GATINEAU, QC, June 20, 2013 /CNW/ - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada's (TSB) 2012-2013 Annual Report was tabled yesterday in Parliament. The report showcases declining accident rates, some notable improvements, and a strong message that Transport Canada and industry need to better address the issues where the safety benefit for Canadians is clear.
"For families that have lost a loved one at a rail crossing or in a plane crash, the fact that the overall numbers are going down isn't going to matter," said Wendy Tadros, Chair of the TSB. "They want answers and, more importantly, to know that Transport Canada and industry will step up to fix the problem."
Last year saw some successes, but the TSB's updated Watchlist put a spotlight on what still needs to be done. Two of these issues—following railway signal indications and the lack of voice and video recorders on trains—again emerged as a priority when the TSB released its investigation into the VIA Rail accident in Burlington, Ontario.
The Board remains particularly concerned about aviation where only 60% of their recommendations have been fully addressed. Stronger defences for reducing the risk of runway collisions and stopping aircraft from overshooting the runway, as well as better integration of safety management into smaller air operations, are only a few of the fixes needed to make our skies safer.
"The Annual Report is an opportunity to tell our story to Canadians and Parliamentarians," added Tadros. "The TSB continues to call for solutions to prevent more accidents, and Canadians will be the clear winners if the problems we find are fixed."
The TSB's 2012-2013 Annual Report to Parliament is available in both HTML and full-colour PDF formats.
The TSB is an independent agency that investigates marine, pipeline, railway and aviation transportation occurrences. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.
SOURCE: Transportation Safety Board of Canada
TSB Media Relations
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