Articles by Joan Lowy

Studies Show Automated Car Safety Technologies Are Preventing Crashes

Safety systems to prevent cars from drifting into another lane or that warn drivers of vehicles in their blind spots are beginning to live up to their potential to significantly reduce crashes, according to two studies released Wednesday. At the …

Motor Vehicle Deaths Declined 1% in 2017

Preliminary data show U.S. motor vehicle deaths and injuries were down slightly in the first six months of 2017, although they were still significantly higher than they were two years ago, according to the National Safety Council. There were 18,689 …

Costly Business Disruptor: Aging U.S. Infrastructure

When a train jumped the tracks this past week at New York’s Penn Station, the seemingly minor accident led to a cascade of exasperating delays for hundreds of thousands of commuters. When a flood forced authorities to condemn a one-lane, …

Trump Transportation Chief’s Record Signals Slowdown in Safety Regulation

Elaine Chao’s record as secretary of labor suggests she’d have a light hand when it comes to safety regulation as head of the Transportation Department and would seek to shift responsibility from the federal government to states where possible. President-elect …

Georgia-Based Trucking Co. Ordered Off the Road After Numerous Safety Violations

A trucking company that was recently involved in an explosion while hauling automobile air bag inflators was ordered to take its vehicles off the road Oct. 7 by federal regulators who said they found a long list of serious safety …

Many Safety Reforms Suggested After ‘Miracle on Hudson’ Rejected, Unresolved

In the seven years since an airline captain saved 155 lives by ditching his crippled airliner in the Hudson River, there’s been enough time to write a book and make a movie, but apparently not enough to carry out most …

Many Railroads Slow to Adopt Safety Technology Even After Deadline Extension

Many commuter and freight railroads have made little progress installing safety technology designed to prevent deadly collisions and derailments despite a mandate from Congress, according to a government report released. The technology, called positive train control or PTC, uses digital …

FAA Rejected Advice for Hot Air Balloon Safety Rules 2 Years Ago

Warning about potential high-fatality accidents, safety investigators recommended two years ago that the Federal Aviation Administration impose greater oversight on commercial hot air balloon operators, government documents show. The FAA rejected those recommendations. Now, federal authorities are investigating the crash …

Controversial Red Light Cameras Save Lives: IIHS

Red-light cameras are widely hated, but a new study says getting rid of them can have fatal consequences. Traffic deaths from red-light-running crashes go up by nearly a third after cities turn off cameras designed to catch motorists in the …

FAA Rejected Advice for Hot Air Balloon Safety Rules 2 Years Ago

Warning about potential high-fatality accidents, safety investigators recommended two years ago that the Federal Aviation Administration impose greater oversight on commercial hot air balloon operators, government documents show. The FAA rejected those recommendations. A hot air balloon carrying at least …