The National Sleep Foundation released the results for the 2012 Sleep in America poll this month. The results may be alarming for safety advocates and those looking to reduce aviation accidents and other transportation industry mistakes. Of the 202 pilots who responded, roughly one in five acknowledged that they made a serious error while working because they […]
Illinois Highway Construction Worker Killed by Semi Truck
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, every year approximately 100 construction workers are killed in roadway work zones around the nation. On Tuesday morning, a semi truck failed to merge into the left lane quickly enough and chose to drive around a Department of Transportation arrow truck by going onto the right shoulder. He […]
FAA Makes Changes to Improve Information Gathering
In an effort to encourage air traffic controllers and employees in charge of maintaining radar installations and other airport systems to speak up when mistakes occur, the Federal Aviation Administration has made several changes. The FAA says it will reduce aviation accidents and make air travel safer for everyone by expanding a non-punitive reporting system currently in […]
Study Discusses Openness and Honesty in Physicians
A new study in Health Affairs has compiled the survey results of more than 1,800 physicians concerning how forthright they are with their patients. After a serious medical error or other form of medical malpractice, victims may not be informed of the truth by their doctors. The study is contrasted with a 2010 telephone survey that […]
Hit-and-Run Accident Leads to Criminal Charges
A correctional officer was killed and three others were seriously injured when a pickup truck struck them during a jog last week. The fatal accident happened around 7 p.m. Tuesday evening. After striking the officers, the driver of the truck left the scene without stopping. He turned himself into authorities and is facing four felony charges of […]
FAA Proposes New Regulations Regarding Pilots
The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed the first increase in flight hours required to become a co-pilot for a commercial air carrier since 1973. The previous increase raised the minimum from 200 to 250. The latest proposal raises the 250 hour threshold to 1,500 hours, which would match the requirements for pilots. The new threshold […]
A Forum on Attentive Driving
The competition for a driver’s attention used to be between driving, the radio and other passengers. That competition now includes cell phones, GPS devices, iPods and other personal electronic devices. The increase in serious car and truck accidents caused by distracted driving has caused the National Transportation Safety Board to hold a forum designed to […]
Pharmacy Mistake Switches Breast Cancer Meds and Fluoride Tablets
Countless children are prescribed chewable fluoride tablets to help prevent tooth decay every year. A product mix-up at a pharmacy in New Jersey led to several children receiving the drug Tamoxifen, a breast cancer treatment, rather than the fluoride pills they had been prescribed. The error may have affected up to 50 families over nearly three months’ […]
Boeing Discovers Flaw in New 787 Jets
Boeing Company’s 787 Dreamliner jets are made up of composite parts to a greater extent than any airliner that preceded them. The heavy reliance on carbon-plastic parts may now pose a threat of aviation accidents as the aircraft are showing signs of stress in the fuselage. Boeing insists the problems are easily repairable and hopes to avoid […]
Wrong-way Car Accidents are a Continuing Problem in Chicago
Traffic accidents are a common occurrence on Chicago roads, but these crashes are always unexpected for the drivers involved. One of the most disturbing recent trends in Chicago car accidents is the number of wrong-way crashes occurring throughout the metro area. Wrong-way crashes typically result in serious personal injuries and local officials are scrambling to figure out […]
Helicopter and Airplane Collide, Miraculously No One Killed
Both pilots were able to walk away from a mid-air collision that brought a plane and a helicopter down on Sunday. The aviation accident occurred on Sunday evening between Sacramento and San Francisco. Despite significant damage to the helicopter, the pilot was only shaken up after coming down in a field a few miles outside of the […]
Hours of Service Rules Challenged by Trucking Associations
When the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration proposed new restrictions on the hours of service a truck driver could operate, there was no doubt there would be controversy. Trucking industry insiders believe that the new rules are needlessly restrictive and will not make a significant difference in the number of truck accidents. The American Trucking Association […]
NTSB Continues to Push Cell Phone Ban
While many states have adopted bans on texting while driving, the acceptance for a total ban on portable electronic device use while driving has not caught on to the same level. The National Transportation Safety Board called for such a ban last December in response to mounting evidence that cell phones are a growing cause […]
Rapoport Sims Perry & VanOverloop, P.C., Hosts NIU Finance Department Alumni Event
Qantas Discovers More Wing Cracks in A380
The A380 had a tumultuous beginning, suffering significant delays before finally beginning passenger flights in 2007. Last month, technicians discovered numerous cracks in the wing ribs of an A380 that had been grounded after having an engine disintegrate in 2010. To prevent an airline accident, the European Aviation Safety Agency ordered roughly 100 of the aircraft […]
State of Indiana Releases Stage Collapse Findings
The Indiana State Fair disaster that left seven people dead and 58 seriously injured drew national headlines. The Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited three groups in connection with the fatal accident. The Mid-America Sound Corp. of Greenfield, Indiana, the Indiana State Fair Commission and the International Alliance of Theatrical and State Employees Local […]
Fatal Truck Accident Raises Issues of Safe Towing
An Illinois truck driver was struck and killed over the weekend when a trailer towed by an SUV came loose, crossed the median and struck the semi on Interstate 80-90. The driver of the UPS semi truck was declared dead on the scene from blunt force trauma caused by the trailer. The fatal truck accident raises questions […]
Train Bound for Chicago Derails
An Amtrak train headed to Chicago derailed yesterday, injuring at least ten people. The train collided with a semi truck at a railroad crossing in Michigan. The engine was overturned and all 68 passengers and five crew members had to be evacuated. The truck driver was also taken to the hospital. Thankfully, none of the injuries suffered […]
Pilot Error Cited in Two Deadly Helicopter Accidents
Two investigations conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board were concluded last week with very similar results. The deadly aviation crashes both involved medical helicopters which were returning home after delivering patients. The NTSB was already aware of an increase in medical helicopter crashes. The safety organization had identified a number of factors that contributed to this […]
Michael L. Teich Named a 2012 Illinois Super Lawyer
Rapoport Sims Perry & VanOverloop partner Michael L. Teich has been selected for inclusion to the 2012 Illinois Super Lawyers list as one of the top attorneys in Illinois. No more than 5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected as Super Lawyers. The list is compiled annually by Thomson Reuters and the […]
