Articles by Steven Gilchrist

The first annual United States Rail Safety Week (RSW) was held from September 24 – September 30, 2017.  Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration, RSW seeks to raise awareness about improving rail safety in the United States.  The second annual Rail Safety Week is planned for September 23 – September 29, 2018.  According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, about every three hours a person or vehicle is hit by a train in the United States.  At the end of 2015, there were 129,582 public highway-rail grade crossings and 80,073 private railroad crossings.  Since 1972, there has been an 83% decline in the number of train collisions in the U.S.  Despite the decline in train collisions over the past four decades, trespassing on train tracks continues to be a persistent problem.  In 2016, there were 988 deaths or injuries nationwide as a result of train accidents. For more information about Rail ...

On average, about 500 people die and 19,000 become injured from approximately 33,000 tire-related accidents annually in the United States.   On October 27, 2015, the National Transportation Safety Board reported a special investigation regarding tire safety.   The report detailed deficiencies in the current methodology used in recalling and registering car tires.   The NTSB report suggests that the tire and automotive industries should significantly improve communication to consumers regarding car tire safety.   According to the NTSB, tire manufacturers are typically unable to contact most tire owners. “Our investigation revealed that very few tires are actually registered for recall purposes.   So manufacturers cannot contact drivers if their tires need to be recalled, which can place the drivers and their passengers at risk of a tire-related crash.   Few people are aware that tires must be registered so that they can be recalled if they are defec...

In August, 2016, the American Automobile Association (AAA) Foundation for Traffic Safety issued a report regarding roadway debris in the United States.  Research from the report stated that roadway debris resulted in more than 200,000 motor vehicle accidents from 2011 - 2014.  Also during this four-year span accidents from roadway debris caused 500 deaths.  Research from the AAA Foundation also shows that roadway debris is a more significant hazard on highways than on other roadways.  About 1/3rd of the road debris crashes occurred on highways. The study also said that approximately 39,000 people were injured in motor vehicle accidents from 2011 - 2014 on roadways in the United States.  "This new report shows that road debris can be extremely dangerous but all of these crashes are preventable.  Drivers can easily save lives and prevent injuries by securing their loads and taking other simple precautions to prevent items from falling off the vehicle," say...