What Is the Department of Transportation (DOT)?
The Department of Transportation (DOT) is the federal agency responsible for planning and coordinating federal transportation projects and setting safety regulations for all modes of transportation in the United States.
According to the official description, DOT’s mission is to “Ensure our Nation has the safest, most efficient, and modern transportation system in the world, which improves the quality of life for all American people and communities, from rural to urban, and increases the productivity and competitiveness of American workers and businesses.” The DOT plays a crucial role in setting and enforcing regulations that affect transportation safety, infrastructure development, and environmental sustainability.
DOT’s main activities include funding infrastructure projects, conducting research to improve transportation systems, and implementing policies to enhance safety and accessibility. It also addresses issues such as traffic management, vehicle safety standards, and the environmental impact of transportation. Understanding the Department of Transportation is critical to comprehending how federal policy influences the everyday movement of people and goods, shaping economic development and public safety nationwide.
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Motorcycle accident deaths increase 3rd year in a row
Motorcycle rider fatalities increased for the third consecutive year in 2012, up more than 7% over 2011, while motorcyclist injuries rose 15% to 93,000. A shocking 42% of the reported fatalities involved unhelmeted motorcyclists. These figures were released by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) in its Quick Facts 2012 report, which was released last month.
A study released by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reported that a better economy and higher gas prices mean more motorcycle riders on the road and fewer states with helmet laws means more fatalities. The Governors study mentioned several reasons for the high motorcyclist fatality rate, which accounted for about 14% of all traffic fatalities, including lack of helmet laws, alcohol use and speeding.
The NHTSA reported that motorcyclist fatalities accounted for 15% of the total fatalities for the year. There were 10 times as many unhelmeted motorcyclist fatalities in states without universal helmet laws in 2012, […]
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Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer talks about proposed new safety measures for children traveling in passenger vehicles
Accidental injury is the leading cause of child death in the United States, according to Matthew R. Maltese, head of biomechanics research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children in the United States.
In 2011, more than 650 children ages 12 years and younger died as occupants in motor vehicle crashes and more than 148,000 were injured. Of the children who died in a crash in 2011, 33% were not bucked up. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health Pennsylvania 2012 Child Death Review Annual Report, motor vehicle and other transport deaths accounted for 12% of total child deaths in Pennsylvania in 2011.
Many of these deaths could have been prevented. An NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Research Study found that 72% of nearly 3,500 observed car and booster seats were misused in a way that could be expected to increase a child’s risk of injury during a crash. […]
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Car Runs Into House in Lancaster County
Driver falls asleep at the wheel and crashes into home
Not all car crashes in Pennsylvania involve one motor vehicle colliding with another. Some wrecks are the result of rollovers and other single-vehicle accidents. Other times, automobiles crash into fixed objects – like a house.
A case in point happened February 16 in Lancaster County, when a passenger car smashed through the wall of a private home in East Earl Township. A resident inside was knocked from the couch where he had been sleeping. He suffered minor injuries.
The accident occurred in the early morning hours. The driver apparently fell asleep at the wheel, and police are investigating whether alcohol was a contributing factor.
There were 121,312 traffic crashes in Pennsylvania in 2010, according to reports filed with the state Department of Transportation. These wrecks claimed the lives of 1,324 people and injured another 87,949 people. […]
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One in Four Moms Text While Driving With Babies
New mothers are talking and texting on cell phones – and even checking e-mail – while driving with their baby on board, according to a new survey.
Seventy-eight percent of mothers with children under two years old admitted talking on the phone while driving with their babies. And more than a quarter of them said they text and check e-mail.
The survey was conducted by the child-protection advocacy group Safe Kids Worldwide and American Baby magazine.
One scary conclusion: The driving habits of new moms are every bit as dangerous as that of teenage drivers.
Texting while driving creates a crash risk 23 times higher than driving while not distracted, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Following is from USA Today:
The survey of 2,396 mothers finds an attitude among new moms that is reflected in the general population: They tend to think they’re safe drivers but actually engage in risky habits. […]
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10 Tips for PA Winter Driving Safety
A recent article in the New York Times Magazine has found that dangerous driving is once again a serious issue in America. According to the article, in September 2023, the U.S. Department of Transportation released data that showed that 21 states had recorded climbing rates of fatal crashes in 2023 compared with the same period in 2022.
Not only is it dangerous for other drivers to be on the roads, but pedestrians as well — a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that SUVs or vans with a hood height that’s greater than 40 inches are 45 percent more likely to kill pedestrians than smaller cars.
Unfortunately, the winter weather does pose a significant threat to many Pennsylvanians each year. Snowy weather causes treacherous conditions on our roadways. Each winter, we hear stories of people injured and killed in auto accidents across Pennsylvania caused by drivers who don’t use proper care in hazardous conditions. […]
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