Fwd: ADVISORY: Truck Underride Roundtable and Crash Test

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

Please see this Media Advisory on Truck Underride Crash Test.

Lou Lombardo

Contact: Beth Weaver 301.814.4088

MEDIA ADVISORY

TRUCK UNDERRIDE ROUNDTABLE AND SIDE UNDERRIDE CRASH TEST

The Truck Safety Coalition will be co-sponsoring the Truck Underride Roundtable,  a national forum on truck underride crashes on August 28 at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in Ruckersville, VA.  Safety advocates, government and industry leaders will meet to discuss solutions to reduce truck underride deaths and injuries.

With nearly 4,000 fatalities and 100,000 injuries from truck crashes on our nation’s highways each year, the Truck Safety Coalition works with safety advocates and members of the trucking industry, and continues to urge lawmakers to adopt key truck safety mandates such as underride guards to prevent injuries and save lives.

WHO: Truck Safety Coalition

WHEN: August 28, 2017, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.  (IIHS will conduct a crash test at 12 p.m.)

WHERE: 988 Dairy Road, Ruckersville, VA 22968

Truck crash victims and their families from NC and TN speaking at the conference are available for media interviews:

 

Laurie and Randall Higginbotham (Memphis, TN) Laurie will be participating in a panel discussion on side underride crashes. On November 18, 2014, their son Michael was killed when his car crashed into a truck blocking the roadway near I-240 in Memphis. The truck had made an illegal U-turn across all lanes of traffic and cut in front of his car. His car lodged under the side of the trailer and Michael was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver was cited for his negligence and received a mere $50 fine.

Jennifer Tierney (Kernersville, NC) Jennifer Tierney will be giving a presentation on her decades of advocacy on truck underride and conspicuity. She is a Board Member for Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways and a Member of the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee.   Her father was killed in a 1983 truck crash in North Carolina on a dark rural road when he came upon a jackknifed truck without working lights, reflective tape or underride guards.

The Truck Safety Coalition, a partnership between Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH) and Parents Against Tired Truckers (PATT), is dedicated to reducing the number of deaths and injuries caused by truck-related crashes, providing compassionate support to truck crash survivors and families of truck crash victims, and educating the public policy-makers and media about truck safety issues.

###

Beth Weaver 

Weaver Communications

beth_weaver@verizon.net

301.814.4088

Walden Jury Verdict Appealed by Fiat Chrysler – Again

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

Legal Reader has published an excellent article, with video, on this case.

See it at http://www.legalreader.com/chrysler-appeals-remi-walden-verdict-says-excessive/

This is another example of the reality of preventable tragedies and corporate intransigence to legally delay justice for money and prevent future tragedies.

The role of the Center for Auto Safety in providing documents to the public is athttps://www.careforcrashvictims.com/blog/the-walden-case-justice-delayed-is-justice-denied/

Hopefully getting the information out will help us all prevent future tragedies and build a safer and more just world.

Lou

Legal Reader: We the People: Endangered, Captured and Dying

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

Legal Reader has published an article on the dangers, current legal realities, and current political obstacles that “We the People” face in achieving the safety and happiness envisioned in our Declaration of Independence.

Legal Reader has created a graphic that shows Lady Justice can hear the cries of the people for health and safety, feel the burden of money, and smell the corruption but too often can’t deliver justice.  This article is about that tragic condition of “capture and corruption”.


We the People are endangered, captured, and dying due to corporate greed. Our government, all three branches, has allowed itself to be purchased by corporations, and its actions are putting Americans in danger every day.

As MD Attorney General Brian E. Frosh said:

“Every day there’s something that goes on that endangers the health and safety of Americans.”

As Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse says in his new book “Captured”:

“The problem of corporate control of our politics is correctable. We can stand up, push back, and make it right.”

Read the article at  http://www.legalreader.com/we-the-people-endangered-captured-and-dying/

Lou Lombardo

The Walden Case: Justice Delayed is Justice Denied

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

On March 6, 2012, four year old Remington Walden was killed when a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee was struck from behind and engulfed in flames.  See documents organized by Center for Auto Safety at http://www.autosafety.org/walden-v-chrysler-trial/

Today, in an excellent article, we read that the Walden case continues in the courts despite a previous jury decision.  See
http://www.dailyreportonline.com/id=1202795310189/Lawyers-Trade-Volleys-in-Appeal-of-150M-Chrysler-Verdict?mcode=0&curindex=0&curpage=ALL

The Center for Auto Safety has counted such fatalities as Americans continue to be in danger from unfixed defective vehicles still on the roads.  See
http://www.autosafety.org/jeep-grand-cherokee-fires-homepage/

 
Lou Lombardo

Center for Auto Safety’s New Executive Director is Jason K. Levine

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

The Center has announced a successor to Clarence Ditlow.  

“Washington D.C. – The Center for Auto Safety, the nation’s leading independent non-profit organization providing consumers a voice for auto safety, quality, and fuel economy, announced the appointment today of Jason K. Levine as its new Executive Director. Mr. Levine succeeds the late Clarence M. Ditlow III.Ralph Nader, who founded the Center for Auto Safety with Consumers Union in 1970, said: “Following the tragic loss of the Center’s Executive Director, Clarence Ditlow, for decades America’s guardian angel for motorists’ safety, fuel efficiency and cleaner air, the appointment of Jason Levine, an accomplished former public servant for several federal agencies, should assure a productive continuity for the Center’s critical missions. The Trump administration’s announced fervor to abandon law and order for corporate misbehavior intensifies the challenges for the Center and the American people. As an attorney, with government experience in dealing successfully with pressured situations, Jason Levine’s known passion for consumer health and safety will serve the public interest well.”

Mr. Levine stated: “Despite rising auto fatalities, and new recalls coming almost daily, the current administration has shown no interest in meeting its statutory duty and moral responsibility to enforce safety laws on behalf of drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. American consumers expect their government to prevent the false advertising of used cars and protect the environment from auto pollution. Yet, the only momentum we see in Washington is a regulatory rollback that too many in the auto industry are aiding and abetting. The Center’s role as the eyes, ears, and voice of the consumer is more important than ever.”
Mr. Levine, a consumer protection attorney, has held leadership positions in three federal agencies, including Chief of Staff at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Director of the Office of Congressional, Legislative, and Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM).


Joan Claybrook, former Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), President Emeritus of Public Citizen, and a member of the Center’s board, said:

“Since the beginning, the Center’s leadership has focused on following the data wherever it may lead and taking on the auto industry and government agencies on behalf of consumers regardless of the difficulty of the fight. By speaking truth to power, the Center’s efforts have led to millions of recalls of cars, tires, child seats and most recently tens of millions of Takata airbag inflators, actions which when combined have likely saved tens of thousands of lives. A consumer’s ability
to seek legal recourse in all 50 states for a defective car and receive recall repairs free of charge is directly attributable to the work of the Center. Jason will continue in that tradition.”

Let’s all wish him success.  Millions of American lives are depending on the Center’s efforts.

In the year 2015 alone, the number of Americans that died due to vehicle violence injuries amounted to 37,757 people in the U.S.A.  And the number of Americans that suffered medically consulted injuries due to vehicle violence in 2015 amounted to 4,300,000 people in the U.S.A. according to the National Safety Council.  See http://www.nsc.org/learn/safety-knowledge/Pages/injury-facts.aspx

The current Trump Clocks show that vehicle violence is now estimated to amount to 20,000 crash deaths in the U.S.A. to date.

And that the vehicle violence due to auto emissions is now estimated to amount to 30,000 early deaths in the U.S.A. to date under President Trump.

Note the estimates of 30,000 early deaths in the U.S. due to auto emissions so far under President Trump do not include the effects on all of the people on earth endangered by the pollution contributions to the growing existential threat of global heating.

The Center has an enormous mission that deserves everyone’s support.
 
Lou Lombardo

Calling all advocates – we need YOUR help!

Calling all advocates to prevent hot car tragedies
We need YOUR help!!

Please join us in advocating for the HOT CARS Act of 2017 (H.R. 2801 / S. 1666) to prevent hot car injuries and deaths with existing technology.

NOW is the time to ask your U.S.  Representative and Senators to sign on to the HOT CARS Act as a co-sponsor. At the bottom of this message is a sample letter of support that you can use to send to your Congress people.

Find my Representative:

Find my Senators: https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

A follow-up phone call is SO important!! After you send your email to your Rep. and Senator, call their office to make sure they received your email and tell them how important the HOT CARS Act is to you! (note: They don’t always answer, but leave a message and keep calling until you get someone to answer! Persistence pays off!)

Below are a few talking points to help you make your point.

  • Since 1990, over 800 children have died in hot cars in our country.
  • Vehicles already have many reminder alerts in them for low fuel, headlights, doors left ajar, low tire pressure, seat belts, air bags, etc.. why not to remind a sleep deprived parent or caregiver?
  • Technology exists to prevent these unthinkable tragedies. Education and awareness aren’t enough… we NEED technology.
  • Right now there are families out there who are holding their precious children that WILL lose them in a hot car in the coming weeks. But, that doesn’t have to happen. We have the power to change that.
  • For more information on child hot car deaths, you can visit http://www.kidsandcars.org/hot-cars-act-of-2017/ and/or http://www.kidsandcars.org/how-kids-get-hurt/heat-stroke/

Thank you so much for your passion and outreach efforts in helping keep our precious children safe.

Sincerely,

The KidsAndCars.org team

  SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Senator or Representative (last name):

I am writing to you about a tragic, yet solvable, problem which we need your leadership to resolve. More than 800 children have died in hot cars since 1990. This tragic statistic includes the deaths of precious children right here in our state.

This problem will continue until technology to alert the driver once the car is shut off is put in all cars – because no one thinks this could happen to them.

On June 7, 2017, the Helping Overcome Trauma for Children Alone in Rear Seats Act (HOT CARS Act of 2017), H.R. 2801, was introduced by Representatives Tim Ryan (D-OH), Peter King (R-NY) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL).  On July 31, 2017 a companion bill S.1666 was introduced in the Senate by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Senator Al Franken (D-MN) and Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS).
Sadly, since the bill was introduced in June, fifteen (15) more children have died bringing the total this year to 30 and there will certainly be more in the summer days ahead.  That’s a 20% increase based on last year at this time. These deaths can be prevented.

We urge you to cosponsor this lifesaving bill to prevent children from being needlessly killed and injured when left alone in vehicles.  We don’t want any more families to experience the horrific and painful loss so many families are currently living with.

While it may seem unthinkable, scientific research and the findings of neuroscience experts show that many factors including work demands, lack of sleep or a change in routine, can lead to tragedies of children being left behind by parents, family members or child care providers. The HOT CARS Act is a commonsense bill that requires the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) to issue a final rule for a reminder system to alert a driver if a child is left unattended in a vehicle. It sets a reasonable deadline  for agency action. Driver reminder systems in cars already are used for several components such as headlights, keys and doors.

This legislation is supported by over 25 leading public health, safety, consumer and law enforcement organizations.  Below is a complete list of organizations supporting The HOT CARS Act of 2017 (H.R. 2801 / S. 1666).

Thank you for your consideration of cosponsoring the HOT CARS Act.  With your leadership and support these needless and tragic deaths can be curtailed.

Sincerely,

Your name
Your city, state
Contact information

 

Organizations in Support of the HOT CARS Act of 2017

(Helping Overcome Trauma for Children Alone in Rear Seats Act) 

 

Advocates for Health Economics and Development (AHEAD CA)

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety

American Academy of Pediatrics

American Public Health Association

American Trauma Society

CA Unintentional Injury Prevention Strategic Plan Project Co-Chair

California Coalition for Children’s Safety and Health

Center for Auto Safety

Center for Injury Research and Prevention at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Child Injury Prevention Alliance

Consumer Federation of America

Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety

Consumers Union

Emergency Nurses Association

Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association

International Association of Fire Chiefs

KidsAndCars.org

Kids In Danger

National Coalition for Safer Roads

National Consumers League

National Safety Council

National Troopers Coalition

National Volunteer Fire Council

Public Citizen

Safe Kids Worldwide

Safe Ride News Publications

Society for the Advancement of Violence and Injury Research

Trauma Foundation

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Right v. Wrong – How Auto Companies Got Away With Emitting Excess Air Pollution for Decades

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

Auto emissions are a form of vehicle violence that causes an estimated 53,000 early deaths each year according to an MIT Study.  See
http://news.mit.edu/2013/study-air-pollution-causes-200000-early-deaths-each-year-in-the-us-0829

Having worked on automotive air pollution control, my experience may help Americans better understand what has happened to them.

Legal Reader has just published an article on my efforts and the failure of government leaders to fulfill their duties to protect us all.  See it at
http://www.legalreader.com/right-v-wrong-true-story-on-air-pollution/

A Tom Toles cartoon in the Washington Post recently brought to my mind the connections between Republican wealth care policies, air pollution, global heating, and corporate gains.  See it at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2017/07/30/climate-has-now-been-rerouted-to-the-emergency-room/?utm_term=.9606110ab522

Controlling air pollution and providing health care are the right things to do.

Lou Lombardo