Category: Blog

NHTSA Estimates Fatalities Up in 3rd Quarter of 2016


NHTSA Estimates Fatalities Up in 3rd Quarter of 2016

January, 2017

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

AP reports:

There were 27,875 deaths in the first three quarters of last year, compared to 25,808 deaths in the same period in 2015.

“We still have to figure out what is underlying those lives lost,” NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind said. “If it was simple, we would already know that.”

See http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2017/01/13/traffic-fatalities/96537568/

The NHTSA Report with the statistics (but not the tears) is at https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812358

Thus the Obama Administration is on track to record more than 250,000 deaths due to vehicle violence during 8 years in office.

Lou Lombardo

 

NY City’s Vision Zero Life Saving Becomes Political

January, 2017

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

The NY Times reports that the Mayor doing the most to reduce vehicle violence tragedies in the nation’s largest city is now being criticized politically:

“After two years of major declines in New York City’s traffic deaths, the number of people killed in crashes dropped slightly last year while pedestrian deaths rose, leading to questions about whether Mayor Bill de Blasio’s ambitious campaign to eliminate traffic fatalities has stalled.

Making streets safer has been near the top of the agenda for Mr. de Blasio, who pledged to cut traffic deaths to zero by 2024. While city officials said traffic deaths were at their lowest level in a century, the uneven results last year suggest that the mayor’s goal will be very difficult to achieve.

The overall number of people killed in traffic crashes, including pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, drivers and passengers, was 229 last year, down from 234 in 2015, according to preliminary data from the city. Pedestrian deaths, which accounted for thelargest share of fatalities, increased last year to 144, from 139 in 2015. Cyclist deaths rose last year to 18, from 14 in 2015.

Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat running for re-election this year, has defended his traffic safety program, known as Vision Zero and modeled after a Swedish plan….

“We are very committed,” Mr. de Blasio said on the cable news channel NY1 this month. “I believe in Vision Zero 110 percent, and now we have three years running where it’s produced better results each year.”

Still, Mr. de Blasio has received broad and diverse criticism. Safety advocates say his administration must move more quickly on street redesigns. Community leaders have denounced proposals for bike lanes and crosswalks when they require removing lanes for cars. State Senator Tony Avella, a Democrat from Queens who is running for mayor, recently called Mr. de Blasio “anti-motorist” and Vision Zero a failure. Even Kellyanne Conway, an adviser to President-elect Donald J. Trump, mocked Mr. de Blasio in November when the said New Yorkers were fearful after the election. “Fearful of the bike lanes?” she quipped.”

Continue reading the main story

This NY City Mayor has been trying to lead in the right direction.  We just need to do more and better.

A public safety poster is available free to the City, community groups, and the NY Times at https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/home/be-safe-be-bright/

I have written about the importance of visibility especially after Daylight Savings Time ends at http://safetytoolboxtopics.com/Seasonal/end-of-daylight-saving-time-can-be-deadly.html

Lou Lombardo

 

Powers of People to Protect People – District Attorneys, Grand Juries, & Media


Powers of People to Protect People – District Attorneys, Grand Juries, & Media

January, 2017

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

The NY Times Editorial Board concludes: “The Long Island crash shows that federal safety loopholes need to be closed, while New York State needs to create stronger inspection and safety standards of its own. Without them, the Suffolk grand jury warned, another tragedy is bound to happen.” See http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/30/opinion/the-dangerous-lure-of-stretch-limos.html

The County Grand Jury found: “The deaths and injuries were  entirely preventable, caused by driver failure, improper limousine construction, and inadequate regulatory oversight.”  See http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Portals/da/PDFs/GJ%20reports/Special%20Grand%20Jury%20Limo%20Crash%202015.pdf

We need more Grand Jury investigations of crashes, injuries and consequences to achieve safety for all of us.

Lou Lombardo

 

Power To Protect People: The American Legal System – Under Attack


Power To Protect People: The American Legal System – Under Attack

January, 2017

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

First, watch Nader Interview at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll3jtTJLRcA

Second, read “The Truth About Torts” and all the ways our paths to health, safety, happiness, and justice are under attack at http://www.progressivereform.org/torts.cfm

Third, see article on our legal rights to protect our safety and happiness and a graphic of Lady Justice struggling under the burden of Big Bucks published by Legal Reader at http://www.legalreader.com/power-of-people-to-protect-people/

The Lady Justice graphic is available for reproduction free with attribution to Legal Reader.

Lou Lombardo

 

Truck Safety Coalition Compares Safety Progress in EU vs. U.S. Decline since 2009


Truck Safety Coalition Compares Safety Progress in EU vs. U.S. Decline since 2009

January, 2017

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

Safety record in truck tragedies increase of 15% in U.S. is compared with E.U. progress in reduced truck tragedies of 23%. See attached graphic.

 

Used and Unsafe Vehicles For Sale – Along With Too Many Public Officials


Used and Unsafe Vehicles For Sale – Along With Too Many Public Officials

January, 2017

Dear Care For Crash Victims Community Members:

People who can’t afford to buy new cars recently voted for change.  The result is an election that put Republicans in political control of the White House and both Houses of Congress.

Both the Democrat and Republican parties and the media have let the public down for decades in the area of auto safety.   See http://www.fairwarning.org/2012/09/a-strange-indifference-to-highway-carnage/

Now Michael R. Lemov has written an article on the life or death problems of sale of used cars that have been recalled but not fixed thanks to legal loopholes in existence for 50 years.  See http://www.thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/315350-buying-that-new-used-car-congress-must-put-safety-first

Now as we approach the 4 Millionth death in America due to vehicle violence we find we are largely on our own.
Consumer Reports offers a Used Car Buying Guide to help Americans buy wisely and safely.  See  http://www.consumerreports.org/cars-used-cars/?loginMethod=auto

Most people and politicians do not know that more people by far die of vehicle violence injuries in Red States than in Blue States.  There is in reality a huge need and justification for bi-partisan support for safety measures to protect people in all States.
As Ralph Nader wrote about the power of fairness and common sense that most people share in Unstoppable:
“Campaigning for President in 1980 in Michigan, he (Reagan) attacked the proposed air bag standard as restricting our freedom.  I sort of agreed with him.  Upon being asked for comment by a Detroit reporter, I said, “Yes, the air bag does restrict the driver’s and passenger’s freedom to go through the windshield in a crash.” (p.40)
We the people must demand safety from both parties.  President Trump in his inauguration address said “We will make America safe again.”  It is the American people’s job to hold him accountable such that his deeds match his words.  See http://www.npr.org/2017/01/20/510629447/watch-live-president-trumps-inauguration-ceremony
Lou Lombardo