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

Federal Agencies Propose New Plan to Tackle Drowsy Driving

Drowsy driving’s annual societal costs are estimated to be $109 billion, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). The figure is likely higher given that it doesn’t include property damage costs. With …

Ford to Introduce Driverless Cars to Ride Hailing Services by 2021

Ford Motor Co., which put the world on wheels a century ago, is now taking the driver out of the driver’s seat. The company said it plans to have a fully autonomous vehicle – no steering wheel, no gas or …

Tyson Foods Fined $263,000 After Amputation at Texas Plant

Inspectors fined Tyson Foods more than $263,000 for safety violations at an East Texas poultry plant where a worker’s finger was amputated when it became stuck in a conveyor belt, federal officials announced Tuesday. The U.S. Department of Labor said …

Little Progress in Railroad Adoption of Key Safety Technology

Many commuter and freight railroads have made little progress installing safety technology designed to prevent deadly collisions and derailments despite a mandate from Congress, according to a government report released Wednesday. The technology, called positive train control or PTC, uses …

Louisiana’s Eroding Coast a $100B Nightmare for Big Oil

From 5,000 feet up, it’s difficult to make out where Louisiana’s coastline used to be. But follow the skeletal remains of decades-old oil canals, and you get an idea. Once, these lanes sliced through thick marshland, clearing a path for …

People News: Newby, Johnson, Hudgens, Pieretti

Martin Newby Joins Olympus Insurance as VP of Claims Olympus Insurance Company, a Florida homeowners insurer, named Martin Newby vice president of Claims. Newby will serve as Olympus’ senior claims executive responsible for the development, implementation, organization and leadership of …

Pennsylvania Councilman to Resign Amid Insurance Fraud Charges

A city councilman is resigning following charges he filed a false accident report and repeatedly changed his explanation for what happened. Lebanon councilman Tony Matula, 59, faces charges including insurance fraud, false reports to law enforcement and hit and run, …

Illinois Traffic Fatalities Expected to Top 1,000 in 2016

Safety and insurance industry experts say Illinois traffic fatalities are expected to pass 1,000 this year for the first time since 2008 because of higher speeds, more miles driven and an increase in the number of younger drivers on the …

Insurer Offers Litigation Coverage for Contingency Cases in U.S.

When David Brill lost a trial for a client who fell off his neighbor’s ladder, it was a rare failure for his three-member Florida law firm. It also cost him $30,000 in expenses since he’d taken the case on contingency, …

European Safety Agency Proposes Strict Pilot Medical Checks

The European Aviation Safety Agency on Tuesday proposed tougher medical examinations for pilots, including better mental health assessments, in response to last year’s Germanwings crash. Pilot Andreas Lubitz locked his captain out of the cockpit and flew a plane into …