Category: Blog

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?

As Sen. Elizabeth Warren said “Personnel is policy”.  See http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/29/opinion/elizabeth-warren-one-way-to-rebuild-our-institutions.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share&_r=0

More evidence of a rigged system.

Lou

An excellent article by David Shepardson reveals a “Titanic” agreement between government and the auto industry to be announced at the Detroit Auto Show.

“The U.S. government and a group of global automakers are set to unveil a voluntary agreement at the Detroit auto show on Friday aimed at improving auto industry safety and spurring culture changes, according to company and government officials.

The accord could set the framework for further discussions on safety reforms and mark a new era of cooperation between automakers and regulators after a record-setting year of safety fines, recalls and investigations into malfunctioning vehicles made by General Motors Co (GM.N), Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCAU.N), Honda Motor Co (7267.T) and others.

But it stops short of what many safety advocates have urged Congress and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to adopt: new binding legal requirements to toughen safety rules. And automakers may be able to raise the voluntary agreement to argue against future proposed regulations, saying the accord makes legally binding rules unnecessary….”  

NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind said on Monday in an interview on the sidelines of the Detroit show that the agency cannot make vehicles safe simply by imposing new regulations and handing down fines. He said he hoped a deal would be announced Friday.

“We’re going to have to find new tools – that means new collaborations, new partnerships,” Rosekind said.

But the voluntary agreement will not be enforceable – and is not as tough as what some safety advocates have called for. With only a year remaining in the Obama administration, there is a shrinking window to complete new legally binding auto safety rules.”  See http://www.reuters.com/article/us-autoshow-detroit-safety-idUSKCN0UP2EG20160112

How many will die?

When the Titanic sunk in 1912, it had 2,227 people on board but lifeboats for only 980 people.  1,500 people died.  The lifeboat standard was not enough. Seehttp://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1058&context=cong

2013 MV-Occupant Injuries Hospital Treatment =2,462,684 

In sum, by the numbers, more harm by vehicle violence than gun violence.

Political Tilt  So why the political tilt?  Why an empty seat at the State of the Union for gun violence victims but not one for crash victims?

NY Times reports on the coming State of the Union address:“Mr. Obama plans a thematic message that effectively will be as much a campaign agenda as a governing document. While not on the ballot himself, Mr. Obama hopes to use what may be the largest television audience left in his presidency to frame the debate about who should replace him and where the country should go from here….” 

“At the same time, Mr. Obama hopes to generate support for his approach to issues like climate change, gun control, immigration and income inequality that can boost Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, even if it does not result in further action during his tenure…. “In a survey conducted by The New York Times and CBS News in December, 68 percent of Americans said the country is on the wrong track, the highest such figure in more than two years.”  Seehttp://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/11/us/politics/obama-last-state-of-the-union In another article, the NY Times reports:“Hillary Clinton holds a three-point edge over Senator Bernie Sanders in Iowa, a tightening of the race with roughly three weeks until voting begins, according to a new set of surveys of likely voters from NBC/The Wall Street Journal/Marist.”  Seehttp://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/01/10/bernie-sanders-makes-strong-showing-in-new-polls/What about past, present and future crash victims and voters?

Iowa lost 317 lives in 2013 to crash injuries.  

Iowa suffered about 1200 serious injuries, such as brain and spinal cord injuries in 2013. Using DOT values about $9 million per statistical life = $2.8 billion

Using DOT values of about $1 million per serious injury = $1.2 billion

Total = an estimated $4 billion in a current average year in Iowa. See https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/crash-costs.php See how all States ranked in 2013 (last year of available NHTSA data) attached:

Note: Iowa ranked in the worst percentage group (greater than 60%) of fatalities that were not even transported toany medical facility for emergency care.

Imagine if all voters knew how big a problem crash deaths and serious injuries were in their State.

Nationwide: Under President Obama’s watch the U.S. is on track to count the loss of more than 268,000 lives to crash injuries and about 1 million seriously injured in crashes.  Seehttps://www.careforcrashvictims.com/assets/MonthlyReportforJanuary2016-Corrected.pdf

Not the “Hope and Change” I expected from President Obama after 7 years as President.  He could have done better.  Yes he could.

Lou