Bituminous Insurance Companies

National Transportation Safety Board 2009 Most Wanted List of Highway Safety Improvements

The National Transportation Safety Board's Most Wanted List, which was created in 1990, was designed to raise the public's awareness and support for transportation safety issues," said National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Acting Chairman, Mark V. Rosenker. "The safety issues on this list are critical to improving transportation safety. When acted upon, these recommendations will reduce accidents and save lives."

Added to the highway list for 2009: restrict the use of cellular telephones by motorcoach drivers. Research shows that using a cellular telephone while driving degrades driving performance, resulting in slower reaction times, slower driving speeds, and increased instances of attention lapses. In 2006, the Board recommended that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) prohibit cellular telephone use by commercial driver license holders with a passenger-carrying or school bus endorsement, while driving under the authority of that endorsement, except in emergencies.

Also added: require Electronic On-Board Data Recorders to maintain accurate carrier records on driver hours-of-service and accident conditions. For more than three decades, the NTSB has advocated the use of on-board recorders for all motor carriers to increase hours of service compliance by commercial drivers. The NTSB added this issue to the Most Wanted List because the FMCSA proposal is not applicable to all operators subject to hours of service regulations, does not establish the proper incentives, and does not create a level playing field for compliance with the rules. Electronic On-Board Recorders would also result in more accurate data collected on accident conditions.

Remaining on the list in the highway mode are: improve the safety of motor carrier operations; prevent medically unqualified drivers from operating commercial vehicles; enhance protection for motorcoach passengers; enhance protection for school bus passengers; and prevent collisions by using enhanced vehicle safety technology. On the last issue, enhanced vehicle safety technology, Acting Chairman Rosenker said, "New technologies like anti-collision devices and electronic stability control are already proving their worth in saving lives on our highways."

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The information contained in this publication was obtained from sources believed to be reliable. ISO Services Properties, Inc., its companies and employees make no guarantee of results and assume no liability in connection with either the information herein contained or the safety suggestions herein made. Moreover, it cannot be assumed that every acceptable safety procedure is contained herein or that abnormal or unusual circumstances may not warrant or require further or additional procedure.