Can a New Mayor eliminate Traffic Deaths in New York City? Bill De Blasio, New York City’s mayor-elect, has pledged to eliminate all traffic deaths by 2024. His new initiative “Vision Zero” is modeled after a campaign that was successful in Sweden. [The Villager] E-Cooridnated Traffic Signals could end Congestion in North Jersey Northern New Jersey is, no doubt, one … Continue reading “Week In Traffic: Solving Congestion, Holiday Road Rage and the Accidents that Follow”
Driverless cars are here! Time for Congress to Wake Up. Despite what our political representatives believe, driverless cars are coming soon—possibly by the end of the decade. That was the message behind countless testimonies at a recent congressional hearing on autonomous vehicles. Whiteness from Carnegie Mellon and Nissan urged law makers to begin working towards new policies that will enable … Continue reading “Week in Traffic: Congress debates the future of driving”
You can’t underestimate their intelligence A recent study by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) discovered an upward trend among states battling tech-induced distracted driving. New measures focus on increasing educational programs and enforcement campaigns as well as updating laws for the changing “wireless” culture. Read more The latest culprit? Driving “selfies,” or self-portraits taken while driving, are increasingly popular … Continue reading “Week in Traffic: Is technology making drivers dumb?”
Safety wins for D.C. cyclists with new zebra lane blockers Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC has become the first road in the U.S. to sport Zebra Delineators – innovative lane blockers available through Traffic Safety Store. These “zebra bumps” will help protect bicyclists from car collisions. After the initial testing phase, The District Department of Transportation will consider expanded use … Continue reading “Week In Traffic: Innovation across the nation”
New campaign helps parents talk to teen drivers In honor of National Teen Driver Safety Week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) is launching “5 to drive” which provides parents with talking-points for discussing safe driving. The checklist focuses on five risk factors strongly correlated to teen accidents – texting/cell use while driving; teen passenger distractions; speeding; alcohol; and … Continue reading “Week In Traffic: Focus on Teen Drivers”
Truck drivers should pay extra to use highways, say congressional advisers The Panel on 21st Century Freight Transportation of the congressional committee on transportation met on October 10Â to discuss who should help fund the future of U.S. highways. The response was resounding: Commercial truck drivers. Jack Schenendorf, who headed the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission said commercial … Continue reading “Week in Traffic: Street fights, traffic monsters, and “grand-canyon” potholes”
Driving during the winter is dangerous. According to researchers at Berkeley, the most dangerous day of the season is when the first snowfall arrives. Because people have not yet adapted their behavior to accommodate for more dangerous conditions, fatal crashes are 14% more likely to happen on this day than on subsequent snowy ones. Every year in the United States, the poor weather … Continue reading “Winter Driving Tips to Stay Safe On The Road”
Should cyclist be registered too? Cyclists residing in Georgia my soon need to register their bikes with the state – or get fined up to $100. The proposed licensing law — which has been gaining interest in state governments including California, Michigan, and Ohio —  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.C’s most congested highways. Now, with furloughs effecting 15 percent of the road’s 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 What’s 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, “EyeSight.” During a controlled simulation, the camera-and-software enabled feature – 20 years in the making – avoided collision at a speed differential of 25 mph (the Subaru was going … Continue reading “The Week In Traffic Safety: September 27, 2013”
You’ll 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 it’s a lot closer than North Carolina, Hell has fast become an industry favorite for test-driving – … Continue reading “Week In Traffic Safety: September 20, 2013”
Introducing, the car that reads your mind – and your heart and liver Nissan has unveiled Nismo, a “smartwatch” (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 driver’s 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. “It almost looks as if these people are riding a race, rather than going home after work. They’re trying to outrun other traffic.  It really seems like a chase. There’s 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”