Safety board highlights need for transportation improvements

Federal safety officials say they want a crackdown on impaired and distracted drivers, wider use of collision-avoidance technology in cars, and tougher regulations for operators of air tours and medical flights.

The National Transportation Safety Board laid out a wish list Monday to improve safety on roads, trains and in the sky.

The board, which investigates accidents, has 1,200 pending recommendations that have not been acted on by agencies including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration.

The safety board planned to unveil its top issues last month but was delayed by the government shutdown.

Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt says the 35-day closure also delayed the start of 97 crash investigations, and crucial evidence might have been lost.