Status of Actions Addressing NTSB Safety Issue Areas
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT or Department) highest priority is safety within all modes of transportation. The Department is committed to the continued improvement of our safety mission across DOT.
Since 1990 the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has annually published the “Most Wanted List,” which is a list of safety recommendations intended to provide a substantial benefit to the traveling public. In November 2016, NTSB announced it will publish the NTSB Most Wanted List every two years, with an update on the status of safety recommendations every year. This reporting period allows the transportation industry, safety advocates, regulatory agencies, and individuals time to develop solutions and promote increased collaboration between DOT and NTSB. Pursuant to section 1135(e) (1) of Title 49, United States Code, and the Department is required to review and report the status of actions responding to the NTSB’s annual Most Wanted List report. This report fulfills this requirement.
The following 10 safety issue areas make up the 2017-2018 NTSB Most Wanted List.
- Increase Implementation of Collision Avoidance Technologies
- Ensure the Safe Shipment of Hazardous Materials
- Prevent Loss of Control in Flight in General Aviation
- Improve Rail Transit Safety Oversight
- End Alcohol and Other Drug Impairment in Transportation
- Reduce Fatigue-Related Accidents
- Require Medical Fitness
- Eliminate Distractions
- Strengthen Occupant Protection
- Expand Use of Recorders to Enhance Safety
Nine of the safety issue areas are the same from the 2016 NTSB Most Wanted List: reduce fatigue-related accidents, improve rail transit safety oversight, increase implementation of collision avoidance technologies, strengthen occupant protections, eliminate distractions, prevent loss of control in flight in general aviation, end alcohol and other drug impairment in transportation, require medical fitness, and expand use of recorders to enhance safety with some slight changes in the wording. The new safety issue area for the 2017-2018 Most Wanted List is ensure safe shipment of hazardous material.
In this report, a summary of the NTSB safety issue area are paraphrased and will appear in italics, followed by DOT’s response[1]. The DOT Operating Administrations (OA) and the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) provide a description of recent activities related to addressing the safety concerns identified in the Most Wanted List. The OAs contributing to this report and DOT’s response are:
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA);
- Federal Highway Administration (FHWA);
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA);
- Federal Railroad Administration (FRA);
- Federal Transit Administration (FTA);
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA); and
- Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
[1] Note that the vessel-related responses to the 2017-2018 Most Wanted List are not included in this report because the U.S. Coast Guard, which is located in the Department of Homeland Security, has regulatory jurisdiction over vessel safety.