HIGHLIGHTING NTSB ADVOCACY IN ACTION
VOL 5 ISSUE 2 (May-August 2019)
THE BIG STORIES
Pulse check : NTSB Updates Most Wanted List Safety Recommendations Progress
In July, the NTSB published an updated list of the safety recommendations associated with our 2019–2020 Most Wanted List of transportation safety improvements (MWL). We closed eight safety recommendations in the first six months of 2019—three on highway safety, two on pipeline/HAZMAT safety, one on rail safety, one on aviation safety, and one on marine safety. Four (P-17-3, H-15-20, A-09-92, and H-09-18) were closed with acceptable action taken, one (P-18-3) was closed with acceptable alternate action taken, one (M-16-28) was closed with a status of exceeds recommended action, and Safety Recommendation H-12-29 was closed with unacceptable action taken. Safety Recommendation R-04-7 was closed because it was superseded by a subsequently issued safety recommendation (R-19-1), which remains open. For more information, see our news release . 
Chairman Sumwalt, Member Homendy Confirmed for Additional Terms

On July 31, the U.S. Senate confirmed Chairman Robert Sumwalt for an additional 3-year term as Chairman of the NTSB, and Member Jennifer Homendy for a five-year term on the Board. The swearing-in ceremony was held at NTSB headquarters on August 8. Read the Chairman’s remarks and Member Homendy’s remarks on their nominations, delivered to the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation . 
GENERAL ADVOCACY & OUTREACH
Safety Culture: Focus of NTSB Presentations at EAA Air Venture General Aviation Event

Staff and investigators from the NTSB Aviation Safety Office, Research and Engineering Office, and Safety Advocacy Division presented on improving safety culture to general aviation (GA) pilots and aviation enthusiasts at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, during the week of July 22–28. The theme of the NTSB’s presentations, “Raise the Bar of Your Safety Culture,” covered topics on loss of control in flight, distraction, and pilot proficiency, and featured accident survivors and industry safety experts discussing their safety strategies. Chairman Robert Sumwalt also attended and discussed our theme and other GA safety issues on EAA Radio. Nearly 1,000 event attendees stopped by the NTSB exhibit, and about 1,500 attended our various presentations. AirVenture is one of the largest GA events in the world, attended by thousands of aviation enthusiasts from nearly 80 countries. Read our blog on this event. 
Remembering the Anniversary of the First PTC-Related Recommendations

Member Jennifer Homendy joined Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Commuter Rail Council Chair Jim Gildea, representatives from Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s office and rail safety advocates at a press conference on August 20 to call for the full implementation of positive train control (PTC). The event coincided with the 50 th anniversary of a train collision in Darien, Connecticut, that killed four people and injured 43 others. Following our investigation of the Darien accident , the NTSB issued its first safety recommendation related to PTC, a safety system designed to prevent train-to-train collisions, overspeed derailments, switches left in the wrong position, and incursions into established work zone limits. 
NTSB, TSB Canada on Emerging Transportation Safety Issues

Chairman Robert Sumwalt and Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s Chair Kathy Fox participated in a panel discussion on June 25 in Arlington, Virginia, on “Emerging Transportation Safety Issues (multimodal) & International Cooperation on Safety,” as part of the Flight Safety Foundation’s Speaker Series. Retired FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety Peggy Gilligan moderated the event. Before a crowd of nearly 100, Chairman Sumwalt and Chair Fox discussed their mutual safety interests and concerns, their lists of top transportation safety priorities, and lessons learned from past cross-border investigations. 
Vice Chairman at Heli EMS Event

Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg addressed safety professionals and operators that transport patients from accident scenes and between medical facilities at the Helicopter Association International’s Helicopter Air Medical Safety Conference on May 9 in Crystal City, Virginia. The wide-ranging discussion covered 24/7 flight operation challenges, circadian rhythms and fatigue, and the importance of crew scheduling. He also introduced pilots and operators to our new MWL item, “ Improve the Safety of Part 135 Aircraft Flight Operations .”
Ports, Harbor Officials Hear From Marine Safety
On June 25, Marine Safety Deputy Director Morgan Turrell presented at the 17th Biennial National Harbor Safety Committee Conference , “Safe, Shared Waterways: From Conversation to Action,” in Houston. The event, a gathering of U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) members, port officials, and stakeholders from ports and harbors nationwide, was organized by the Transportation Research Board, Lone Star Harbor Safety Committee, and South Texas Waterways Advisory Committee. Turrell highlighted safety recommendations we made to harbor safety committees and the USCG from accidents we investigated in the Houston Ship Channel. He also presented the findings of our Shared Waterways report and Vessel Traffic Service System study, and discussed the NTSB MWL issues impacting the marine community, such as distractions and fatigue. 
Final Safe Skies for Africa Symposium

During the week of August 12–16, as part of the final symposium of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Skies for Africa Program , NTSB staff and former Managing Director Dennis Jones visited the Accident Investigation Bureau of Nigeria to share lessons learned from NTSB accident investigations and investigative best practices. This was the last in a series of NTSB outreach and education meetings to the continent. The Safe Skies for Africa program, created more than 20 years ago, aimed to improve the safety and security of aviation on the African continent. The NTSB will continue to stand ready to assist in international investigations per ICAO Annex 13.
Bringing the Matter of Distraction to TRB Execs

Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg addressed the executive committee members of the Transport Research Board on June 19 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, about the NTSB’s MWL issue “ Eliminate Distractions.” He challenged members to think about all the ways distraction impacts safety in all modes of transportation and to consider research questions that address the dangers of distraction. The Vice Chairman illustrated various ways we can become distracted while driving and discussed prevention techniques.   
Workshop for Professional Engineers

Director of Rail, Pipeline and HAZMAT Robert Hall and Safety Advocate Amy Terrone addressed the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on August 14 about our MWL and recent safety recommendations affecting the professional engineering (PE) community. The NCEES develops, administers, and scores the examinations used for engineering and surveying licensure in the United States. Nearly 75 people attended their session, in which they highlighted specific accident investigations, such as the preliminary findings in the Merrimack Valley pipeline explosion, which yielded an urgent recommendation to the state of Massachusetts asking for the elimination of the PE licensure exemption for public utility work. “ Ensure the Safe Shipment of Hazardous Materials ,” which covers pipelines that travel into and beneath communities, is on our MWL. 
Addressing Pipeline Safety Leadership
Chairman Robert Sumwalt met with Kinder Morgan senior leadership, including its CEO and president, in Houston on July 18 to discuss the key principles of safety leadership from the NTSB perspective. Kinder Morgan is one of the nation’s largest pipeline operators, transporting natural gas, gasoline, crude oil, carbon dioxide, and more. 
Investigating Impairment

Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg was the guest speaker at the International Society of Air Safety Investigators annual spring dinner on May 5 in Reston, Virginia, where he addressed the topic of impairment, a major contributing factor in too many transportation accidents. “ End Alcohol and Other Drug Impairment ” is on the NTSB’s 2019–2020 MWL. Landsberg reminded international investigators to consider the effects of prescription drugs on aviation pilots, saying that “many over-the-counter medications can have the sedative diphenhydramine in them, which can have disastrous effects on a pilot’s performance.”
HIGHWAY SAFETY
Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month:
 NTSB Key Events and Activities
As part of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in May, Highway Safety Investigator Mike Fox and Safety Advocate Stephanie Shaw joined safety advocates on Capitol Hill to talk about our MWL, findings from our Safety Report, “Select Risk Factors Associated with Causes of Motorcycle Crashes,” and safety recommendations aimed at improving road safety for all road users. Also during the month, NTSB’s Media Relations Chief (and long-time rider) Chris O’Neil, blogged about the importance of riders planning their ride. In the blog, he used lessons learned from two investigations involving events and route-planning activities gone amiss—the Augusta, Maine, “Toy Run” motorcycle ride and the Midland, Texas, parade float accident. 
Keynote at AAA Impaired Driving Summit

Member Jennifer Homendy delivered the closing keynote at the AAA Western and Central New York Impaired Driving Summit on June 7 in Buffalo, New York. Her remarks highlighted the safety recommendations connected to the NTSB MWL issue area “ End Alcohol and Drug Impairment .”
NTSB Briefs Alabama School Transportation Officials

Safety Advocate Stephanie Shaw addressed school transportation officials at the Alabama School Transportation Association’s Conference on June 6 in Mobile, Alabama. Shaw shared lessons learned from recent NTSB school bus crash investigations, discussed safety recommendations aimed at improving school bus safety, and highlighted other investigations related to school transportation safety. For more information on NTSB school bus investigations, visit our School Bus Safety page .
What We Told the National Governors Association about Impairment

Safety Advocate Leah Walton and Senior Highway Investigator Kenny Bragg reviewed the issues on our MWL, focusing on impairment, at the National Governors Association’s Impaired Driving Convening Meeting on May 2–3 in Columbus, Ohio. Walton also moderated a panel on the trends in and challenges of impaired driving, and Bragg discussed recent NTSB crash investigations involving autonomous vehicles.
Safe Kids Press Event with Member Homendy

Member Jennifer Homendy joined Safe Kids Worldwide President Torine Creppy for a press briefing on June 30 at a car seat check event at Fitzgerald Auto Mall in Rockville, Maryland. The event highlighted the importance of ensuring children are properly restrained in a correctly installed child safety seat. Member Homendy urged all passengers to be buckled up on every trip. 
YOUTH AND TEEN OUTREACH
NTSB A Regular at SADD National Conference

Safety Advocacy Division Chief Nicholas Worrell addressed more than 200 members of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) during the 2019 SADD National Conference on June 23–26 in Phoenix, Arizona. He discussed why and how to become the next generation of safety leaders, and urged students to work every day toward the goal of zero deaths on our nation’s roadways. Read his blog . 
FED & STATE LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
U.S. Senate: Member Homendy Testifies on Amtrak Safety

On June 26, Member Jennifer Homendy testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation about “Amtrak: Next Steps for Passenger Rail.” She discussed the findings from our investigation of the December 18, 2017, derailment of Amtrak train 501 onto Interstate 5 near DuPont, Washington. She said, “There were multiple factors contributing to this accident and its severity, but the tragic fact is that it, and the deaths and injuries that resulted, were preventable.”
U.S. House: Chairman Testifies on 737 MAX

On May 15, Chairman Robert Sumwalt testified before the U.S. House of Representatives' Subcommittee on Aviation Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure about the “Status of Boeing 737 MAX.” He discussed the NTSB’s involvement in the recent 737 MAX crashes overseas, saying, “because the United States is the state of design and certification of the aircraft involved in these accidents, we are examining relevant factors in the U.S. design certification process to ensure any deficiencies are captured and addressed, including by NTSB safety recommendations, if necessary.”
U.S. House: Aviation Safety Director Testifies on State of Aviation Safety

On July 17, Office of Aviation Safety Director Dana Schulze testified before the U.S. House of Representatives' Subcommittee on Aviation Safety about the “State of Aviation Safety.” She reported that, in the last decade, the number of aviation accidents and deaths have declined overall, from 539 fatalities in 2009 to 401 in 2018, and pointed out that 92 percent of those deaths were in general aviation. “The remainder, primarily Part 135 operations,” she said, “represents a prominent gap in aviation safety and it is on our Most Wanted List.”
U.S. House: Deputy Director of Highway Safety Testifies on School Bus Safety

On July 25, Office of Highway Safety Deputy Director Kris Poland testified before the U.S. House of Representatives' Subcommittee on Highways and Transit about “Examining the Federal Role In Improving School Bus Safety.” She reminded legislators that school buses are the safest form of travel for our children, but “still, improvements can be made.”
New York: NTSB Supports .05 BAC Legislation

On May 24, Member Jennifer Homendy participated in a press conference in New York, New York, in support of proposed legislation that would address our safety recommendations to the States to lower their blood alcohol level from 0.08 percent to 0.05 percent (or lower). Member Homendy was joined by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the National Safety Council, Liam’s Life Foundation, and Assemblyman Felix Ortiz and Senator John Liu. Read her remarks .
SELECT NTSB REPORTS, ALERTS & STUDIES
The following reports, released between the time period May-August, featured Most Wanted List safety issues.
MWL PROGRESS REPORT

  • We continue to see incremental progress in many states toward the NTSB’s goal to ban the nonemergency use of portable electronic devices while driving. Since the last Spotlight release, new distracted-driving laws went into effect, as of July 1, in Florida, Tennessee, Illinois, Virginia and Minnesota. Missouri and Montana remain the only states without all-driver texting bans.

  • We closed Safety Recommendation M-16-28 to the Passenger Vessel Association as “Exceeds Recommended Action.” This recommendation, made in response to the DUCK 6 boat crash in Seattle, Washington, in September 2015, urged amphibious vehicle operators to emphasize safe practices, including developing procedures aimed at reducing driver distraction. 


  • On May 16, NTSB Aviation Safety Investigator Jim Silliman detailed the agency’s new MWL issue, “Improving Part 135 Aircraft Flight Operations,” at the Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) InfoShare in Dallas, Texas. InfoShares facilitate sharing of safety issues and best practices among aviation operators and regulators. Silliman presented accident case studies highlighting safety issues within air medical service, air taxi, charter, and on-demand flights, and urged operators to improve safety to the level of commercial flights.

  • We closed Safety Recommendation A-09-92 to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as “Acceptable.” The recommendation asked the FAA to permit the helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) Aviation Digital Data Service Weather Tool to be used by HEMS operators as an official weather product. The recommendation was issued because the 2008 calendar year was the deadliest year on record for HEMS. Our MWL issue addresses Part 135 safety issues related to HEMs and addresses training and tools that could help avoid controlled-flight-into-terrain accidents. 


  • We closed Safety Recommendation P-17-3 to the Colonial Pipeline Company as “Acceptable Action.” The recommendation called for the company to repair all excavated dent defects or to install a local leak detection system at each location where a dent was not repaired; to continuously monitor for hydrocarbons; and to take prompt corrective action to stop a detected leak. The recommendation was issued in June 2017 in response to a Colonial Pipeline pipe leak in Centerville, Virginia. 
 

  • We closed Safety Recommendation H-12-29 to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) as “Unacceptable.” The NTSB had recommended the FMCSA establish an ongoing program to monitor and continuously improve fatigue management programs implemented by motor carriers to identify and reduce fatigue-related risks for drivers. This recommendation was made after a motor coach crash occurred that was likely due to the driver falling asleep. 


  • On June 12, The Alliance for Driver Safety and Security announced that the trucking industry had “no greater safety issue than to aggressively address illegal drug use among commercial truck drivers.” In a study comparing urinalysis and hair testing results for pre-employment drug testing, the Alliance found urinalysis missed 9 out of 10 illicit drug users. Currently, urinalysis drug testing is the only form of testing recognized by the U.S. Department of Transportation. We have recommended the Federal Motor Carrier Administration disseminate information to motor carriers about using hair testing as a method of detecting the use of controlled substances.

  • In June, Utah released alcohol-related fatal crash statistics showing a decrease in accidents since it became the first state to lower its legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level from 0.08 percent to 0.05 percent. Between January and March 2019, there were 236 alcohol-related crashes and 3 fatalities—down from 416 alcohol-related crashes and 10 fatalities in the first quarter of 2018. In our 2013 safety report Reaching Zero, we recommended that all 50 states lower their legal BAC limit to 0.05 percent or lower. 


  • On April 30, the National Transportation Surface Transportation Safety Center released a study, Effective Strategies to Improve Safety: Case Studies of Commercial Motor Carrier Safety Advancement, that identified strategies that commercial motor vehicle (CMV) fleets have successfully used to improve their safety outcomes. The research team worked with CMV insurers and state trucking associations to identify nine CMV carriers that successfully improved safety outcomes. Among the successful strategies identified as a result of their research was the use of collision mitigation technologies (equipping trucks with technologies designed to assist the driver) and onboard safety monitoring.

  • The global advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) market for 2019–2025 is projected to reach $81.14 billion by 2025, according to a report by Adroit Market Research. The factors that are driving the ADAS market, the report claims, include the increasing importance of safety features for automotive consumers. Increasing government mandates globally for features like automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning have contributed to the growth in the market. 


  • On June 25, the Iowa Board of Education adopted rules requiring lap and shoulder seat belts to be incorporated into all new school buses manufactured after October 1, 2019. On July 15, the Iowa Pupil Transportation Association performed a controlled bus crash demonstration and found that compartmentalizing student passengers between high, padded seat backs, though often effective, doesn’t always work as it is supposed to.

  • 2Seconds2Click, a recently redesigned campaign resulting from cooperation between the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), provides resources for employers who wish to establish or enhance employee seat belt initiatives within their organizations. The 2Seconds2Click toolkit contains step-by-step instructions for each week of a 6-week campaign focused on increasing seat belt use. The NTSB’s MWL focus on occupant protection urges both drivers and passengers to properly wear lap/shoulder belts to reduce injury. 


  • During the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA’s) Operation Safe Driver Week, held July 14–20, the CVSA highlighted speeding on our highways by commercial trucks by performing targeted inspections. Law enforcement agencies across North America supported the message “Late won’t kill you, speeding will.” Each year, the CVSA emphasizes a different point of driver safety.


  • On July 15–16, the FMCSA’s five-member Medical Review Board reviewed a rewrite of the agency’s Medical Examiner’s Handbook, which provides information and guidance to medical examiners who perform commercial driver medical examinations. The handbook serves as a guideline for physicians who use it to assess truck driver health. The Board’s recommendations were sent back to the FMCSA to produce a final draft version, with an anticipated fall 2019 release.


  • On July 30, Federal Railroad Administration Chief Ronald Batory told the U.S. Senate in a hearing that PTC had been implemented on 90 percent of the 58,000 miles of track where it is required by the standards imposed by Congress in 2008. Despite this progress, Batory said “there is still significant work to be done to meet the December 2020 deadline.” We have investigated 22 rail accidents since 2008 that could have been prevented by PTC. 
UPCOMING EVENTS (Look for us here!)
Sept. 12
Conference:
(Orlando, FL)


Sept. 22
Conference:
ILACP/Metra Rail Safety Week (Chicago, Illinois )
Sept. 25
Conference:
Oct. 9-10
Conference:
(Arlington, VA)
Oct. 14-18
National Teen Driver Safety Week
Oct. 22-24
Conference:
(Las Vegas)
Oct. 29
Roundtable:
(Columbia, MO)
Dec. 4-6
(New Orleans)
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