Assignment 9/23

Part One:
The 8 areas where it is illegal to pass another vehicle are:
1.Curves - it is unsafe to pass on a curve because you can see what is in your left front zone in order to safely pass.
2.Hills- it is unsafe to pass on a hill because you can see in any of your frontal zones to make a safe and secure pass.
3.Tunnels- it is unsafe to pass in a tunnel because tunnels are usually dark and you can't see far enough ahead to know whether anything is coming.
4.Intersections- it is unsafe to pass at an intersection because someone could be pulling out without you knowing and could end up hitting you.
5.Rail Road Crossings- it is unsafe to pass at a rail road crossing because you can't see if there's a train ahead to safely pass.
6.Bridges- it is unsafe to pass on a bridge because you always cant see whats in front of the car in front of you to do a secure pass
7.No Passing Zones- it is not safe to pass in a no passing zone because if the law is posted there's probably a good reason why your not supposed to pass like reasons listed above.
8.Oncoming Traffic is Present- it is unsafe to pass when oncoming traffic is present because you could easily hit the oncoming car by pulling out.

Part Two: Type Two
Car traveling 60 mph- 90 feet/second
Car traveling 40 mph- 60 feet/ second
* 40 mph= 180 feet

Part Three: First Article-
Turnpike Authority To Review O'Neill Tunnel Design

(AP) BOSTON The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority is investigating the geometry of the Tip O'Neill Tunnel after an activist citizen proved to state officials, using their own data, that there have been significantly more car accidents in the new tunnel compared to nearby tunnels.There were 614 crashes in the new O'Neill tunnel in a two-year period ending in February, compared with 28 crashes in the same period in the aging Callahan and Sumner tunnels, according to statistics Boston activist Vincent Zarrilli obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request which he supplied to The Associated Press.The O'Neill tunnel, part of Interstate 93, is about 1.5 miles long, the older tunnels, which link downtown to Logan airport, are about a mile long.The MTA has launched an evaluation of the accident data and the geometry of the highway and tunnel, authority chief of staff Stephen Collins wrote in a July 20 letter to Zarrilli."This engineering evaluation includes an assessment of the pavement condition, horizontal and vertical curvature, sight distances, signage, lighting, and all engineering aspects of the roadway and tunnel," Collins wrote.The letter thanks Zarrilli for his "diligence and concern for public safety.""I can assure you that public safety is of utmost concern to the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and that safety issues identified in the engineering analysis will be appropriately addressed by the Authority," he wrote.Authority spokesman John Lamontagne said the Turnpike Authority "feels confident that the Tip O'Neill tunnel is a safe part of the highway. We're constantly evaluating the tunnel to determine if there are ways we can enhance driver safety." He declined further comment.The tunnel was named for late House Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill Jr., one of the political fathers of the Big Dig project. The tunnel carries traffic along Interstate 93, to and from the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge.Zarrilli, a longtime civic activist who once proposed an alternative project to the Big Dig, said he wants to see the speed limit in the O'Neill tunnel reduced from 45 mph to 30 mph."They can erect signs before one enters the tunnel saying speed strictly enforced by video monitoring," he said in phone interview Monday. "If that signage were to take place the number of accidents per month would be reduced."Zarrilli said he's pleased that state officials are taking his concerns seriously."I'll stay right on top of it," he said, referring to his frequent requests for public documents revealing accident data. "The public does deserve to know."
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. )
http://wbztv.com/bigdig/local_story_204193733.html

My opinion on this article is that they should be watching how people drive in the tunnel and not go straight to the geometry because I don't think that the geometry is the problem. When people are in a rush and they need to go through a tunnel there more likely to pass others to create a faster time. If this is to the reason then they should tell people what the incidents involved to try and fix it that way.

Article Two-
SUVs Improve In Rear Crash Tests
Study Finds Most Pickups, Minivans, SUVs Fail
POSTED: 8:39 am EDT July 3, 2007
UPDATED: 12:48 pm EDT July 3, 2007

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Most seat and head restraint designs in SUVs, pickup trucks and minivans were rated marginal or poor, according to new crash test data released Tuesday.
The latest evaluations of occupant protection in rear-end collisions by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that the seat and head restraints in more than half of light truck and minivan models fall short of state-of-the-art protection from neck injury or whiplash.
According to the IIHS, seat and head restraint combinations in SUVs made by Subaru and Volvo and new designs from Acura, Ford, Honda, and Hyundai earned good ratings, the top rating the IIHS gives.
Seat and head restraints in three minivan models from Hyundai and Ford earn good ratings. The redesigned Toyota Tundra is the only pickup model evaluated with seat/head restraints rated good for rear crash protection.
The designs of seats and head restraints in 21 models were rated good, with an other 12 rated as acceptable. Those in 54 other models are rated marginal or poor.
The ratings of good, acceptable, marginal or poor for 87 current models are based on geometric measurements of head restraints and simulated crashes that together assess how well people of different sizes would be protected in a typical rear crash.
"In stop and go commuter traffic, you're more likely to get in a rear-end collision than any other crash type," said David Zuby, senior vice president of the Institute's Vehicle Research Center. "It's not a major feat of engineering to design seats and head restraints that afford good protection in these common crashes."
Rear-end collisions are frequent, and neck injuries are the most common injuries reported in auto crashes. They account for 2 million insurance claims each year, costing at least $8.5 billion. Such injuries aren't usually life-threatening, but they can be painful and debilitating.
How Whiplash Works
When a vehicle is struck in the rear and driven forward, its seats accelerate occupants' torsos forward. Unsupported, an occupant's head will lag behind this forward torso movement, and the differential motion causes the neck to bend and stretch.
The higher the torso acceleration, the more sudden the motion, the higher the forces on the neck, and the more likely a neck injury is to occur.
The key to reducing whiplash injury risk is to keep the head and torso moving together. To accomplish this, the geometry of a head restraint has to be adequate -- high enough to be near the back of the head.
Then the seat structure and stiffness characteristics must be designed to work in concert with the head restraint to support an occupant's neck and head, accelerating them with the torso as the vehicle is pushed forward.
SUVs Improve
In the latest evaluations, the seat and head restraint combinations in 17 of 59 SUV models are rated good, five are acceptable, 14 are marginal, and 23 are rated poor. In minivans, seat and head restraints in three models are rated good, two are acceptable, one is marginal, and five are rated poor. In pickups one is good, five are acceptable, five are marginal, and six are rated poor. While there hasn't been much overall improvement among pickups and minivans since the last time the Institute evaluated protection in rear crashes, the performance of the seat/head restraints in SUVs is much better. In 2006 those in only 6 of 44 SUV models earned a good rating.
"The reason may be that automakers have updated or introduced many new SUVs since 2006, but minivans and pickups are being updated more slowly," Zuby points out.
In the latest tests seat/head restraints in the Mitsubishi Outlander improved to good from the previous design that was rated acceptable. Those in the Acura MDX, Honda CR-V, Honda Element, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Kia Sorento improved from their previous ratings of poor to good. Those in the Honda Pilot and Mercedes M class improved from marginal to good. The seat/head restraints in the Toyota Tundra pickup improved to good from acceptable.
In contrast some manufacturers have introduced new models with subpar seat designs. The ones in the BMW X5, Dodge Nitro, and Suzuki XL7 are rated poor. Those in the new Mazda CX-7 and CX-9 are rated marginal. Under the new phase-in schedule, manufacturers must start to fit better front-seat head restraints in 80 percent of their models beginning in September 2009. Front-seat head restraints in all new vehicles made after September 2010 must comply.
"There's lots of room for improvement in the designs of seats and head restraints," Zuby said. "We know many manufacturers are trying to fit better head restraints in their vehicles, and some have been working with us to boost their ratings as they introduce new models. Some manufacturers were waiting for resolution of regulatory issues before fitting better designs in their vehicles. And some didn't get changes made in time for the Institute's tests."
Zuby said that BMW plans to redesign the seats in the X5 and X3 SUVs to earn better ratings for the 2008 model year.
"The Institute's evaluations of seat and head restraint designs suggest that the worldwide attention is yielding results," Zuby said. "We're seeing more seat and head restraints rated good and acceptable than we used to. It's clear that many foreign and domestic automakers are moving in the right direction."
Distributed by Internet Broadcasting. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

My feelings on this article are that its good to let the public know that certain vehicles are not as safe as others. If the public didn't know then, more people could buy big trucks & SUV's and end up killing people when it was because they weren't informed. Letting the public know that some trucks are not are safe as others will help more people be safe.

Third Article-
Man Charged With Attempted Murder After Crash
Driver, Passenger Unhurt
POSTED: 5:57 am EDT June 21, 2007
UPDATED: 6:51 am EDT June 21, 2007

BOSTON -- State Police said they arrested and charged a Springfield, Mass., man with attempted murder and assault Wednesday for allegedly running his BMW off the road on purpose during a fight with a female passenger.
Troopers said they responded to a report of an single-car accident about 8:45 p.m. on Route 90 westbound, west of interchange 7, in Ludlow.
Officers said their investigation showed that Harold D. Palmer, 64, of Springfield, was operating a 2000 BMW 323I on Route 90 West when he became involved in an altercation with his adult female passenger.
At some point, troopers alleged, Palmer purposely drove the BMW off the right shoulder of the roadway and into the wood-line striking several trees.
Both Palmer and the adult female passenger were wearing safety belts at the time of the crash and were uninjured in the crash.
Palmer was arrested and taken to the State Police Barracks in Charlton were he was booked for attempted murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a car), domestic assault and battery, operating to endanger and a lanes violation.
Palmer was scheduled for arraignment Thursday in Palmer District Court.
This crash remains under investigation.
Copyright 2007 by TheBostonChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

I think this article shows how some people can be so stupid when driving. You don't use a car as weapon unless you life is at risk. The man that purposely drove off the road after an altercation was being irresponsible and deserves to be penalized. He needs to deal with the consequences to acting immature and putting someone else in danger.