Category: Blog

Obama Budget Proposal Asks For Increase

Dear Care For Crash Victims Community Members:

Automotive News reports:

“WASHINGTON — President Obama’s budget proposal for fiscal 2016 would nearly triple funding for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration division that investigates vehicle safety defects, boosting a budget that had flat-lined for roughly a decade.

The White House proposed allocating $31.3 million to NHTSA’s Office of Defect Investigation, up from around $11 million for the current fiscal year.”  Seehttp://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20150202/OEM11/150209979/obama-budget-nearly-triples-funding-for-nhtsa-defect-office

Note:  *  DOT values a statistical life at $9.4 million in 2015.  See https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/VSL2015_0.pdf

*  NHTSA estimated that crashes resulted in $871 Billion in societal harm in 2010.  See https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/assets/812013.pdf

Lou

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____________________Lou Lombardowww.CareForCrashVictims.com

Clinton Kaine Campaign Needs To Adopt a Vision Zero Goal Now

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

The Clinton and Kaine Campaign The Clinton – Kaine bus tour is currently going through the swing States of PA and OH.  These States are suffering from a loss of jobs in manufacturing including steel and autos caused, in part, by failed safety policies for decades.  If we had a national Vision Zero Goal, it could stimulate the use of specialty high strength steels and boost the economy by improving the demand for, and supply of, safer vehicles here in the U.S.A.

We need governmental plans and policies that address the clear and present dangers we have in the U.S.A. today.

Consider as the next 100 days pass until Election Day, 2016, let us recall some statistics on why a goal to end Vehicle Violence is a real life or death matter.Next 100 Days

Over the next 100 days Vehicle Violence, in the U.S.A. alone, will result in:

~10,000 Deaths.  Current rate about 100 deaths per day.~ 40,000 Serious Injuries. Serious injuries include Brain (TBIs, Spinal Cord (quadriplegia and paraplegia), amputations and burns at a current rate of about 400 per day.~ $200 Billion in losses. Current rate about $2 Billion in losses per day.Next 4 YearsOver the next 4 years Vehicle Violence, in the U.S.A. alone, can be expected at current rates to result in:

~ 140,000 Deaths.  Current rate is about 35,000 Deaths per year.
~  560,000 Serious Injuries.  Current rate is about 140,000 serious injuries per year.
~  $3 Trillion in losses.  Current rate is about $836 Billion per year using 2010 NHTSA estimates.

“When quality of life valuations are considered, the total value of societal harm from motor vehicle crashes in 2010 was $836 billion.”

See NHTSA Fatality Data: https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812240

Here’s hope for change for the better.
Lou

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____________________Lou Lombardowww.CareForCrashVictims.com

Party Platforms Missing Auto Safety Goals

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

Mr. James R. Hood, founder of ConsumerAffairs.com has kindly noted this need for greater national political attention to the life or death issue of  vehicle violence.

Based on his long professional experience, he is realistically aware of the inequality between the problems for consumers of the nearly 100 vehicle deaths, 400 serious injuries, and $2 billion in losses each day in the U.S.A. today and the deadly silence of the political parties.   He wrote:

“Could it be lack of voter interest? Groups like DangerousJeeps and AnnaLeaha and Mary have gathered thousands of signatures on petitions seeking more aggressive government action, but such efforts don’t make much of a dent in a political landscape populated by hot-button social issues.
 
Lombardo, who was once a NHTSA program manager, doesn’t claim to have the answer. He is, however, applying modern marketing methods as he tries to reposition the issue by referring to it as “vehicle violence” instead of traffic deaths. Whether any of the candidates take the bait remains to be seen.”  Seehttps://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/party-platforms-ignore-highway-deaths-071316.html
Other writers on safety issues also share the daily frustration with lack of greater progress.  But safety and justice demand that we keep trying to make the progress that is both needed and within reach.  See https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/assets/MonthlyReport-June-July-2014.pdfhttps://www.careforcrashvictims.com/blog-volvoIIHSsee.php
Yes we can!  Yes we must!  And Yes we will!
Lou Lombardo
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____________________Lou Lombardowww.CareForCrashVictims.com

Consumer Reports Seat Belt Safety

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

As a High School freshman I learned that Consumer Reports had the best articles on automobiles with ratings based on independent testing – and not biased by advertisers.  I have subscribed for many decades.  The information Consumer Reports provides readers saves them time, money, aggravation and may even save their lives.

The August 2016 issue of Consumer Reports reaches a high point in covering important subjects to consumers.  See http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm?loginMethod=autoThis issue has an excellent article on seat belt safety.   See http://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/fastening-seat-belts-3-seconds-that-save-lives/

On this 4th of July weekend when we celebrate our independence and freedom let’s recognize the value of information sources that help us choose wisely.

Lou

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____________________Lou Lombardowww.CareForCrashVictims.com

Democrat Platform Mentions Goal of Preventing Gun Violence But Still Strangely Silent On Preventing Vehicle Violence

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

The 2016 Democratic Party Platform has now been published.  On page 39 it addresses Gun Violence as follows:“Preventing Gun ViolenceWith 33,000 Americans dying every year, Democrats believe that we must finally take sensible action to address gun violence.”

That is good but not sufficient.

As I recently wrote, citing both historical and current statistics, vehicle violence is a greater problem.   And the prevention of vehicle violence is more feasible with government action:

“The Need For a Safe America Is Real and UrgentToday our clear and present danger of vehicle violence amounts to:

4 Million vehicle deaths in America – nearly 100 per day in the U.S.A. today
1 Billion vehicle injuries in America – nearly 400 serious injuries on an average day

$X Trillions Losses – about $2 billion per day

As we in the U.S. approach our 4 millionth death from vehicle violence, we must remember that we still have no goal to end vehicle violence….So why does the President of the U.S.A. not adopt a Vision Zero Goal?  President Obama:  Meet Marianne Karth.  She has gathered 20,000 signatures on a petition to you to adopt a national Vision Zero Goal.  “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”  Proverbs.  See http://annaleahmary.com/  ” 

The continuing failure of the Democratic Party – and now Hillary Clinton – to address this problem is a tragic dereliction of duty to the American people – Democrats, Independents and Republicans and their children.
Nader, whose work has resulted in an estimated 3.5 million lives saved since Unsafe At Any Speed, told us so.  See the NY Times article and comments at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/29/opinion/weak-oversight-deadly-cars.html
Lou Lombardo
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____________________Lou Lombardowww.CareForCrashVictims.com

Takata Engineers Manipulate Results of Air-Bag InflatorTests Honda Audit

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

Bloomberg reports on cover-up problems with the Takata airbag scandal.  One tragic case illustrates the life and death importance to crash victims.

“Mincey Lawsuit

In one instance, Takata’s manipulation of air-bag inflator test results in 2000 emerged last year as part of a lawsuit against the company on behalf of Patricia Mincey, a Florida woman who became a ventilator-dependent quadriplegic following a low-speed collision in her 2001 Honda Civic. Honda recalled the vehicle four days after the incident in June 2014. Mincey died earlier this year.

Before Takata agreed to settle the Mincey lawsuit last week, several current and former engineers said in depositions that the company also altered and misrepresented test data in reports to Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co. and General Motors Co.

Brian Mayville, a Takata engineering manager, said during a deposition taken in November that select reports were not properly represented to Toyota and GM.” 

See  http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2016/07/19/420381.htm

Lou
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____________________Lou Lombardowww.CareForCrashVictims.com