Should cyclist be registered too? Cyclists residing in Georgia my soon need to register their bikes with the state â or get fined up to $100. The proposed licensing law — which has been gaining interest in state governments including California, Michigan, and Ohio — Â would be the first of its kind in the country. In addition to requiring bikes … Continue reading “Week in Traffic: Cycle Laws, Smarter Road Signs, and The Truck Driver’s Fight For Democracy”
Better traffic? For years, officials at the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization in Virginia have been working to un-bottleneck one of suburban D.Câs most congested highways. Now, with furloughs effecting 15 percent of the roadâs commuters, planners can study improved traffic conditions without spending extra money. The opportunity could allow them to make specific recommendations. For example, they may learn … Continue reading “Week In Traffic: 5 ways the government shutdown can affect your commute”
In politics, everyone’s got an opinion: Should we subsidize school supplies? How should businesses be taxed? Should we legalize medical marijuana? These discussions seem to drag on endlessly. When it comes to traffic safety matters, however, debates can be a matter of life or death and the final decisions affect everyone. Every year, over 30,000 people die and hundreds of … Continue reading “These 3 Government Actions Could Save Thousands Of Lives. So Whatâs The Hold Up?”
This car sees danger so you don’t have too The Subaru Outback and Legacy recently received the highest honors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for their auto-breaking system, âEyeSight.â During a controlled simulation, the camera-and-software enabled feature â 20 years in the making â avoided collision at a speed differential of 25 mph (the Subaru was going … Continue reading “The Week In Traffic Safety: September 27, 2013”
Youâll Find Safer Cars in Hell Of all the U.S. towns sporting odd names (Hooker, ND; Accident, MD; Blue Balls, PA), Hell, Michigan might be the most appropriately titled. The Detroit suburb with a population 72 boasts miles of rugged, winding roads. Because itâs a lot closer than North Carolina, Hell has fast become an industry favorite for test-driving â … Continue reading “Week In Traffic Safety: September 20, 2013”
Introducing, the car that reads your mind â and your heart and liver Nissan has unveiled Nismo, a âsmartwatchâ (i.e. automated wristband) that displays the vitals of drivers (heartbeat, body temperature, social media performance) and their car (fuel efficiency). Future incarnations of this technology could include a car-watch combo that measures the driverâs sobriety before agreeing to start the engine. … Continue reading “The Week in Traffic Safety: September 10, 2013”
 A new European bike track is proving bikers, pedestrians and cars can safely share the road, and like it. âIt almost looks as if these people are riding a race, rather than going home after work. Theyâre trying to outrun other traffic.  It really seems like a chase. Thereâs a lot of cycling here despite the infrastructure, rather than because … Continue reading “Think Bike Accidents Are Inevitable? Check Out The Zebra Lane Delineator”
If the economy is getting better, why are people driving less? Despite evidence of a recovering U.S economy, vehicle-in-use rates have continued to fall since 2008, after peaking in 2007. An independent study by Transportation Department economists Don Pickrell and David Pace also found that miles-driven-per-month among  individual drivers has steadily declined since 2004 and a smaller percentage of people … Continue reading “This Week In Traffic Safety: September 3, 2013”
The Space Race for Driverless Vehicles The worldâs first automaker, Ford, has partnered with St. Petersburg Polytechnic University in Russia to understand how robots âtalkâ in space. Â They hope the multi-network telecommunications system, called âmesh networks,â can serve as a model for fool-proof communications between earthly machinesâthis includes car-to-car and car-to-traffic-signal. It could be a lynchpin in the advancement of … Continue reading “This Week In Traffic Safety: August 27, 2013”
Keeping Cars Safe The National Highway Traffic Safety Association now requires automakers to issue a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) for all new vehicles. The systemâavailable at SaferCar.govâallows consumers to check if their car is subject to a recall. Full article here. Source:Press Release, National Highway Safety Association Bike-Friendly Leadership from the âBigâ State Texas is experiencing a statewide surge of … Continue reading “The Week In Traffic Safety: August 19, 2013”
 To learn more about cognitive distraction in drivers and  how you can help visit http://www.distraction.gov We all do it. Weâre late for work so we take our breakfast with us in the car. Weâre stuck in gridlock so we check our reflection and fix our hair. We fumble with the dial or reset the GPS without pulling over. Drivers are … Continue reading “Studies show hands-free devices are still unsafe! How your brain causes car accidents.”
Are the customer service promises of big business placing us in danger?Domino’s is one chain, known in the past for its quick delivery promises, yet they recently revised their approach, telling consumers the brand focuses on quality preparation rather than quick delivery.Especially while out there tearing around the streets to make their deliveries, likely smashing hoards of parking cones.Actually, Dominoes ended … Continue reading “Is âUnder 30 Minutesâ Putting Us At Risk?”
Are you suffering from sidewalk aggression? The Wall Street Journal chronicled the question before. Have you ever walked the streets of Philly, getting annoyed or even angry at innocent strangers, those a bit lagging? It’s common. Â So much so, one scientist theorizes there’s an existing ‘Pedestrian Aggressiveness Syndrome.’ Would you be characterized as exhibiting ‘pedestrian aggressive’ behaviors? While anger or … Continue reading “Steps to Less Sidewalk Aggression”
Yes! Â Summer is finally here, and you’re ready to pack up your car and head to your closets shore point. Â Before you pack that speedo and hop onto the highway–you need to remember to drive safely. Â This coming holiday weekend is one of the deadliest traveling holidays during the year, and the statistics don’t lie. Â You don’t want to be … Continue reading “Drive Safe This Memorial Day Weekend”
With weather warming up, more people are on the streets. Traveling by foot might be a wiser and healthier option, but it’s not always safer. Pedestrian travel offers numerous health benefitsâfrom increased cardiovascular fitness to reduced environmental impactâyet it also comes with its own set of risks if caution and proper infrastructure are lacking. As communities continue to promote … Continue reading “Why People Get Hit: Eight Causes of Pedestrian Accidents”