Category Archives: Truck Safety

Partner With Us To Protect Vulnerable Victims of Underride Crashes

Truck Safety, , , , ,

Partner with us to bring about a crash test of Aaron Kiefer’s life-saving truck side guard on January 20, 2017. We have thought of a way that you could participate in the production & testing of his latest professional-grade prototype.

We want to know if you would like to receive a specially-designed T-shirt — with Mary & AnnaLeah in mind — for a donation to this UNDERRIDE RESEARCH PROJECT/Crash Test:

  • You would receive a shirt like this for a minimum $20 donation:

    trailersafe_system_logo_base
    IJK Interactive
  • You would receive a shirt like this for a minimum $25 donation:

    trailersafe_system_logo_blue
    IJK Interactive

We are trying to figure out if we should move ahead with this T-shirt project. Another upcoming T-shirt design will be Christopher. Please let us know if you might like to have one of these shirts to support our underride research efforts in memory of AnnaLeah & Mary.

HOW WE CAME UP WITH THE Christopher & Bono LOGOS:

Aaron Kiefer is making great progress on the development of his innovative side/rear guard for large trucks. Recently, he asked me if I would like to create a logo for the rear aluminum attachment piece of it which will attach to existing rear underride guards — thus strengthening them to better be able to prevent rear underride — and to which the side guard portion attaches.

So I sat down with my family to brainstorm ideas for a logo. A couple of years ago, we had done the same thing to come up with a name and logo for our non-profit organization:

LOGO AnnaLeah & Mary for Truck Safety
design by Isaac Karth, IJK Interactive

Aaron already calls his invention — which uniquely provides continuous protection around the side and rear of trailers — the TrailerGuard System.

In our brainstorming, we decided that we could call the side portion of his life-saving invention the Christopher Guard for the patron saint/advocate of travelers — keeping in mind AnnaLeah’s dragon and calling it Christopher, who would guard against sure death (my idea).

dragon

And we could call the rear attachment portion — which is designed to attach to the existing rear guard (making it more likely to prevent the guillotine effect of truck underride) — the Bono Guard for the patron saint, Beuno or Bono (Latin, bonus = good), known for the protection of children  — using the image of Mary’s St. Bernard Gertie (my idea).

gertiecroppedtrip-north-may-2015-141michigan-60-party-and-cemetery-061michigan-60-party-and-cemetery-070

Aaron’s invention:

underride-guard-design-by-aaron-kiefer-012 underride-guard-design-by-aaron-kiefer-016 underride-guard-design-by-aaron-kiefer-054 underride-guard-design-by-aaron-kiefer-060

See a crash test of Aaron’s original version of his TrailerSafe System in the Spring of 2016:

 

More information about Aaron’s invention: https://annaleahmary.com/2016/12/crash-test-of-innovative-large-truck-side-guard-could-advance-side-underride-prevention/

Wonderful memories of Mary and her St. Bernard, Gertie (the inspiration for Bono):

Mary’s Life With Gertie; Her Best Friend to the End

U.S. groups want requirement for behind-the-wheel training

Truck Safety,

Four groups have petitioned the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to reconsider provisions of the Final Rule for Entry-Level Driver requirements, which the agency issued on December 7.

The final rule does not include a requirement for 30 hours of behind-the-wheel training for new drivers. Last March, FCMSA had included in its proposed rule a minimum of 10 hours of training on a “driving range” as well as an unspecified amount of time driving on a public road. The final rule requires no behind-the-wheel standard for student drivers, instead deferring to skills tests administered by state licensing agencies. The petition notes that under the new rule, the determination of whether a student driver has the skill set required to operate safely on public roadways is “entirely in the hands of the instructor.”

The petition was filed by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), the Truck Safety Coalition and Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways on December 21. 

Read more here: U.S. groups want requirement for behind-the-wheel training

Unsafe Trucks

It only makes sense that we would want someone driving a large truck at 70 miles an hour on the road with much smaller vehicles to have adequate practice. Doesn’t it?

Does the Protection of Children in Cars annual conference ever discuss Truck Underride Protection?

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety, ,

I just saw the schedule for the 2016 Protection of Children in Cars conference held in Munich every year. It sounds like an important event.

I wonder if they ever talk about the need to protect children from truck underride injuries and deaths. If they did, maybe improving underride prevention strategies would become a higher priority. Maybe it would tip the cost/benefit analysis scale a bit more decisively in favor of saving lives.

creative-solutionsannaleah-knitting-at-cottage mary-at-john-ball-zoo-gardenprotect-innocent-lives

The Crash Death Clock is ticking; America will soon reach 4 million crash deaths.

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety, , ,

The Crash Death Clock is ticking; America will soon reach 4 million crash deaths.

What can you do to slow the highway carnage to a crawl?

stand-up-for-traffic-safety

CBA Victim Cost Benefit Analysis Victim

Support side guard crash testing to prevent deadly truck side underride: Donate at AnnaLeah & Mary for Truck Safety, 501(c)(3)

“‘He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy;
Then it was well.
Is not that what it means to know Me?’ declares the LORD.

“For he will deliver the needy when he cries for help,
The afflicted also, & him who has no helper.
He will have compassion on the poor & needy,
And the lives of the needy he will save.
He will rescue their life from oppression & violence;
And their blood will be precious in his sight.”
Jeremiah 22:16 and Psalm 72:12-14

“Chiropractor Indicted for Falsifying Medical Examination Records for Commercial Drivers”

Truck Safety,

“Chiropractor Indicted for Falsifying Medical Examination Records for Commercial Drivers” https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/chiropractor-indicted-falsifying-medical-examination-records-commercial-drivers

I am thankful that the Department of Transportation took action to end this man’s ability to endanger us. I remain concerned about how many other medical certificates might be questionable and contribute to unsafe driving conditions. Who do you think will pay the price?

In our case, the medical certificate for the truck driver was never found. Yet, as far as I know, nothing was ever done to address that fact. How many more might there be like that — not discovered until it was too late?

ATLANTA – Dr. Anthony Lefteris, 71, of Atlanta, was indicted today by a federal grand jury, on charges that he prepared false documents and entered false information into the records of the U.S. Department of Transportation so that commercial truck drivers could obtain their licenses.  Lefteris will be arraigned at a later date.

“It is critical that commercial vehicle drivers are physically fit to handle the rigors of driving commercial vehicles, such as tractor trailer trucks,” said U. S. Attorney John Horn.  “When a medical examiner fails to perform the duties entrusted to them or falsifies information, our roads and highways are less safe, putting all drivers at risk.”  

“Today’s indictment of Dr. Anthony Lefteris demonstrates the commitment of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General to pursuing fraudulent activities by medical professionals in the motor carrier industry who are willing to compromise the safety of the traveling public for personal gain,” said Marlies Gonzalez, regional Special Agent-in-Charge for the USDOT OIG. “Working with our departmental, law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, we will continue to pursue and detect fraudulent schemes and bring to justice those seeking to compromise the integrity of DOT’s safety programs. . .

“Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges.  The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.”

price

Work Zone & Truck Safety facebook post & comments: Chiropractor Indicted for Falsifying Medical Examination Records for Commercial Drivers . . .There is a huge truck stop in Portland Oregon called Jubitz. Has an actual medical clinic in the building. I’ve gotten mine done there before. A lot of truck stops have certified medical examiners on site. You really hate to hear about something like this because you never know if the guy is legit or not even though he has a certification number.(truck driver)

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety – Underride Test Protocol

Truck Safety, ,

Update on December 24, 2016: the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Underride Test Protocol is now published on the Federal Register at this link: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety – Underride Test Protocol

Underride Roundtable May 5, 2016 080

Thank you, IIHS, for all of your work to make our roads safer.

NYC Taxis–“Proposed Driver Fatigue Prevention rules – bringing our Vision Zero goals closer to reality”

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety

The NYC’s Taxi & Limousine Commission proposed rules regarding taxi driver fatigue focus primarily on controlling the hours of service for taxi drivers — much like the trucking HOS. That is all well and good, but I hope to organize a Tired Trucker Roundtable which will take a more comprehensive look at solving the widespread and deadly problem of driver fatigue.

TLC’s Proposed Driver Fatigue Prevention rules – bringing our Vision Zero goals closer to reality

NEW YORK CITY TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION Notice of Public Hearing and Opportunity to Comment on Proposed Rules What are we proposing? The Taxi and Limousine Commission is considering changing rules that address the risks of fatigued driving and adding trip reporting requirements for for-hire vehicle bases. When and where is the Hearing? The Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed rule. The public hearing will take place at 10:00 a.m. on January 5, 2017. The hearing will be in the hearing room at 33 Beaver Street – 19th Floor, New York, NY 10004.

creative-solutionsTired Trucker Roundtable

Trucks.com examines why “Driving a Truck is Among Deadliest Jobs in the U.S.”

Truck Safety

Trucks.com article examines why, Driving a Truck is Among Deadliest Jobs in the U.S.:

Unlike many occupations, drivers don’t have total control of their work environment – public roads and highways – so there’s always danger, said Steve Viscelli, an economics sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania and author of “The Big Rig: Trucking and the Decline of the American Dream.”

“Nobody wants to be safer than truck drivers,” Viscelli said.

But because of the way drivers’ compensation is structured, they’re often asked to choose between productivity and safety, a tug of war that leads some to keep driving when they should be taking a rest break, Viscelli said.

Long hours, low pay and tough working conditions contribute to annual turnover that hovers around 100 percent and puts inexperienced drivers on the road. Read more here

Talkin together

Tired Trucker Roundtable: If we plan it, they will come. Can we pull it off?

Crash Test of Innovative Large Truck Side Guard Could Advance Side Underride Prevention

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety, , ,

Crash reconstructionist/forensic engineer Aaron Kiefer continues to develop his ideas for an innovative side/rear underride guard to protect all vulnerable victims from deadly truck underride.

Aaron has identified new materials to make his design stronger, more effective at preventing underride, and user-friendly for the truck drivers. The only thing is that he is doing this work on his own time aside from his regular job of reconstructing crash scenes. He turned to us to ask if we could help him raise some money for his upcoming side guard crash test so that he can prove that his invention will save lives.

You can help Aaron purchase the necessary materials for his next crash test. Our current goal is to raise $3,000* by early next year.

Donate at the ALMFTS website here which our family set up for traffic safety research through our 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, AnnaLeah & Mary for Truck Safety.

We received our IRS letter of approval in 2015 and are listed as a non-profit with Guidestar: http://www.guidestar.org/profile/47-4379503

support-sideguard-research

* Crash Test Materials Include the Following:

  • $500 would buy the necessary polyester webbing  (12,000 lb/in), which gives Aaron’s invention unusual strength.
  • $500 more would buy the car to crash —  a Malibu
  • $500 more would buy the rear reinforcement aluminum plate and water jet cutting
  • $500 more would allow Aaron to purchase the aluminum extrusion for reinforcement/rear guard connector
  • $500 additional would pay for the FRP panel (2 x 190 ft rolls). Just today, Aaron had a sample of this plastic panel successfully sewn together with the polyester webbing — a good sign that this design, with these materials, could provide a strong innovative option for side underride protection on large trucks for pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and passenger vehicles.
  • $3,000 TOTAL would allow Aaron to purchase the entire CRASH TEST SET: Panel/webbing/aluminum/assembly/labor (industrial sewing)

Please share this post so others can join in this vital effort to make affordable and effective side guards available to the trucking industry. Thank you!

“Managing Critical Truck Parking Case Study – Real World Insights from Truck Parking Diaries” ATRI

Truck Safety

Hot off the press. . . a study of the truck parking problem in this country — from the American Transportation Research Institute:

Managing Critical Truck Parking Case Study – Real World Insights from Truck Parking Diaries

About ATRI

 The American Transportation Research Institute has been engaged in critical transportation studies and operational tests since 1954.

ATRI, part of the American Trucking Associations Federation, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit research organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

ATRI’s primary mission is to conduct transportation research with an emphasis on the trucking industry’s essential role in a safe, efficient, and viable transportation system.

Talkin together