According to a July 19, AP report “The operator of a light-rail train that crashed [in San Francisco], injuring dozens of passengers as well as the operator, came under scrutiny on Sunday as federal investigators tried to figure out why he turned off the automatic controls moments before the accident. Ted Turpin, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said that the operator switched the controls from automatic to manual in a tunnel near the West Portal Station and that he never engaged the emergency brake. Had the operator kept the autopilot on, Mr. Turpin said, the train would have slowed down before arriving at the station and most likely not have careened into a parked train while going 23 miles per hour.”

New York Senator Chuck Schumer Seeks Safety Fix After I-90 Pileup – Underride Guards Can Save Lives
Febuary 20, Senator Schumer called for mandatory underide guards on tractor trailers. Underride guards are inexpensive side guards on trailers that prevent injury and save lives. Truck accident attorney John Feroleto has advocated for the simple safety guards to reduce necessary injuries in big rig crashes.

