Transportation

In Episode 18, the S+H editorial team discusses the pros and cons of safety incentives, along with OSHA’s evolving stance on the topic. Also: Transportation safety expert Brian Hammer answers our questions about road safety, as more workers begin to commute to their workplace again.

Charlottesville, VA — Aimed at getting motorists to avoid distracted driving and other unsafe behaviors while behind the wheel, those digital roadway signs with short, quirky messages such as “Get your head out of your apps” and “Mom needs your hug not your text” are hitting their mark, say researchers from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Greenbelt, MD — From May 4 to 6, inspectors across North America checked braking systems, lights, tires and other commercial motor vehicle equipment during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 34th annual International Roadcheck.

Greenbelt, MD — An unannounced inspection blitz of commercial motor vehicles resulted in 12.6% of those checked being placed out of service for brake-related violations, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance recently announced.

Chicago — OSHA has launched a pair of Regional Emphasis Programs focused on reducing injuries, illnesses and fatalities among workers involved in transportation tank cleaning operations in the Midwest and South.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has finalized an interim final rule that delayed, by two years, the compliance date for its initial final rule on minimum training requirements for entry-level commercial motor vehicle drivers.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking to increase the area safety technology can be mounted inside commercial motor vehicles and expand the definition of “vehicle safety technology.”

Beijing — A regular diet of junk food may play a role in unsafe driving actions among commercial motor vehicle drivers by contributing to fatigue – a key factor in roadway collisions, results of a recent study out of China indicate.

Washington — An estimated 6,555 lives were saved in 2019 as a result of various safety features within the interstate highway system, keeping interstate travel significantly safer than that on all other roads, according to a recently released report from the Transportation Research Information Program.

Columbia, MO — Individuals who develop shift work sleep disorder – a condition involving insomnia or excessive sleepiness as a result of working nontraditional hours – may be almost three times more likely to be involved in a traffic crash, according to a recent study by researchers from the University of Missouri.