U.S. DOT Continues To Fail in Protecting Motorists – Guardrails That Kill and Maim – Part 2

Here is an Update on this important NY Times article.  See http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/13/business/highway-guardrail-may-be-deadly-states-say.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSumSmallMediaHigh&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news NY Times has added a document – a coverup memo from the U.S. DOT FHWA Associate Administrator for Safety, Tony Furst, sent on Oct. 10, 2014 to Division Administrators and Director of Field Services.  In essence: 1. we did our part, 2. the rest is a local decision, 3. send information.  See Copy attached along with other documents.

If Mr. Furst really cared, he could ask for analyses by NHTSA of the Guardrail problem and lots more.  See NHTSA data brochure attached.

In addition, he could invite researchers from The Safety Institute to meet with FHWA in the presence of the media.  Sean Kane is a respected safety advocate that has pioneered investigation of the guardrail (and many other safety problems).  

Mr. Kane kindly wrote me of his recent work on guardrails as follows:“You may be aware of the work we did at The Safety Institute (the non-profit I founded) – our study (co-funded by the state of Missouri) became the impetus for Massachusetts to pull the ET-Plus from the Qualified Products List.   

http://www.thesafetyinstitute.org/the-safety-institute-releases-study-questioning-safety-of-guardrail-end-terminals/

Also, several of the documents cited by the NYT are documents that we obtained through vigorous FOIAs.  In fact, we’re currently litigating a FOIA lawsuit against FHWA related to materials associated with the ET-Plus

(See http://www.safetyresearch.net/blog/articles/safety-research-strategies-sues-fhwa-guardrail-documents) and just settled an open records case with the state of FL (seehttp://www.safetyresearch.net/blog/articles/safety-research-strategies-wins-foia-case-against-florida-dot)

Best Regards,

Sean

Safety Research & Strategies, Inc.

340 Anawan St.

Rehoboth, MA 02769

508-252-2333

www.safetyresearch.net”

That is the kind of advocacy the American people need when the Federal Agencies are captured by corporate interests.

Lou