The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues to investigate last month’s deadly Amtrak crash that claimed the lives of six people so far. The accident occurred approximately 70 miles east of Reno, Nevada when a truck apparently failed to stop and collided with the train, according to the NTSB. The train’s engineer said he...
Read MoreMetro Safety Official Tells Lawmakers about Improvements in Safety since Deadly Crash
Metro needs more federal funding for upgrades to its rail systems or it risks jeopardizing passenger safety, one Metro official told a congressional panel on Capitol Hill last month. Metro officials met with congressional members to discuss Metro’s upgrades in safety and training since the fatal 2009
Read MoreVehicle Safety Experts Gather in DC
The International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles took place in Washington, D.C. last month. It is the 22nd gathering of vehicle and safety experts in the nation’s capital. The four-day conference displays the latest technological advancements that experts hope will reduce fatal...
Read MoreFederal Agency Recalls Walmart Food Processors
If you purchased a General Electric brand food processor at Walmart, you should stop using it immediately and return it to Walmart for a full refund. Earlier this month, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPC) announced a voluntary recall of approximately 255,000 General Electric food processors sold at Walmart stores. According to the USCPC,...
Read MoreTwo Metro Buses Collide in Southeast DC
Two Metrobuses collided earlier this month in Southeast DC near the intersection of Martin Luther King Avenue and W Street, according to a Washington, D.C. fire department spokesperson. The bus accident happened at approximately 2:45 p.m. when one bus collided with the back end of...
Read MoreCar Rental Companies Renting Out Recalled Vehicles
A 2010 audit by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that car rental companies fix only half of recalled vehicles within a year. This past April, the American Car Rental Association (ACRA) announced a proposal that would allow rental companies to decide the seriousness of automobile recall issues. The measure gives rental...
Read MoreDC Woman Injured when Car Crashes into her Hotel Room
A 77-year-old Washington, D.C. woman got an unusual wake-up call earlier this month while staying at a New Jersey Holiday Inn. At approximately 1:40 a.m., a car crashed through the window of her hotel room while she was sleeping. The accident trapped her between the car and the wall for about 20 minutes...
Read MoreStudy Shows that DC Drivers Rank Last in Road Knowledge
The 2011 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test showed that DC drivers know the least when it comes to a driving IQ. Overall, the test results revealed that 36.9 million drivers do not possess the basic knowledge required to pass a driving test. That is approximately 18 percent of drivers on the road today. The...
Read MoreOne Million Dangerous Pool and Spa Drain Covers Recalled
The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a recall of one million spa and pool drain covers that pose entrapment hazards. The covers are dangerous products that could cause death or serious injury to kids and adults, according to the CPSC. There is a risk of a suction lock occurring and trapping...
Read MoreFederal Agency May Mandate Black Boxes in New Cars
The Department of Transportation (DOT) may adopt a rule that requires automakers to equip new cars with event data recorders (EDR) that would gather vital information in the event of an auto accident. The devices would do what “black boxes” do in airplane crashes. The DOT is uncertain whether it will move forward...
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