 4’9” tall. Further, all children should ride in the back seat.

Earlier this month, Arizona became the 48th state to require the use of child restraints for older children. Children riding on Arizona’s roads will be safer now that this life-saving law has been enacted. Only two states — Florida and South Dakota — have yet to bring their child restraint laws closer in line with best practices. But parents – don’t wait for a law to make the right choice. Use a child safety seat or booster seat until your child is big enough for a seat belt.

For more information on how to best restrain your children visit Parents Central. (http://www.safercar.gov/parents/CarSeats.htm).

Motorcycle Resurgence and Highway Safety

By: Christopher Hart

Motorcycles are everywhere and the numbers are increasing. Business executives, government officials, celebrities, empty nesters, young and middle age adults, teens and couples have discovered and in some cases, are rediscovering the joys of ridings on two(and sometimes three) wheels. Some riders are commuting daily, others have become weekend riders, and as the weather gets warmer, many more will hop on their bikes and explore the open roadways.

Without a doubt, driving and riding on a motorcycle is exhilarating. Some describe it as one of the greatest expressions of freedom on the highway. Not only that, but, motorcyclists, with their stylish jackets, their leather chaps, their boots and personalized helmets, have a certain hip edge to them. Then, there are the bikes themselves. They range from high performance street racing bikes to the widely known and highly regarded vehicles. Motorcycles have become an expression of the owner.

With the Memorial Day holiday just around the corner, let’s all be reminded to put highway safety first. It is a shared responsibility – motorists traveling in cars and trucks must look out the motorcyclists. And motorcyclists must also take precautions to prevent accidents.

In 2007, the NTSB made a recommendation urging all 50 states and the District of Columbia to enact a universal helmet law requiring that all persons on a motorcycle wear a DOT compliant helmet. This safety gear is designed with a hard outer shell, an impact-attenuating liner, and a retention system to protect the structure and contents of the head in a variety of impact scenarios. Today, only 19 states and DC have a universal helmet law. Another 38 states have partial helmet laws, and three states have no helmet law at all.

History has shown that when states enforce highway laws such as speed limits, curbing impaired driving, banning the use of portable electronic devices, and requiring the use of occupant restraint systems like seat belts or child safety seats, highway accidents and injuries are reduced. Every additional state that enacts a universal helmet law will make our roadways even safer.

 

Until then, motorcyclists hopefully will not wait for a law. Safety starts with the individual. Before you take off on your motorcycle, do the right thing – think safety first, and put on your helmet.

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Christopher A. Hart was sworn in as a Member of the NTSB on August 12, 2009 and designated by the President for a two-year term as Vice Chairman of the Board on August 18. Member Hart joined the Board after a long career in transportation safety, including a previous term as a Member of the NTSB.

A Commencement Top 10 with a Transportation Twist

By Debbie Hersman

There are some 4,400 colleges and universities in the United States. That means this spring there are some thousands of ceremonies for millions of undergraduate and postgraduates students as they enter the next phase of their lives.

Graduation is a big step. It’s a sign of accomplishment and completion, but it’s also the beginning, not the end, of the journey. Interestingly, the ceremony to confer degrees or grant diplomas is called “commencement.”

Last week, I had the privilege to speak to the 2012 graduates of the George Mason University School of Public Policy. Many of those 350 individuals are pursuing a career in public service, of course I commended them for their choice since I believe that serving the public is a noble profession. I also shared some life lessons that I have picked up along the way. As you would expect, some of those lessons have a transportation safety focus, such as “choices matter” (avoiding substance-impaired driving) and “get sleep” (recognizing the risks of fatigue).

Here’s a link to the speech. [http://www.ntsb.gov/news/speeches/hersman/daph120518.html] Let me know what you think and share with us your number one life lesson.

Teen driving Safety: A Global Message

Over the past weeks, I have had the opportunity to meet and speak to a great group of teenagers. I heard their stories, visited a high school and interacted with the teenagers at the NTSB’s Youth Open House and Transportation Educational Day to kick off Global Youth Traffic Safety Month.

Highway fatalities are still the number one killer of our teenagers. Every life is precious, therefore, every event is an opportunity to empower the youth to take the message of teen driving safety to their peers. During my travels and speaking engagements to several groups, it is the youth who have been stepping up and spreading the word about safe driving. They are the best advocates for this issue because teens are a crucial piece of the puzzle.

We know that the NTSB alone cannot curb the bad habit of distracted driving or ensure teen driver safety. A collaborative effort is required—with all of us working together. Events like the NTSB’s Youth Open House and Transportation Educational Day, and working with organization like The National Organization for Youth Safety (NOYS) and the CloseUp Foundation, NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Tayler Malsam, and actor Bryton James from the television series, “The Young and the Restless,” is a step in the right direction toward empowering teenagers and changing the safety culture of our nation. http://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/2012/transportation_education_day/index.html

Parents and guardians also have a role. As a parent, I know that the law provides critical guidance in areas like highway safety. But we don’t have to wait for a law to help our teenagers. My advice, parent-to-parent, is to start your teen driver out slowly. Gradually increase the complexity of the driving. Practice in all conditions. Once your teen has a license, restrict the number of passengers who can be in the car, and enforce the night-time restriction. Parents and guardians, most importantly: model good driving. Your behavior is the most powerful instructor, because our teens learn from what they see.

As we celebrate Global Youth Traffic Safety Month, it’s time to ask what it will take to move from awareness to action. The NTSB does not want another decade of tragic crashes, investigations, and recommendations. We need to determine what we can do now—individually and collectively—to reduce the deadly risks of teen driving. Many of you have already begun the work; this month share the message of safety with another teenager, organize your own peer group and continue to spread the word. “NO TEXT, NO UPDATE, IS WORTH A HUMAN LIFE.” Saving lives is NTSB’s number one priority. It will take all of us working together to achieve that goal.