Senator Barbara Mikulski has introduced a bill that would establish federal safety standards for subway systems.
The bill was prompted by the deadly collision between two D.C. Metro trains last month. Nine people were killed in the deadliest
crash in the history of the rail system. Mikulski, a Maryland Democrat, points out that there are federal safety standards for buses, trains and airplanes -- but not for subways.
She says "immediate steps" are needed "to prevent future deadly accidents." The bill calls for the Secretary of Transportation to work with
the National Transportation Safety Board to develop safety standards. It also would require subway trains to carry digital data recorders like the "black boxes" on airplanes.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
