NTSB CHAIRMAN HIGHLIGHTS VALUE OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND CRASH TESTING IN MOTORCOACH SAFETY

[NTSB Press Releases <NTSBPressReleases@xxxxxxxx>]

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                      NTSB PRESS RELEASE
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National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 17, 2008
SB-08-03

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NTSB CHAIRMAN HIGHLIGHTS VALUE OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND 
CRASH TESTING IN MOTORCOACH SAFETY

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Washington, DC - Challenging the nation's motorcoach 
industry to build on its past accomplishments and embrace 
emerging vehicle safety technologies, NTSB Chairman Mark V. 
Rosenker called for a proactive, multi-faceted approach to 
improving safety on America's roadways.

In a speech at the United Motorcoach Association's annual 
meeting in San Francisco today, Rosenker encouraged the 
industry to partner with federal regulators and embrace 
technological innovations that can prevent accidents.  "It 
is time to implement safety improvements that provide crash 
mitigation and bridge the gap to the future, by entering a 
new era where safety technology will also help us prevent 
accidents," said Rosenker.

Calling the development of enhanced vehicle safety 
technologies "one of the most encouraging developments in 
transportation safety in a very long time," Rosenker cited 
electronic stability control, and systems that provide 
drivers warnings to prevent lane departures and imminent 
collisions as among the technologies that, if implemented, 
have the potential to further improve motorcoach safety.

Rosenker also emphasized the importance of crash testing to 
help federal regulators and the industry better understand 
crashworthiness issues.  Lauding the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration for its first crash test of a 
full size motorcoach into a rigid barrier in December 2007, 
Rosenker said that crash testing is "a major step forward 
for motorcoach safety and occupant protection research," and 
is something that the Safety Board has advocated for 
decades.  

In addition, Rosenker announced that in 2008 the Safety 
Board would likely issue two reports involving motorcoaches 
in its continuing efforts to find ways to improve safety for 
travelers on the nation's highways.

The full text of Chairman Rosenker's speech is available at 
http://www.ntsb.gov/speeches/rosenker/mvr080117.html

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NTSB Media Contact: Peter Knudson
202-314-6100, peter.knudson@xxxxxxxx

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