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1.12 Accidents 2 Update 20 Octr 2021
TRANSPORTATION ACCIDENTS1.12 Accidents 2 Update 20 Octr 2021
Contents of Chapter - Use Search
General Transportation, Airplane, Airplane Terrorism, Bicycle, Bridge, Bus, Car, Ferry, Horse Riding, Motorcycle/Moped, Skiing, Taxi, Train.
General Transportation: Driver, Vehicle, Route, Passenger are the keys in the ground and air vehicle accidents. First, safest tested (for child too) air-bagged vehicle. Second, Driver is skillful and rested age 30 – 50, healthy, drug-free, experienced, and seat belt correctly buckled. Safe Vehicle is tried and tested, accident-free and well-maintained air-bagged model with a test of prior usage but neither too old, nor too new model. Safe Route is clear, moderate weather, quiet travel period, no crowded road, rail, or sky. The Passenger should be in good condition with not overfull stomach, no restrictive clothing and seat belt correctly buckled. (But if you survive the crash landing, immediately unbuckle seat belt; cf. the 06 July 2013 Asiana Airlines landing crash at SFO where overheated locked seat belts trapped passengers in seats of burning aircraft) Small child should be protected.
Airplane: In-flight safety? Safest place in a jet if it is going to have trouble is at center. An aisle seat is safer because of better access to an exit. Being next to door exit is less safe because of the possibility of door blowout. When you are seated, keep seat belt fastened, and in WC hold on to the handlebar. When getting out of your seat, pay attention to overhead bin: it may come open and cause a heavy piece of luggage to fall on your head.
The most dangerous times in a flight are takeoff and landing. Nonstop shortest mileage flight by a major airline of a major Western nation including Japan is choice. In choosing an international carrier, avoid airline of a country likeIndia or Russia Yemen Indian Ocean ) Be alert to what is happening with an airline and whether an airline has labor trouble, cf. the Northwest Airlines, Oct. 2009 pilot overflight of airport destination; again 2 months later, the Xmas day terrorist over Detroit; the Germanwing pilot who suicide-crashed his commercial just in the French Alps, 24 March 2015: "
Concerning medicine, of course, whatever your doctor prescribes, take; but avoid over-the-counter medications. In the event of trouble, it is best to be unmedicated.
Stay alert when you fly and early-on read the safety booklet.
The more packed an aircraft, the more possibility of mishap so arrange to fly on the least crowded day (Wed.) date (April) and season (Early spring), after holiday end.
And pay attention to weather (also at destination) right up to last minute before boarding. Flying risk multiplies on a cold, icy, snowy, windy, wintery day, and especially at night, and much more during rain/wind/snowstorm. If your airline chooses to fly in questionable weather, be prepared to cancel and fly on another, better day. If waiting to board or boarded and announcement informs of overbooking and offers cash reward and/or free overnight airport hotel stay to anyone who changes to later flight, volunteer if not very inconvenient to schedule.
We can’t always control where and when we fly but at least we should be aware of increased risk we take, flying under a specific condition in a specific area. There are many more examples of bad weather accident correlated with cold, wind, rain and snow. Keep alert to weather conditions and live longest! The most dangerous times in a flight are takeoff and landing. Nonstop shortest mileage flight by a major airline of a major Western nation including Japan is choice. In choosing an international carrier, avoid airline of a country like
Airplane Terrorism Beyond what is already mentioned concerning national airlines, prefer not to fly at the start of a week, i.e., Mondays or Tuesdays. Almost all major airline terrorism has taken place on these named weekdays probably because terrorist planning is done on weekend and carried out a day or two after the weekend.
The below excerpt from a recent news story gives very useful instructions how to survive an air-crash.
Almost all aircraft accidents are survivable – with 87.7 per cent of incidents involving zero fatalities – but there’s one step which can massively improve your chances, an expert has explained.
Last year, crew members who were pulled from the wreckage of the plane crash which wiped out nearly an entire Brazilian football team said they had survived by "following emergency protocol’ – while other passengers stood up and screamed.
Specifically, the crew members remained seated, and huddled over to protect from the impact.
Adopting a ‘brace’ position, where passengers curl over and fasten seat belts will prevent many of the most severe injuries incurred in crashes, an unnamed plane safety expert told Mail Online.
The expert said, "When a plane crashes you have two impacts."
"The first one passengers feel is a tightening of the seat belt. But as the aircraft stops you continue to move forward.
"But it’s the secondary impact that’s critical. What will happen is that your upper torso will move forward. And in moving forward you will hit something.
"That’s certainly the case in economy class seats.
"The best position to adopt is one where you crouch down and reduce the movement of the head in a forward direction.
Bicycle: Before the car and convenient walkway existed, the bicycle was important in getting people about. In pre-1980 China, and in North Korea still today, bicycles were and are a useful alternative to fossil-fuel. But today in U.S.A. and Japan, bicycling for most is a hobby, a sport, an addiction, and a danger. With today's good walkways and efficient, inexpensive public transportation, bicycling serves little purpose and causes too much trouble. Children have up to 3 times delay in reaction time compared to young adults so they are much more prone to accident. I am surprised at seeing mothers riding infants on bicycles. If you need exercise, walk; if you need to get someplace rapidly and safely, use public transport.
27 June 2018: Flash! Today I got word my best friend fractured his hip and joint in a bicycle accident. Nuff said!
The below excerpt from a recent news story gives very useful instructions how to survive an air-crash.
Expert explains how to survive "almost every" plane crash
Yahoo Canada Fri, Feb 10 6:44 PM PSTLast year, crew members who were pulled from the wreckage of the plane crash which wiped out nearly an entire Brazilian football team said they had survived by "following emergency protocol’ – while other passengers stood up and screamed.
Specifically, the crew members remained seated, and huddled over to protect from the impact.
Adopting a ‘brace’ position, where passengers curl over and fasten seat belts will prevent many of the most severe injuries incurred in crashes, an unnamed plane safety expert told Mail Online.
The expert said, "When a plane crashes you have two impacts."
"The first one passengers feel is a tightening of the seat belt. But as the aircraft stops you continue to move forward.
"But it’s the secondary impact that’s critical. What will happen is that your upper torso will move forward. And in moving forward you will hit something.
"That’s certainly the case in economy class seats.
"The best position to adopt is one where you crouch down and reduce the movement of the head in a forward direction.
Bicycle: Before the car and convenient walkway existed, the bicycle was important in getting people about. In pre-1980 China, and in North Korea still today, bicycles were and are a useful alternative to fossil-fuel. But today in U.S.A. and Japan, bicycling for most is a hobby, a sport, an addiction, and a danger. With today's good walkways and efficient, inexpensive public transportation, bicycling serves little purpose and causes too much trouble. Children have up to 3 times delay in reaction time compared to young adults so they are much more prone to accident. I am surprised at seeing mothers riding infants on bicycles. If you need exercise, walk; if you need to get someplace rapidly and safely, use public transport.
27 June 2018: Flash! Today I got word my best friend fractured his hip and joint in a bicycle accident. Nuff said!
Bridge accident entered my consciousness from Minneapolis 2 August 2007 . Keep alert that every time you cross a bridge the risk to life sharply peaks. The important point is to avoid rush-hour bridge crossing or when repair is in progress because of increased risk from the added weight. Also, avoid crossing in bad weather. And ancient bridge (Brooklyn Bridge
Bus travel presents a similar risk, plus tripping and fall on bus stair. A bus may suddenly lurch so be sure to grab the hanging handle if you stand, and even while you sit, hold on.
16 Oct. 2003 saw the horrific crash of a Staten Island Ferry (NYC, between Manhattan
Horse riding. Remember former Superman, the late Christopher Reeve! Thrown forward from a horse; Reeve broke his back and spinal cord.
Bus travel presents a similar risk, plus tripping and fall on bus stair. A bus may suddenly lurch so be sure to grab the hanging handle if you stand, and even while you sit, hold on.
Car is a top killer and causes injury and heart & lung disease; also it is the major cause of the build-up of CO2 that is causing greenhouse global warming. Most drivers own a car because of “monkey see, monkey do”, due to peer pressure and advertisement. If you sometimes need a car, better to rent or hire.
My consciousness was raised about the danger of oldster behind steering wheel by my late 82 y/o cousin Ben causing a totaling accident when he did not notice another car approaching at a right angle at an intersection. He survived and the next day had a new car. Accident and death due to a too old driver are too many! Smart people give it up before it gives them up!
But, still, the motor vehicle is here and, whether private or public, to be a safe driver (applies as well to a pedestrian) is the key to no accidents. The following from Volvo engineer analysis of thousands of MVA (motor vehicle accidents) gives principles of safe driving. It also refers to advanced computerized self-driving vehicles: Most accidents are caused by what Volvo calls the four D’s: distraction, drowsiness, drunkenness, and driver error. The company’s newest safety systems try to address each of these. To keep the driver alert, they use cameras, lasers, and radar to monitor the car’s progress. If the car crosses a lane line without a signal from the blinker, a chime sounds. If a pattern emerges, the dashboard flashes a steaming coffee cup and the words “Time for a break.” To instill better habits, the car rates the driver’s attentiveness as it goes, with bars like those on a cell phone. (Mercedes-Benz motors go a step further: its advanced cruise control won’t work unless at least one of the driver’s hands is on the wheel) In Europe, some Volvos even come with Breathalyzer systems, to discourage drunken driving. When all else fails, the cars take preventive action: tightening the seat belts, charging the brakes for maximum traction, and, at the last moment, stopping the car.
Have your car properly maintained and do not forget the airbag for your car, a type that is safe for infants: be sure it is checked regularly so that it will work when you need it.
Taxi has the risk of having to rely on a dangerous driver. Here, use all your senses plus intuition. A taxi driver should look, smell, sound, and drive normal. Judge him immediately, and if a negative judgment waits until you are being driven around, be prepared to call Halt and say “Hey! This is where I get off.” For those who use a taxi, a multi-passenger with a driver you know and trust is best. Always, when you get in to ride, note the cabby’s name and i/d number, and if you cannot find it, tell him to let you out. At the airport, avoid the unlicensed. Never ride in an unmarked cab.
The 30 May 2015 accidental death of 1994 Nobel Prize winner John Nash and his wife (the subject of 2000 movie "A Beautiful Mind") emphasizes a number of important points here. The situation: The Nashes had just landed at Newark-Liberty Airport several hours ahead of schedule. The limousine to pick them up was not there and they chose to hail a local taxi from the airport. The taxi driver was only on his first few days driving and the Nashes also neglected to use the available seat belts. The taxi crashed as a result of poor driving and the Nashes were instantly killed because they were thrown out of the crashing car. The lessons here: prefer not to take a taxi especially from an airport and prefer to use railway or bus facilities. But if you take a taxi, be sure you have complete confidence in the driver and his or her appearance. Then always use seat belts. Finally, we must comment that this could be called a "Flitcraft" accident i.e., a result of bad timing, that is, the 5-hour early arrival caused a series of events that ended in tragic death. Of course one may say it is fate and nothing to do about it, but with knowledge of "Flitcraft" effect, a person might automatically change his schedule or his decisions in order to disappoint fate.
Ferry: But, still, the motor vehicle is here and, whether private or public, to be a safe driver (applies as well to a pedestrian) is the key to no accidents. The following from Volvo engineer analysis of thousands of MVA (motor vehicle accidents) gives principles of safe driving. It also refers to advanced computerized self-driving vehicles: Most accidents are caused by what Volvo calls the four D’s: distraction, drowsiness, drunkenness, and driver error. The company’s newest safety systems try to address each of these. To keep the driver alert, they use cameras, lasers, and radar to monitor the car’s progress. If the car crosses a lane line without a signal from the blinker, a chime sounds. If a pattern emerges, the dashboard flashes a steaming coffee cup and the words “Time for a break.” To instill better habits, the car rates the driver’s attentiveness as it goes, with bars like those on a cell phone. (Mercedes-Benz motors go a step further: its advanced cruise control won’t work unless at least one of the driver’s hands is on the wheel) In Europe, some Volvos even come with Breathalyzer systems, to discourage drunken driving. When all else fails, the cars take preventive action: tightening the seat belts, charging the brakes for maximum traction, and, at the last moment, stopping the car.
Have your car properly maintained and do not forget the airbag for your car, a type that is safe for infants: be sure it is checked regularly so that it will work when you need it.
Taxi has the risk of having to rely on a dangerous driver. Here, use all your senses plus intuition. A taxi driver should look, smell, sound, and drive normal. Judge him immediately, and if a negative judgment waits until you are being driven around, be prepared to call Halt and say “Hey! This is where I get off.” For those who use a taxi, a multi-passenger with a driver you know and trust is best. Always, when you get in to ride, note the cabby’s name and i/d number, and if you cannot find it, tell him to let you out. At the airport, avoid the unlicensed. Never ride in an unmarked cab.
The 30 May 2015 accidental death of 1994 Nobel Prize winner John Nash and his wife (the subject of 2000 movie "A Beautiful Mind") emphasizes a number of important points here. The situation: The Nashes had just landed at Newark-Liberty Airport several hours ahead of schedule. The limousine to pick them up was not there and they chose to hail a local taxi from the airport. The taxi driver was only on his first few days driving and the Nashes also neglected to use the available seat belts. The taxi crashed as a result of poor driving and the Nashes were instantly killed because they were thrown out of the crashing car. The lessons here: prefer not to take a taxi especially from an airport and prefer to use railway or bus facilities. But if you take a taxi, be sure you have complete confidence in the driver and his or her appearance. Then always use seat belts. Finally, we must comment that this could be called a "Flitcraft" accident i.e., a result of bad timing, that is, the 5-hour early arrival caused a series of events that ended in tragic death. Of course one may say it is fate and nothing to do about it, but with knowledge of "Flitcraft" effect, a person might automatically change his schedule or his decisions in order to disappoint fate.
Horse riding. Remember former Superman, the late Christopher Reeve! Thrown forward from a horse; Reeve broke his back and spinal cord.
Motorcycle, moped and the like do not even have the excuse of being exercise or nonpolluting transport. They are people-perioding.
Skiing ought to be left to suicidal and dangerous thrill-seeker. It has injured or killed too many to justify its existence other than as financial support for the orthopedic surgeon.
Skiing ought to be left to suicidal and dangerous thrill-seeker. It has injured or killed too many to justify its existence other than as financial support for the orthopedic surgeon.
Train: Worst injury happens to a standing passenger at end of the train car, at a busy travel time. Avoid rush hour, stay in mid-train, find an empty seat or be sure to hold on to handlebar or strap. Inside-train accident can occur without crash due to a sudden deceleration in a wall-to-wall, people-packed train. If you must stand in a crowded train, position yourself with the metal barrier between you and bulk of passengers to avoid crush injury. (Worst is mid-aisle) Also, note very high fatal train accidents in China
Flash! In 2015, the high profile of high-injury commuter train crashes due to car crossings mishaps in the U.S.A! And further for NY Area flash for 2016 note the below story:
HOBOKEN, N.J. (AP) — A rush-hour commuter train crashed through a barrier at the busy Hoboken station and lurched across the waiting area Thursday morning, killing one person and injuring more than 100 others in a grisly wreck that renewed questions about whether long-delayed automated safety technology could have prevented tragedy.
"All of a sudden, there was an abrupt stop and a big jolt that threw people out of seats. The lights went out, and we heard a loud crashing noise like an explosion" as the roof fell, said Ross Bauer, who was sitting in the third or fourth car when the train entered the historic 109-year-old station, a bustling hub for commuters heading to New York City. "I heard panicked screams, and everyone was stunned."
The train's engineer was pulled from the mangled first car and hospitalized in critical condition. He was cooperating with investigators, Gov. Chris Christie said.
A woman standing on the platform was killed by debris, and 108 others were injured, mostly on the train, Christie said. Seventy-four of them were hospitalized, some in serious condition, with injuries that included broken bones, bumps, and gashes.
"The train came in at a much too high rate of speed, and the question is: 'Why is that?'" Christie said. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said investigators will determine whether the explanation was an equipment failure, an incapacitated engineer, or something else.
The National Transportation Safety Board sent investigators. Among other things, they will want to know what the operator was doing before the crash and whether the person was distracted or fatigued, said Bob Chipkevich, who formerly headed the NTSB train crash investigations section.
None of NJ Transit's trains is fully equipped with positive train control, a safety system designed to prevent accidents by automatically slowing or stopping trains that are going too fast. Positive train control relies on radio and GPS signals to monitor trains' positions and speed.
The NTSB has been pressing for some version of the technology since at least 1990, and the industry is under government orders to install it, but regulators have repeatedly extended the deadline at railroads' request. The target date is now the end of 2018.
"While we are just beginning to learn the cause of this crash, it appears that once again an accident was not prevented because the trains our commuters were riding lacked positive train control," said Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y. "The longer we fail to prioritize investing in rail safety technology, the more innocent lives we put in jeopardy."
But both Cuomo and Christie said that it is too soon to say whether such technology would have made a difference in the Hoboken crash.
Over the past 20 years, the NTSB has listed the lack of positive train control as a contributing factor in 25 crashes. Those include the Amtrak wreck last year in Philadelphia in which a train ran off the rails along a curve. Eight people were killed.
NJ Transit trains do have an alert system — a sort of dead man's device — that can sound a loud alarm and then stop a train if the engineer goes approximately 15 to 20 seconds without adjusting the controls. But it is not clear whether that would have made a difference either.
The train was not equipped with an inward-facing camera in the cab that could give a fuller picture of the operator's actions.
To read next, Natural Accidents and Nuclear meltdown, click 1-12-3 Accidents 3 Natural Accidents, Includes N...
Flash! In 2015, the high profile of high-injury commuter train crashes due to car crossings mishaps in the U.S.A! And further for NY Area flash for 2016 note the below story:
HOBOKEN, N.J. (AP) — A rush-hour commuter train crashed through a barrier at the busy Hoboken station and lurched across the waiting area Thursday morning, killing one person and injuring more than 100 others in a grisly wreck that renewed questions about whether long-delayed automated safety technology could have prevented tragedy.
People pulled chunks of concrete off pinned and bleeding victims, passengers kicked out windows and crawled to safety, and cries and screams could be heard in the wreckage at the station just across the Hudson River from New York City as emergency workers rushed to reach commuters in the tangle of twisted metal and dangling wires.
The New Jersey Transit train ran off the end of its track as it pulled into the station, smashing through a concrete-and-steel bumper. It apparently knocked out pillars as it ground to a halt in the waiting area, collapsing a section of the roof onto the train."All of a sudden, there was an abrupt stop and a big jolt that threw people out of seats. The lights went out, and we heard a loud crashing noise like an explosion" as the roof fell, said Ross Bauer, who was sitting in the third or fourth car when the train entered the historic 109-year-old station, a bustling hub for commuters heading to New York City. "I heard panicked screams, and everyone was stunned."
The train's engineer was pulled from the mangled first car and hospitalized in critical condition. He was cooperating with investigators, Gov. Chris Christie said.
A woman standing on the platform was killed by debris, and 108 others were injured, mostly on the train, Christie said. Seventy-four of them were hospitalized, some in serious condition, with injuries that included broken bones, bumps, and gashes.
"The train came in at a much too high rate of speed, and the question is: 'Why is that?'" Christie said. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said investigators will determine whether the explanation was an equipment failure, an incapacitated engineer, or something else.
The National Transportation Safety Board sent investigators. Among other things, they will want to know what the operator was doing before the crash and whether the person was distracted or fatigued, said Bob Chipkevich, who formerly headed the NTSB train crash investigations section.
None of NJ Transit's trains is fully equipped with positive train control, a safety system designed to prevent accidents by automatically slowing or stopping trains that are going too fast. Positive train control relies on radio and GPS signals to monitor trains' positions and speed.
The NTSB has been pressing for some version of the technology since at least 1990, and the industry is under government orders to install it, but regulators have repeatedly extended the deadline at railroads' request. The target date is now the end of 2018.
"While we are just beginning to learn the cause of this crash, it appears that once again an accident was not prevented because the trains our commuters were riding lacked positive train control," said Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y. "The longer we fail to prioritize investing in rail safety technology, the more innocent lives we put in jeopardy."
But both Cuomo and Christie said that it is too soon to say whether such technology would have made a difference in the Hoboken crash.
Over the past 20 years, the NTSB has listed the lack of positive train control as a contributing factor in 25 crashes. Those include the Amtrak wreck last year in Philadelphia in which a train ran off the rails along a curve. Eight people were killed.
NJ Transit trains do have an alert system — a sort of dead man's device — that can sound a loud alarm and then stop a train if the engineer goes approximately 15 to 20 seconds without adjusting the controls. But it is not clear whether that would have made a difference either.
The train was not equipped with an inward-facing camera in the cab that could give a fuller picture of the operator's actions.
The Hoboken terminal handles more than 50,000 train and bus riders daily, many of them headed into New York City. After arriving at Hoboken, they take ferries or PATH commuter trains across the river to the city.
Finally, note in the Accidents-1 chapter, my terrible fall on 23 March 2018 because I stood up on a moving subway car and stupidly didn't hold on for support.To read next, Natural Accidents and Nuclear meltdown, click 1-12-3 Accidents 3 Natural Accidents, Includes N...
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