Safety officials and paramedics are urging drivers to belt up their animals while traveling in their car. Unrestrained pets can lead to harm not only for the pet, but for passengers and drivers. A recent case involved a woman who swerved into another car when a cat jumped off her lap. Most people do not consider how dangerous it is to ride with an unrestrained animal, according to a safety officer, and they recommend a safety harness for medium to large dogs which should go around the animal’s back, shoulder, and be attached to the seatbelt, according to news reports.
Tag Archives: passenger safety
Dreamliner Faces Strict Approval Process
A plan to allow Boeing to start flight tests on the 787 Dreamliner in order to fix hazardous batteries is underway. This would put the grounded aircraft back into service. A “certification plan” would be signed by the Federal Aviation Administration which allows Boeing to test the flight and determine if the aircraft could be put back into service. The plan may be approved within the next few days, which will be officially announced by the FAA. A Boeing representative said they felt encouraged by the progress towards resolving the problem and putting the 787 back on track.
50 jets were grounded seven weeks ago after the lithium-ion batteries were found burning on two planes. Airlines were banned from using the airplanes and Boeing was stopped from delivering them, but they continued to produce them. They lose approximately $50 million each week while planes are grounded. Design modifications were proposed to change the battery and add protection to contain fires or smoke on-board an aircraft in January, but Boeing is not allowed to conduct tests on the new systems. The modificati0ons include a containment box and tube to allow fumes to escape if a fire were to occur on-board a flight.
A report on the 787 battery fire at Boston’s Logan International will be released by the National Transportation Safety Board. It is not expected to include any recommendations or analysis of the problems. Japanese authorities are currently investigating the other battery fire. The chief executive of Qatar Airways, a Boeing 787 customer, said he expected Boeing to devise a resolution soon and awaited approval from the FAA, despite all the questions surrounding the battery fires.
In order for approval to take place, the FAA’s permission to allow test flights to take place is one of the steps. The company must also deal with any findings by the National Transportation Safety Board, who asked questions about the FAA approval process and the use of lithium-ion batteries. Once the FAA approves the fixes, however, Boeing representatives stated they will move quickly to get the Dreamliner flying once again. There are many approval processes that must take place, first however, and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood promised the airplanes would not fly again until regulators were “1,000″ percent sure that they are safe.
An aerospace analyst estimated it may take at least four months to clear the 787 for flying, and if the testing approval is extended, it may take 6-9 months, according to news reports.
Federal Regulators Asked to Shut-Down Bus Company
Safety defects were discovered with buses that a popular bus service operates that travel between New York City and Boston. Inspectors are requesting that transportation officials declare the bus company Fung Wah Bus a hazard and close them down as soon as possible. Six buses are still on the road, despite an agreement that took 21 older buses off the road. The company has experienced many problems, including an incident involving violating a federal safety regulation which led to dozens of injuries. They are accused of hiring drivers who can’t speak English and exceed speed limits, according to news reports.
Carnival Ship Expected to Land in Alabama Today
Over 4,200 people are stranded on the Carnival Triumph, a cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico. The passengers have faced overflowing toilets, disgusting smells, and lines waiting for food after the power on the ship went out. They are scheduled to land later today in Mobile, Alabama. The vessel, 893-feet in size, has not had power or running water and operating on a back-up generator since Sunday due to a fire in the engine room. The vessel is experiencing sewage issues and food shortages. The flagship brand of global cruise ship company Carnival Corp, Carnival Cruise Lines, operates the ship. It left from Galveston, Texas one week ago with 3,143 passengers and 1,086 crew members, with a scheduled return of Monday. It is now expected to arrive in Mobile, Alabama from 8-11pm. Late Thursday morning, the ship was near the sea buoy at the entrance to Mobile Bay. The trip time from the buoy into the port of Mobile is around three hours. The vice president of the cruise line said they are going as fast as possible, and there isn’t a way to speed up the boat to go any faster.
The Triumph is being escorted by the Coast Guard, who also delivered a generator to the ship on Wednesday. Some passengers were able to contact their loved ones on the conditions on-board the boat, describing the sanitation problems. Many passengers were using “biohazard” bags as toilets.
The company decided to add $500 to compensate each passenger on-board the stranded ship. One passenger did not accept the cruise line’s apology, saying the emotional damage will be much greater. The Carnival company has experienced problems with its ships before, including when 32 people died when the Costa Concordia grounded on rocks in Italy. The CEO of Carnival was criticized for not visiting Italy and taking charge of the crisis, which led to many lawsuits. The mogul has also stayed faily guarded so far concerning this situation, only making one public appearance at a Miami Heat basketball game on Tuesday.
The company planned to tow the ship to the Progreso port in Mexico, but the ship drifted 90 nautical miles north because of strong currents, leaving them half-way between Progreso and Mobile. According to news reports, Carnival Corp shares were down .12 early this afternoon.
Sanitation Problems Mount on Stranded Cruise Ship
An investigation into the fire that resulted in a power outage on a cruise ship is now underway. The Carnival ship is being hauled to Mobile, Alabama currently, and is still several hours away form landing. A passenger on-board said they couldn’t stand to stay on the boat any longer without food, power or water. One of the worst issues is with sanitation, since less that two dozen toilets on-board work. The odor has forced many to sleep on the deck in tents. The company is apologizing to passengers for the problems and noted they are safe and the ship has 40% power. They made arrangements for hotel rooms, charter buses, and flights to take passengers somewhere for the night they arrive on land, according to news reports.
Stranded Carnival Ship Passengers Sleeping in Tents
Authorities from the Carnival Cruise ships apologized for the stranded Carnival Triumph. 4,200 people are living on-board the ship, damaged by fire, with limited power and sanitation resources. The ship should arrive this afternoon in Mobile, Alabama. Originally, the company planned to haul it to Mexico, but the ship drifted northbound in stronger currents than anticipated. The passengers on-board are rationing food and running water. A medical team will meet passengers when they arrive.
Hotel rooms are reserved in Mobile and New Orleans along with charter buses and flights booked for passengers to take when they arrive. One passenger noted eating onion and cucumber sandwiches and the carpets inside the ship getting flooded. Many passengers are sleeping in tents on the deck. Since there isn’t any refrigeration available, odors inside the cabin are getting stronger. They only get cell signal when another Carnival ship drops off supplies. Since the ship lost power, they are depending on a back-up generator, according to news reports.
Fleets of Boeing 787 Stopped from Flying
Fleets of Boeing 787 Dreamliners are prevented from flying due to defects in their batteries, which could catch fire. The FAA is currently developing a plan to resume operations as soon as possible. United Airlines is the only airline affected by the ruling. All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines voluntarily grounded their fleets after an emergency landing was made by an ANA 787 due to a malfunctioning battery. Other issues such as cracked cockpit windows, computer errors, and fuel leaks have occurred with the newest airplane, which first entered service in September, 2011, according to news reports.
Car Seat Safety Check Announced
Is your child’s safety seat really safe? Officials from Batavia, Ilionois want to know. They are conducting a child’s car safety seat event to find out. Many of you may think that the seat you purchased and use is very safe. You may have even purchased the “top of the line” product. However, one study showed that 72% of them failed. Find out why!
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University Starts Safety Campaign
On August 8, Palm Harbor University students began a program that increases awareness of the dangers of texting while driving. The program, dubbed “X the next text”, gives some facts on the dangers of texting while driving. One of the first mentioned dangers is the fact that you are completely blind for the duration of sending the text.
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Anti-Texting Campaign Gains Support
More than 90% of teens when asked said they knew texting and driving was dangerous. So then why do they do it? These days it is not only teens it is also adults doing what has killed so many and injured many more. The lesson everyone is trying to teach these days is that it is not worth it. That one message, that one word could be fatal and has been numerous times in the past years. Distraction is a killer these days and even with the laws banning texting and driving there seems to be no end.
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