The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) stresses the continuing need to reduce accidents cased by fatigue and other impairments
Excerpt from an article on truckinginfo.com:
Cullen, David. “NTSB: Cut Impaired, Distracted, Fatigued Driving” HDT Truckinginfo. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.
This year, the board called impairment “an issue in all modes of transportation.” NTSB noted it has recommended lowering the legal limit on blood alcohol content to .05 to reduce deaths and injuries on highways. However, NTSB added that drugs other than alcohol can also impair drivers, including those falling into the recreational, over-the-counter and prescription categories.”
“Impairment is a multi-faceted problem. It will take stricter laws, better enforcement of those laws, and improved education, to get impaired drivers off our roads. And it will take all of these measures, in addition to technological solutions, to prevent people from driving impaired.”
Christopher Hart, Vice Chairman at National Transportation Safety Board
NTSB said that distraction, especially due to the use of portable electronic devices, along with fatigue continue to be serious safety issues in all modes of transportation. The list also points to how the undiagnosed and untreated medical conditions of safety-critical personnel have caused or contributed to accidents.
Related links:
View the full list of safety improvement outlined by NTSB 2016: http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/mwl/Documents/MWL2016_Brochure_web.pdf