Traffic Safety

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”

Traffic Safety

The Space Race for Driverless Vehicles The world’s first automaker, Ford, has partnered with St. Petersburg Polytechnic University in Russia to understand how robots “talk” in space.  They hope the multi-network telecommunications system, called “mesh networks,” can serve as a model for fool-proof communications between earthly machines—this 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”

Traffic Safety

Keeping Cars Safe The National Highway Traffic Safety Association now requires automakers to issue a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) for all new vehicles. The system—available at SaferCar.gov—allows 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 “Big” State Texas is experiencing a statewide surge of … Continue reading “The Week In Traffic Safety: August 19, 2013”

Traffic Safety

 To learn more about cognitive distraction in drivers and  how you can help visit http://www.distraction.gov We all do it. We’re late for work so we take our breakfast with us in the car. We’re 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.”

Traffic Safety

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 ‘Under 30 Minutes’ Putting Us At Risk?”

New Technology

The above image is not a photograph. It’s a set of geo-spatial data points presented on a screen. Each of these dots – and there are millions – has a corresponding location on earth. Collectively, they reveal the contours of a real-life highway and the surrounding terrain, down to a single tree branch. It’s more than a fancy graphic – … Continue reading “Lasers on Wheels: How Mobile Terrestrial LiDar Scanning Helps Fix U.S Infrastructure”

Bicycle Safety

“Billed by city officials as the first new wide-scale public transportation option in more than half a century.” If you’re Philadelphian, you don’t envy New York baseball or their accents; we have our own, yet we do have a right to envy New Yorkers this week for their application of a city-wide bike sharing program. The green and healthy movement … Continue reading “NYC Rolls Out Bike Share Program”

New Technology

We all know the nightmare: You’ve just left an interstate rest stop, late afternoon, and the overpass is already at a standstill. You continue to wait as an 18-wheeler awkwardly cuts across oncoming traffic to get onto the exit ramp. Honks and shouts follow. Twenty minutes later, you see an opening in the turn lane, but another driver has snuck … Continue reading “Road Work on a Budget: How Divergent Diamond Interchanges are Revolutionizing our Roadways”

Traffic Safety

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.  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”

Traffic Safety

Yes!  Summer is finally here, and you’re ready to pack up your car and head to your closets shore point.  Before you pack that speedo and hop onto the highway–you need to remember to drive safely.  This coming holiday weekend is one of the deadliest traveling holidays during the year, and the statistics don’t lie.  You don’t want to be … Continue reading “Drive Safe This Memorial Day Weekend”

Bicycle Safety

“I’d prefer to have gym class last.” I wanted my high school counselor to modify my class schedule, so gym class would be later (preferably very last) rather than in the morning. I was a high school student concerned with appearance. Can you relate to such human tendencies? I notice a number of Philadelphia peers biking to work, some trailing … Continue reading “Pedaling Perspiration-Free To Work?”

Bicycle Safety

  Sure, you may think that wearing a helmet looks kinda lame–but don’t!  Helmets save your life, and it’s the only thing  protecting you from a high speed collision with a car or the road. There are plenty of reasons you should wear a helmet, and if you read this post and still think you’re too cool for one…then maybe … Continue reading “Don’t Be a Fool; Wear a Helmet”

Traffic Awareness

National Youth Traffic Safety Awareness Month: Promoting Safer Teen Driving It’s no secret that teenagers pose a greater risk behind the wheel. Various states implement different degrees of Cinderella licenses, and the growing problem of texting while driving is making the road increasingly dangerous. That’s why teenage driving awareness is an important mission in this country. May is National Youth … Continue reading “May is National Youth Traffic Safety Awareness Month”

Traffic Safety

  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 benefits—from increased cardiovascular fitness to reduced environmental impact—yet 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”