The Buffalo News reported today that “Government inspectors harshly criticized the Federal Aviation Administration for its response to the Colgan Air crash in Clarence a year ago, saying the agency’s effort to get airlines to voluntarily fix safety problems had not addressed the problems the accident raised.” It was reported that the FAA has fallen behind in developing tougher rules on pilot training and fatigue, and has inadequately reviewed training programs at the airlines. The inspectors found that FAA initiates are falling behind or not reaching their goals. Although Colgan would like to focus on human error as the cause of the accident, proper pilot training and overworked pilots are at the source of the problem. By failing to voluntarily address the safety issues properly, Colgan has shown that it main concern is not the safety of its passengers, and that it places business concerns above all else.
Highway Work Zone Safety Needs Improvement
December 22, 2009
The New York Times reported today that there needs to be increased safety in highway work areas. Approximately 160 people are killed and 11,000 injured each year from unsafe conditions, just from pavement edge drop-offs alone. The steeper the drop off the more dangerous the condition becomes.