Category: Blog

Protecting Auto Executives Not People


Protecting Auto Executives Not People

February, 2016

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

Ending Recalls or Ending Defects?

The Detroit Free Press published a priceless photo of the Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx and NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind meeting with Executives of the major auto companies.   See http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2016/02/13/faa-and-nhtsa-using-similar-regulatory-playbooks/79314200/

This government-industry plan has already been criticized but continues.  So do crash deaths and injuries at a rate of nearly 100 deaths per day, 400 serious injuries per day and losses valued by DOT at $2 Billion per day.  See https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/blog/blog-obamavisitdetroit/ andhttps://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/VSL2015_0.pdf

President Obama has already met with auto company executives, banksters, and other corporate executives and no one in government or industry has gone to jail – not even for one day.
How much evidence do Americans need that our system of government is rigged?
One of my early assignments (late 1960s) in the Public Health Service was to examine the history of technical papers on air pollution control.  I found papers showing that the industry knew of emission control technologies that had not been applied to protect the public health.  I was later told to turn over my research to the Justice Department that was conducting a Grand Jury antitrust investigation against the auto industry.  
” The powers that be in the Department, the investigating attorney told the (Nader) Task Force, thought that criminal sanctions would be inappropriate in this case.  This position was communicated to the Grand Jury, which reluctantly terminated its indictment hearing.  (Samuel Flatow the Justice Department Attorney that led the investigation) told the Task Force that, despite (Assistant Attorney General Donald F. Turner’s) position, the Grand Jury was prepared to “run away”…and return a criminal indictment.”  See Ralph Nader’s Study Group Report on Air Pollution VANISHING AIR, p. 43.
Nader has tried to tell us for 50 years.  Why have we not learned?  Have we not listened?  Have we not heard?  When will we learn?
One of our members, Marianne Karth, advises us to act now to save lives.  See http://annaleahmary.com/2016/02/act-now-to-save-lives-after-a-crash-it-will-be-too-late-they-will-never-come-back/
Lou

 


GM Recall Survivors Petition Tops 100,000 Signatures

February, 2016

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

Laura Christian has a petition to protect us all that is making major progress.  She writes:“I’m working with Maryland lawmakers to pass the Amber Rose Bill, which would give free speech protections to Maryland dealers who wish to disclose potential issues to consumers. Dealers constantly receive technical bulletins from car companies about issues. They should be allowed to share what they know with potential buyers.“

Please see and sign it at:  https://www.change.org/p/keep-car-buyers-and-drivers-safe?recruiter=6052444&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink

Lou

 

Republican/Industry Takata Report


Republican/Industry Takata Report

February, 2016

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

Here is the Takata Report:  See http://www.takatapanel.com/panel-report/

Here is the Skinner Takata Panel.  Note former Republican appointees who have gone through the Government Industry Revolving Door.  See http://www.takatapanel.com/the-panel/
Attached is the NHTSA Takata Monitor Application and note the Information on “Potential Conflicts of Interest or Bias”.
How did NHTSA under President Obama approve this panel?  Buypartisan?
More evidence of a rigged system.
Lou

 

NHTSA: Our Safety from Dangerous Airbags “will take years”


NHTSA: Our Safety from Dangerous Airbags “will take years”

February, 2016

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

Reuters reports:

“U.S. auto safety regulators are examining whether an additional 70 million to 90 million Takata Corp (7312.T) airbag inflators should be recalled because they may endanger drivers, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

That would nearly quadruple the 29 million inflators recalled so far and linked to nine deaths in the United States….

Takata cited its agreement with regulators in November to pay a $70 million penalty to NHTSA in a settlement that included its commitment to stop making inflators that use ammonium nitrate by 2018. It also pledged to declare all remaining ammonium nitrate inflators defective by 2019 unless it can demonstrate they are safe.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration continues to investigate all Takata inflators using ammonium nitrate, but it has not yet found sufficient evidence to direct automakers to recall the remaining inflators, said spokesman Gordon Trowbridge.

“This issue will take years to resolve,” Trowbridge said.”  

See  http://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-takata-inflators-exclusive-idUSKCN0VV0L6

Americans need to ask:  Why?

Lou

 

20 Years Later Honda to Start Offering Automatic Crash Notification (ACN) – As An Option


20 Years Later Honda to Start Offering Automatic Crash Notification (ACN) – As An Option

February, 2016

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:“American Honda will start to expand on these core services, adding new and improved features starting with the launch of 2017 Acura vehicles. The updated standard package includes four years of Automatic Crash Notification and SOS emergency assist on select Acura vehicles, an extension of the company’s commitment to enhancing the security of their customers….”   “American Honda is committed to providing today’s consumers with cutting-edge features that enable a safe, more intuitive and better connected experience,” said John Mendel, Executive Vice President, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.”  See http://www.digitalfacility.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=4273988 

In 1997, under the Clinton Administration, NHTSA was briefed on the need and feasibility of improving emergency medical care for crash victims using Automatic Crash Notification (ACN) and URGENCY software.  See NHTSA reports and papers at https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/assets/MartinezBriefing3-27-97.pdfhttps://www.careforcrashvictims.com/urgency.php

Since 1997, more than 700,000 Americans have lost their lives due to crash injuries.  Seehttps://www.careforcrashvictims.com/assets/MonthlyReportforJanuary2016-Corrected.pdf
For decades, NHTSA has failed to issue rules for ACN and URGENCY to protect Americans on a massive scale.  Under GM and other industry influence, NHTSA has followed industry policy of “Let them pay or die.”  See https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/assets/MonthlyReportforMay-June2015.pdf
Today, from President Obama and candidate Clinton we see tears and hear political words about gun deaths but not about the greater number of crash deaths (100 per day) and serious injuries (400 per day) and losses valued by DOT at $2 Billion per day.
More evidence that the system is rigged against the American people.  See NY Times Op-Ed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren and please read the most recommended comments by readers at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/29/opinion/elizabeth-warren-one-way-to-rebuild-our-institutions.html
Lou

 

Hope For and From Crash Victims For An End To Crash Violence Tragedies


Hope For and From Crash Victims For An End To Crash Violence Tragedies

February, 2016

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

In response to my recommendation to sign a petition to the President by crash victims, I received a Thank You video that is inspiring.
See “A Gift From Mary” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrOQzuaqFI4
Mary is one of Marianne Karth’s daughters that several years later died of crash injuries.  
See the Karth family story and sign their petition at their web site http://annaleahmary.com/2016/02/soon-to-come-the-delivery-of-a-vision-zero-petition-to-washington-dc/
The Karth family is trying to change how society values lives so as to put an end to crash violence forevermore for all humanity – setting a Vision Zero goal for crash deaths and serious injuries.
The Federal government currently places a dollar value on a “statistical” life at $9.4 million.  But a life is priceless.
Consider the “value” of the love, creativity, and work of a family to try to produce greater safety for all of us.   An inspiring example is this petition and this “Thank You” video.
I think of it as work worth many trillions of dollars for helping us end deaths and serious injuries in a decade.   Imagine this “Thank You” video going viral and becoming a “Thank You” for the safety of all humanity – forevermore.
Thank You to Ralph Nader!
We all owe a great “Thank You” to Ralph Nader whose work launched efforts that have saved an estimated 3.5 million lives so far – just in the U.S.A.  Seehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ralph-nader/your-safety-and-your-cong_b_8743044.html
Thanks to that work citizens can now continue the work for an end to the problems of crash deaths and serious injuries – and we still have a long way to go.
Here in America we are approaching 4 million deaths from crash injuries – currently with noOfficial end in sight.  Why?   See  https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/assets/MonthlyReportforJanuary2016-Corrected.pdf 
Law professors now and philosophers for centuries have addressed Why.   See the lecture series on “Justice: What’s the right thing to do?”
An excellent lecture on the subject of “cost – benefit analyses” is available online.  Seehttp://www.justiceharvard.org/2011/02/episode-two/#watch Professor Michael Sandel makes a timely case for a new politics of the common good.  
That is what the Karth family is doing now – and doing so well.  
Thank you to the Karth family!

Lou