Monthly Archives: <span>May 2016</span>

Pedestrian Safety Focus of Multi-Agency Forum

Pedestrian fatalities increased six percent in the first six months of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014, according to preliminary figures provided by Dr. Richard Retting, a national practice leader for safety and research at Sam Schwartz Consulting. …

Prolonged California Oil Spill Due to Corroded Pipeline

A pipeline company responsible for spilling more than 120,000 gallons of oil on the California coast failed to prevent corrosion in its pipes, detect the rupture or respond swiftly as crude streamed toward the ocean, federal regulators said Thursday. Plains …

Cyclone Evacuation Helps Bangladesh Avoid High Death Toll

Tens of thousands of Bangladeshis returned Monday to wind-battered villages and rain-soaked fields after a strong storm pummeled the coast and killed at least 26 people over the weekend. Authorities had ordered about 2 million people to be evacuated from …

Air Safety Continues to Improve Despite High-Profile Disasters

Since the start of 2014, more than 1,600 people have died in commercial aviation disasters. That rate is up from the preceding three years and results in part from some shocking incidents, including a pilot suicide and the downing of …

Few Options for Colorado Theater Victims After Loss to Cinemark

Victims’ loss in a civil trial over whether a Colorado movie theater should have done more to prevent a mass shooting leaves them with dwindling options as they seek damages for their suffering. Experts say the loss Thursday to Cinemark …

Sinking New Orleans Partly Due to Groundwater Extraction

Geologists have long known that New Orleans is slowly sinking – but now, scientists using radar technology say groundwater sucked up by industrial facilities such as a power plant, oil refineries and chemical complexes may be contributing to the problem …

El Nino Blamed for Record Carbon Dioxide Levels

The amount of heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the air jumped by the biggest amount on record last month, a rise amplified by El Nino, scientists say. Carbon dioxide levels increased by 4.16 parts per million in April compared to a …

Lawyer Accuses Travelers of Misleading Him About Insurance Policy

The former lawyer for a car crash victim accused an auto insurance company of hiding a $1 million policy that could have paid for his client’s medical bills during testimony in court Thursday. Attorney Jeff Cole testified in federal court …

Minnesota Federal Judge Rules Concussion Suit Against NHL Can Proceed

A U.S. District judge in Minnesota this week refused to dismiss a lawsuit filed by ex-players accusing the National Hockey League of failing to protect them from head injuries and withholding information about the long-term effect of concussions. The class …

E-Cigarettes Banned From Checked Baggage Because of Fire Risk

The U.S. Transportation Department said Wednesday it is permanently banning passengers and crew members from carrying e-cigarettes in checked baggage or charging the devices onboard aircraft. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx cited a number of recent incidents that show the devices …