All posts by Marianne

A Mother’s Journey Through Grief Brings Hope For Preventing Underride Truck Crashes-Andy Young

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety, , ,

Energy absorbing bumpers, crumple zones, and seatbelts could not save the lives of backseat passengers, 13 year-old Mary and 17 year-old AnnaLeah. They were traveling in a four-door sedan driven by their mother, Marianne Karth.

Highway traffic slowed to a stop as the Karth sedan was hit from behind by a semi-truck. The first impact spun their blue, four-door sedan 180 degrees. The same semi-truck’s momentum caused a second impact which shoved the Karth sedan backwards underneath yet another truck’s trailer. The rear bar on the second truck’s trailer was not strong enough to prevent the Karth vehicle from going underneath. The rigid structure of the trailer’s steel frame effortlessly shattered the back window, which failed to protect the back of the Karth girls’ heads and bodies. AnnaLeah died instantly. Four days later, Mary died as a result of her catastrophic injuries.

None of the car’s manufactured, safety engineering made a difference to save the lives of Marianne’s daughters. Why? Because the dynamics of the crash resulted in a truck underride.

Little did Marianne Karth know at that moment, on May 4, 2013, that she would become one of the nation’s leading truck safety advocates working toward meaningful prevention of underride truck crashes.

Read more here: Broken Glass And Shattered Lives – A Mother’s Journey Through Grief Brings Hope For Preventing Underride Truck Crashes  by Andrew Young

We were privileged to have Andy serve as the awesome panel moderator at the Underride Roundtable on May 5, 2016, at IIHS.

Andy Young and Marianne Karth

 

Millions of good reasons to adopt a National Vision Zero Goal & Appoint a Traffic Safety Ombudsman

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety,

There are millions of good reasons for the United States to adopt a National Vision Zero Goal and to appoint a Traffic Safety Ombudsman to oversee the pursuit of that goal. Millions of potential saved lives that is–over the coming years here in the U.S. and in the countries who might well follow in our footsteps (if they don’t get there before us).

There are so many examples of why we should do this thing of vital importance and here are just a few which I found this morning as I briefly checked my email and Twitter:

Why on earth don’t we take a unified approach to going about the business of saving lives?!?!?!!?!?!

Why on earth don’t we establish National Traffic Safety Standards & require them to be adopted by States?

What would I do if I were the National Traffic Safety Ombudsman? I dare you to read it and find out. In fact, I hope you do and that it inspires you to come up with some ideas of your own.

Who should we blame if we continue to plod along and pretend that we are doing everything possible to reduce preventable and  unimaginable tragedies? Well?!

President Obama Crash Deaths

Stoughton Trailers values safety & provides improved rear underride protection at no additional cost.

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety

ccjdigital reports on Stoughton Trailers upgraded rear underride guard.

The article discusses Stoughton’s new rear underride guard, which was tested at IIHS on May 5, 2016, as part of the Underride Roundtable and performed well in the 30% offset crash at 35 mph. I would like to see them tested at higher speeds to see how they perform under more severe conditions.

An excerpt from the article:

“After thorough testing, we are confident that this design will set the new standard for rear underride safety in our industry,” said Stoughton Trailers President and CEO Bob Wahlin. “We place such a high value on the safety of both our customers and the driving public that we have chosen to provide this improved level of safety and performance as a standard feature — and at no additional cost.”

The company also said the underride guard design complies with all U.S. and Canadian regulations. In December, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposed a rule that would require underride guards on the back of all trailers. Most trailers sold in the U.S. – 93 percent according to NHTSA – already comply with the proposed rulemaking.

I appreciate Stoughton’s stated commitment to safety and their ability to provide greater protection at “no additional cost.” I hope that that serves as a powerful precedent.

But can they meet the conditions of the Australian proposed underride rule which we will be discussing at the follow-up meeting on June 24 at IIHS in Arlington from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.? That’s what I would like to know.
Raphael Grzebieta from Australia will be making a presentation so that we can determine whether Australian proposed standards would make sense for the U.S. Gary Fenton, from Stoughton, will be participating in that meeting. Should be interesting. . .
Additionally there will be other underride issues to consider as well, including side and front underride/override, conspicuity (adequate marking for visibility), parking of tractor-trailers (leading to greater likelihood of crashes), maintenance, and enforcement. Resolution of each of these issues could lead to additional saved lives.
Underride Roundtable May 5, 2016 148Underride Roundtable May 5, 2016 168
Jerry’s letter to Stoughton’s CEO, Bob Wahlin, in January 2014, in which he asked for improved guards:  Stoughton trailer manufacturer letter

What would I do if I were the National Traffic Safety Ombudsman?

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety,

I have proposed that the President establish an independent Office of National Traffic Safety Ombudsman–untainted by political pressures–to be an advocate for all things related to moving our country toward zero crash deaths & serious injuries.

This morning, I was thinking about one of the many traffic safety issues and all of a sudden thought, “Okay, so what could a Traffic Safety Ombudsman do to address this problem?” That made me want to write down ideas for what I would do if I were the National Traffic Safety Ombudsman.

I would (not necessarily in this order as this will be a stream of consciousness listing of random thoughts):

  1. Set up a hotline for traffic safety concerns.
  2. Set up a procedure for responding to the concerns reported to the Traffic Safety Hotline–including a means of communicating with the person reporting the problem (if desired).
  3. Set up a system for keeping track of reported problems and how they were handled.
  4. Set up regular communication with safety advocacy groups.
  5. Set up regular communication with other stakeholders.
  6. Prioritize the traffic safety concerns.
  7. Group the traffic safety concerns into categories.
  8. Organize periodic Roundtables for various categories of traffic safety concerns–involving all relevant stakeholders.
  9. Research globally for information on the traffic safety problems and resolutions.
  10. Set a National Vision Zero Goal (if not already done).
  11. Establish a National Vision Zero Task Force (if not already done).
  12. Coordinate the Vision Zero Task Force.
  13. Identify how the three branches of the U.S. government can and need to be involved in advancing traffic safety and helping to move us toward zero crash deaths and serious injuries.
  14. Develop strategies for tapping into government involvement as a means of carrying out the role of protecting its citizens.
  15. Organize a national network of Vision Zero Community Action Groups. Start with a pilot group and develop the model.
  16. Work with the appropriate departments to develop the details of Vision Zero Rulemaking policies.
  17. Develop strategies to raise awareness of traffic safety issues.
  18. Develop strategies to solicit public participation in identifying creative solutions to traffic safety problems.
  19. Develop strategies to get the public appropriately involved in the rulemaking process related to traffic safety issues.
  20. Develop creative ways to honor the memories of traffic victims.
  21. Develop strategies for utilizing available technology for tapping into traffic safety resources, individuals, and organizations.
  22. Develop strategies for collaborating nationally and globally to advance cutting-edge use of technology.
  23. Facilitate cross-departmental collaboration on traffic safety issues.
  24. Foster pro-active preventive thinking related to traffic safety issues.
  25. Handle auto safety defects more effectively to prevent tragic unnecessary deaths.
  26. Hold manufacturers liable for their decisions and actions.
  27. I’m sure that I’ll think of more ideas later.
  28. I’m also sure that someone will jump to the conclusion that my ideas are unrealistic and unworkable. I’d like to see that put to the test!
  29. Always remembering the goal: preventing people from having their lives unncessarily cut short!Ombudsman for Traffic Safety

More on Traffic Safety Ombudsman

SIGN  & SHARE the TRAFFIC SAFETY OMBUDSMAN Petition:  End Preventable Crash Fatalities: Appoint a National Traffic Safety Ombudsman

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FMCSA ANPRM re: Eval. of Truck Drivers for Sleep Apnea; Public Comment Period ends 7/8/16

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety, , , ,

Take advantage of the opportunity to comment on FMCSA’s rulemaking — extended through July 8, 2016, on this Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking:

Evaluation of Safety Sensitive Personnel for Moderate-to-Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea A Proposed Rule by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration on 03/10/2016

Tired Trucker Roundtable

Make a comment here: Federal Register: regulations.gov on sleep apnea & truck drivers

World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety,

Detlef Alwes, an engineer from Germany, suggested to me that the U.S. should discuss underride protection with the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations. I had never heard of it before. Apparently, the U.S. has not had much involvement with it in the past–at least not as far as underride protection.

But doesn’t it make sense to collaborate with other countries and come up with the safest possible vehicle regulations?

Most countries, even if not formally participating in the 1958 agreement, recognise the UN Regulations and either mirror the UN Regulations’ content in their own national requirements, or permit the import, registration, and use of UN type-approved vehicles, or both. The United States and Canada are the two significant exceptions; their UN regulations are generally not recognised and UN-compliant vehicles and equipment are not authorised for import, sale, or use in the US, unless they are tested to be compliant with US car safety laws, or for limited non driving use (e.g. car show displays).[4]

“The World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations is a working party (WP.29)[1] of the Inland Transport Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). It is tasked with creating a uniform system of regulations, called UN Regulations, for vehicle design to facilitate international trade.

WP.29 was established on June 1952 as “Working party of experts on technical requirement of vehicles”; the current name was adopted in 2000.

The forum works on regulations covering vehicle safety, environmental protection, energy efficiency and theft-resistance.”  World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations

Other links:

Negotiated Rulemaking

As Ralph Nader is inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame, are cars “still unsafe at any speed”?

Safety Advocacy, ,
Lou Lombardo reports on Ralph Nader’s upcoming induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Detroit. He raises important questions about whether more needs to be done to reduce the ongoing traffic safety problems. . .

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

 

Achievements

Last year, Clarence Ditlow reported the achievements since publication of Unsafe at Any Speed to include the saving of an estimated 3.5 million lives (many millions more Americans were saved from suffering serious injuries).  See
http://www.thenation.com/article/on-50th-anniversary-of-ralph-naders-unsafe-at-any-speed-safety-group-reports-auto-safety-regulation-has-saved-3-5-million-lives/

Honor


Today according to Corporate Crime Reporter:

“Auto safety advocate Ralph Nader will be inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame next month at the Cobo Center in Detroit Michigan.”

More Needed

Currently every average day nearly 100 people in America die from vehicle violence.

Every average day nearly 400 people in America suffer serious injuries from vehicle violence.

Every average day nearly $2 Billion in losses result from vehicle violence in America.


See http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812013.pdf


One need addressed by Law Professor Rena Steinzor is in an article last year in the Harvard Law & Policy Review titled

(Still) “Unsafe at Any Speed”:
Why Not Jail for Auto Executives?
Lou
National Vision Zero Goal
Crash Deaths

“Blessed are the early dead”. . . photo taken in 2013 by Mary of an infant’s headstone

AnnaLeah and Mary,

As we walked through Battle Park on January 21, 2013, Mary took many pictures with her camera.  I recently made a Youtube video with her photos. Not until I watched that video  just now did I look more closely to read what was written on one of the headstones which we passed by:

Blessed are the early dead

gertie 3657

Oh, Mary! I wonder what you were thinking when you saw that. Tenderhearted girl.

Interesting article on need for more consumer participation in federal rulemaking process.

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety,

I am glad to see that the federal rulemaking has become more open to participation by those upon whom it has the most impact. I only hope that our Vision Zero goals will be genuinely considered and implemented to the benefit of us all.

Along that line, I just found this interesting article from 2013 which outlines the history of participation in the federal rulemaking process.

As a policymaking process, rulemaking is a civic paradox in two senses:

1. It often has substantial direct effects not only on industry but also on individuals (including small business owners), state and local government entities, and non-governmental organizations. Yet relatively few people know about rulemaking, and even fewer understand how it works.

2. Rulemaking’s formal legal structure is an open government ideal: it has broader transparency requirements and public participation rights than any other form of federal decision-making. Yet only a limited range of stakeholders—principally, large corporations and trade and professional associations—take advantage of their right to review the information on which an agency is making its decision, or effectively exercise their right to comment on the merit of the proposed rule.

Rulemaking 2.0: Understanding What Better Public Participation Means, And Doing What It Take to Get It1 by Cynthia R. Farina2 & CeRI3, March 1, 2013

And I am looking forward to the upcoming publication of the article on Visual Rulemaking by two law professors, with the inclusion of the story of AnnaLeah and Mary and our efforts to impact truck safety rulemaking. Elizabeth Porter & Kathryn Watts, Visualizing Rulemaking, N.Y.U. L. Rev. (forthcoming 2016).

Responsibility

 

 

A Walk Through the Woods; A photo story from Mary’s camera. It is well with my soul.

AnnaLeah and Mary,

Mary loved to capture every moment on her camera–from the mundane to the amazing. That included our walk on the trails of Battle Park on a beautiful day in January 2013 in her new home of Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

Mary’s photo story of the walk with her sister, AnnaLeah, dad, and mom is set to Horatio Spafford’s well-known hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul.” Fitting in so many ways. Peace like a river attendeth my soul.

Photography by Mary Lydia Karth (with a few by her mom as well):

When Peace Like a River; It is well with my soul