Unless an Act of God or freak malfunction occurs, most fatal accidents are preventable. Unfortunately, tens of thousands of Americans suffer the worst fate imaginable as a result of fatal truck accidents, fatal car accidents and other preventable injurious transportation accidents every single year.
In an effort to reduce the number of fatal accidents that occur each year on American roads, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) drafts an annual list aimed at identifying the most pressing hazards currently contributing to fatal accidents.
The NTSB is an independent federal agency most often associated with investigating aviation accidents. However, the agency also serves as an advisory board regarding all manner of transportation safety issues. The NTSB’s annual “most-wanted” list serves as a critical point of reference for legislators and safety advocates concerned with where transportation dollars and reform efforts should be directed.
Although the most-wanted list is a recommendation and is not binding in nature, it often helps set the transportation safety agenda for the following year. In addition, for the families of loved ones who have already been lost, the list serves as an important step forward in ensuring that their tragedies are not repeated in the lives of other Americans. For safety advocates, the list represents a reference point for how to prevent the wrongful deaths of Americans across the nation.
What pressing safety hazards have topped the 2012 NTSB most-wanted list? Please check back in later this week as we continue our discussion on this important topic.
Source: Yahoo, “NTSB lists most-wanted safety improvements,” Nov. 14, 2012