News
Engines of Our Ingenuity 2512: The Saluda Explosion
Posted on · Episode: 2512 Saluda: The worst steamboat explosion, not much worse than all the rest. Today, the last day of the Saluda.
Tag: accidents
Houston Matters
A Mattress? A Toilet? What’s The Craziest Debris You’ve Seen On Houston Highways?
Posted on · News 88.7 transportation reporter Gail Delaughter talks with Houston Matters about why we have so much junk on our roads.
Houston Matters
The Dangers of Driving at Night in Houston
Posted on · A few weeks ago (Feb. 13, 2016), five separate traffic fatalities occurred in Greater Houston in one night. One driver was speeding and lost control of his car. A pedestrian tried to cross FM 1960 and was struck by two different cars. Another motorist trying to get around an 18-wheeler struck the truck, then a […]
Houston Matters
New ‘Vision Zero’ Plan Aims to Reduce Houston Traffic Deaths
Posted on · On Jan.14, 2016, Houston Tomorrow unveiled its "Vision Zero" plan – proposed steps to reduce the number of traffic deaths and serious injuries in Houston. We find out what they want the city to do in order to achieve that goal, as we talk with Jay Blazek Crossley, the executive director of Houston Tomorrow. We […]
Transportation
TxDOT Will Review Bridge Railings At Site Of Deadly School Bus Crash
Posted on · Questions are being raised about the safety of freeway guard rails, after Tuesday's accident that sent a school bus plummeting off the 610 South Loop at Telephone Road. Two students were killed in the crash.
Houston Matters
METRO Addresses Spike In Accidents Along Light Rail Lines
Posted on · On Monday, a METRORail train collided with a minivan near the Texas Medical Center at the intersection of Fannin and Dryden, according to KPRC Channel 2. Unfortunately, such accidents aren’t unheard of. In June, for example, METRO investigated 17 accidents on its light rail lines. The accidents involved cars, pedestrians and a bike. Two of […]
Houston Matters
What Are Your Rights When it Comes to Tow Trucks?
Posted on · Dealing with a tow truck company can be a nerve-wracking experience, whether you parked in a spot you thought was legal, or because your car is broken down and needs to get to a shop. But just because a tow truck shows up doesn't mean it's a foregone conclusion that the operator has the right […]
Houston Matters
Wildlife Posing Accident Risks in Greater Houston
Posted on · It’s an inevitable byproduct of suburban sprawl: the farther we spread out geographically into previously undeveloped areas of an ever-expanding Greater Houston region the more we’re likely to come into contact with — and encroach on — the natural environment that’s already there. The opposite is also true: suburban and rural populations will see wildlife […]
Houston Matters
Should We Trust Texas Companies to Self-Report Industrial Accidents?
Posted on · While government authorities are tasked with investigating industrial accidents, those efforts, particularly here in Texas, are often triggered by industry âself-reporting.â But how does that work exactly? And how far do we defer to and trust companies to report accidents? We talk about the concept of industry self-reporting, consider some recent examples, and welcome your […]
Houston Matters
Why Are Incidents at the Port of Houston Rarely Formally Investigated?
Posted on · Back in March, a barge in Galveston Bay struck a ship and sprung a leak. Nearly 170,000 gallons of oil spilled into the bay. The carrier was being guided by an experienced pilot, Mike Pizzitola. But according to federal court documents and other records obtained by the Houston Chronicle, Pizzitola has been involved in two […]
Houston Matters
Why Are Pedestrian Fatalities Down Everywhere — Except Texas?
Posted on · A new report indicates pedestrian fatalities have decreased nationwide after a three-year spike. But not here in Texas. On this edition of Houston Matters, weâll talk with the reportâs author, transportation researcher Dr. Allan Williams, the former chief scientist at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, about the particulars of what he found. Then weâll […]
Houston Matters
Death & Injury: The Hidden Cost of Houston’s Oil Boom
Posted on · On Sunday, the Houston Chronicle reported on some of the negative consequences of Greater Houstonâs oil boom. While regulations have been strengthened in recent years for off-shore oil drilling â in particular following the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill â on-shore drilling remains, as one Houston attorney puts it: âthe wild west.â We talk […]
Full Show
Deaths in the Oil Field, Farmer’s Markets & Organ Donation: Houston Matters for Mon., Feb. 24, 2013
Posted on · On Sunday, the Houston Chronicle reported on some of the negative consequences of Greater Houstonâs oil boom. While regulations have been strengthened in recent years for off-shore oil drilling â in particular following the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill â on-shore drilling remains, as one Houston attorney puts it: âthe wild west.â We talk […]
Full Show
Houston Matters for Friday, June 14, 2013
Posted on · Hundreds of thousands of people in and around Houston commute in and out of the downtown area each weekday. Joining commuters are thousands more running errands, dropping kids off at school, going shopping, going to eat. Let’s face it – we’re always going. But never more so than during “drive time.” Cars, trucks, motorcycles, and […]