What effect did the sinking of the Titanic have?
New safety regulations came into effect after the sinking of the Titanicin which more than 1,500 people had lost their lives after the ship had hit an iceberg on April 15, 1912. Prior to the tragedy, the number of lifeboats required on a ship was based on the ship’s weight. However, the new rules stipulated that all ships carry enough lifeboats so that there would be one spot for each person on board and that a lifeboat drill must be conducted shortly before a ship leaves port. In addition, shipping routes were changed (moved farther south) to avoid ice flows. The U.S. Congress (the country’s law-making body) also passed the Radio Act of 1912. This law required that wireless radios aboard ships be manned day and night, in response to the fact that a ship fewer than 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the Titanicdid not receive distress calls because no radio operator was…
