Washington D.C. residents may be aware that, on January 13, 2016, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) met for the 95th annual Transportation Research Board meeting. There, it introduced the 2016 ‘Most Wanted List” to guide and focus the group on some of the most common dangers on US roadways.
The National Safety Council President and CEO spoke in a press release, stressing how modern automotive technology has made our cars safer and smarter. She lamented that, despite these technological advancements, 35,000 people die each year in car crashes. She emphasized that 2016’s Most Wanted List was developed to function as a roadmap to help increase safety on US roadways, with the ultimate goal of eliminating all deaths on US roads.
In relation to developing safer road travel, the NTSB added reducing fatigue-related crashes to its 2016 list. Other road related safety issues include disconnecting drivers from deadly distractions and promoting the availability of collision avoidance technology in vehicles.
Topics addressed by the NTSB pertaining to increased safety in other methods of transportation included improving rail transit safety oversight, encouraging rail safety initiatives, and preventing the loss of control in flight in general aviation. Additionally, the NTSB addressed how to ensure and require that transportation workers be medically fit for duty and how to end substance impairment in the transportation industry.
A victim of an accident caused by a fatigued driver could be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and temporary or permanent disability. An experienced attorney could negotiate an appropriate settlement with the offending party.
