Author: Maggie Palmer

  • July 14th, 2020

The objective of this study was to prospectively examine a wide array of driver personal and situational factors to determine the prevalence of these factors as well as their relationship to being involved in a crash. This study involved the collection of driver medical, demographic, and other personal factors to examine the relationship between these […]

  • July 14th, 2020

It is Week 18 of the coronavirus pandemic, and total crash data is still showing a decline in Alabama. Overall, crashes have declined to around less than 40% of their pre-COVID-19 levels, INCLUDING speed-involved crashes. Fatal crashes are now increasing. View Graph  This report comes amid reports from other states indicating that their drivers are […]

  • July 9th, 2020

This week – and every week, parents should have conversations with their teens about the important rules they need to follow to stay safe behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. These rules address the greatest dangers for teen drivers: distracted driving (texting while driving) impaired driving (alcohol and drugs) inconsistent or no seat belt […]

  • July 9th, 2020

Advances in vehicle technology have evolved significantly in recent years and are changing the role and responsibilities of drivers. Complex automation can now control the vehicle’s speed, headway, and lane position, and capabilities continue to expand. Drivers need to understand these new vehicle features in order to use them effectively and appropriately. The understanding of […]

  • July 9th, 2020

This study examined crash data to estimate the costs and benefits that would be associated with modifying 49 CFR 392.10 to allow drivers of buses and hazardous materials vehicles (HMVs) to obey active traffic control devices and supporting highway signage at actively controlled railroad highway-grade (RRHG) crossings, rather than stopping in every instance. Potential benefits […]

  • July 7th, 2020

GHSA’s annual spotlight report, “Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2019 Preliminary Data,” offers a first look at state and national trends in 2019 pedestrian deaths. The report projects 6,590 pedestrians were killed on U.S. roads in 2019, the highest number in more than 30 years. GHSA’s projection represents a 5% increase from 2018 in the number of pedestrian fatalities. The […]

  • July 7th, 2020

It is Week 17 of the coronavirus pandemic, and total crash data is still showing a decline in Alabama. Overall, crashes have declined to around less than 40% of their pre-COVID-19 levels, INCLUDING speed-involved crashes. Fatal crashes are now increasing. View Graph This report comes amid reports from other states indicating that their drivers are […]

  • June 30th, 2020

A new study from Consumer Reports estimates that requiring cutting-edge safety features on all new motor vehicles would reduce annual traffic deaths in the U.S. by more than half. The study points out that despite the benefits, how and when these systems should be deployed still lacks a robust regulatory framework from Congress or federal agencies. […]

  • June 30th, 2020

It is Week 16 of the coronavirus pandemic, and total crash data is still showing a decline in Alabama. Overall, crashes have declined to around less than 40% of their pre-COVID-19 levels, INCLUDING speed-involved crashes. Fatal crashes are now increasing. View Graph This report comes amid reports from other states indicating that their drivers are […]

  • June 25th, 2020

Vehicle technologies can now actively control parts of the driving task for extended periods of time, potentially allowing drivers to disengage from their driving responsibilities. It is imperative that we continue to assess how these new features can affect driver behavior and performance. This report summarizes an analysis of data from two Naturalistic Driving Studies […]