Truck safety advocates celebrated this past summer when Congress authorized a new bill that included many provisions to enhance truck safety and prevent trucking accidents. The bill is called MAP-21, which stands for Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21 st Century. Improving Road Safety Not only does the bill enhance safety for the truck drivers themselves, but it...
Read MoreWhile the Internet may be swarming with entertaining video of the plight of distracted walkers, the reality is that distracted walking is a true public safety concern. Over 4,000 pedestrians were killed, and an estimated 59,000 were injured in traffic crashes in 2009. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), a non-profit organization that represents state and territorial highway safety...
Read MoreIn the fight against distracted driving, much attention has been paid to dangers of texting; and rightfully so. As a result most states, including Missouri, have at a minimum passed partial texting bans. In Missouri, drivers under 21-years-old are prohibited from texting while driving. Now, a new bill proposes to expand the fight against distracted driving by making any...
Read MoreThe past year has been one of tragic accidents in the intercity bus industry. There was a string of fatal bus crashes across the county. These bus accidents have shed light on the issue of driver fatigue and the long hours bus drivers spend behind the wheel. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was commissioned to comprehensively study the...
Read MoreMost Americans have noticed the erratic behavior of drivers on cell phones-the inconsistency in speed, the weaving, and even the crossing double yellow lines. If these behaviors remind you of a drunk driver, you’re correct-studies have shown that distracted driving, often caused by cell phone use, can result in the same poor driving behavior as driving under the influence....
Read MoreResearch shows parents and other teenage passengers often play a significant role in distracting teenage drivers. Car accidents are the top cause of death for teenagers, according to 2012 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2011, motor vehicle accidents claimed the lives of roughly 2,650 teens and caused injuries to another 292,000, including some in...
Read MoreA recent study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that drowsy drivers have been causing more fatal motor vehicle accidents than in the past. Incredibly, two out of every five drivers admitted to falling asleep while driving at least once; and 10 percent admitted to dozing off behind the wheel in the past year. Facts and Statistics...
Read MoreBy 2025, the elderly (those over age 65) will account for 20 percent of drivers on the road. Although it is promising that life expectancies are increasing, there are safety concerns about the rising number of elderly drivers on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), older people accounted for 8 percent (183,000) of the...
Read MoreThe Missouri House committee is currently considering a statewide ban on texting while driving. The ban has support from safety advocates and many lawmakers. Last year a similar bill was passed by the House, but died in the Missouri Senate. A tragic Missouri texting while driving accident was highlighted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in its national...
Read MoreWhether or not motorists should be allowed to use cell phones while driving is a subject open for debate. The American Trucking Association (ATA) recently weighed in with its opinion and joined in support of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) proposed ban on hand-held mobile devices. The ATA previously supported a ban on texting for commercial truck...
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