Recent Streetsblog USA posts about Safety

Boxer Reminds Metrolink: Train Crew Members Shouldn’t Ride Solo

By Elana Schor | Sep 18, 2009 | 1 Comment

The transportation spending bill passed by the Senate this week includes $50 million in rail safety grants sought in June by environment committee chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) — but the bill may not become law for months, and today Boxer told California’s Metrolink commuter rail that interim safety protections would have to stay in place. This week marks the […]

GOP Guv Hopeful Hit Motorcyclist With His BMW But Wasn’t Ticketed

By Elana Schor | Sep 4, 2009 | 1 Comment

New Jersey GOP gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie, who holds a solid lead over incumbent Jon Corzine (D) despite a less-than-stellar political climate for his part, today was forced to explain away his poor driving record for the second time in two weeks. New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) at right, with his GOP challenger Chris […]

Distracted Driving Laws Lack Teeth in Some States

By Elana Schor | Aug 13, 2009 | 1 Comment

For a story today on the political challenge of outlawing texting behind the wheel, the Washington Post sent its reporter to a downtown intersection to track whether drivers were obeying the city’s ban on hand-held cell phones. (Photo: brainlink.org) The results were disheartening: 35 law-breakers passed by in 30 minutes. But even more dismaying, as […]

The Peculiar Federalism of Transit Safety: No National Standards Exist

By Elana Schor | Aug 10, 2009 | 2 Comments

The recent crash of two D.C. Metro trains has laid bare a glaring lack of authority at the obscure local committee that is supposed to ensure transit riders’ safety, as the Washington Post reported today. But the problem is bigger than the nation’s capital: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has not issued broad safety rules […]

LaHood to Convene Texting-While-Driving Summit

By Elana Schor | Aug 4, 2009 | No Comments

Ray LaHood will announce today that his Department of Transportation plans to convene a summit next month for safety officials, lawmakers, academics, and law enforcement representatives to examine the risks of texting while driving. (Photo: GT Channel) The summit comes on the heels of a new congressional proposal to prod states into bans on texting […]

Four Senators Propose Pushing States to Ban Texting While Driving

By Elana Schor | Jul 29, 2009 | 1 Comment

Four Democratic senators introduced legislation today that would offer states a choice: ban texting and e-mailing while driving within two years or lose 25 percent of their federal highway money. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)(Photo: PatersonOnline) The bill, sponsored by Robert Menendez (NJ), Charles Schumer (NY), Mary Landrieu (LA), and Kay Hagan (NC), comes as the […]

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