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As defined for this fact sheet, pedalcyclists are bicyclists and other cyclists including riders of two-wheel, nonmotorized vehicles, tricycles, and unicycles powered solely by pedals. This fact sheet does not include pedalcyclist crashes that do not involve motor vehicles. This fact sheet contains information on fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes based on data from the […]
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration categorizes speeding as a risky driving behavior. Consequences of speeding include increases in the stopping distance and crash severity, and decreases in the effectiveness of occupant protection equipment. In 2020 there were 38,824 traffic fatalities. Of those, 11,258 (29%) resulted from crashes in which at least 1 driver was […]
Driving automation systems have become more widely available and popular over the past several years. While vehicle automation offers drivers both safety and convenience, automation may also have negative consequences, such as increased driver engagement in non-driving related tasks. The issue of driver inattention while using these technologies underscores the importance of systems that issue […]
Speed is a contributor to both crash frequency and crash severity. This project explored efforts to reduce speed and evaluated their effectiveness in improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. Phase 1 was a program scan that identified countermeasures in use throughout the United States. Based on the scan, the team evaluated automated speed enforcement and […]
This study examined the effects of posted speed limit changes on traffic safety by conducting before-and-after assessments using crash and speed data from multiple sites. Despite numerous studies reporting the negative impacts of increased speeds on traffic safety, many states have raised their posted speed limits. In response, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAA […]
Each year, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) provides a first look at national and state-level pedestrian fatality data and trends through a Spotlight on Highway Safety report, typically published in late spring or early summer. This year’s report is divided into three sections. It presents pedestrian fatality projections for all of 2022 based on […]
The number and rate of traffic fatalities in the U.S. surged starting in 2020, even as the rate of vehicle travel plunged while the nation grappled with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This trend of increasing traffic fatalities continued in 2021, as vehicle travel returned to near pre-pandemic levels. From 2021 to 2022 the […]
This report provides a primer on location-based service (LBS) data and its uses in public transportation. It defines LBS data, describes the techniques for collecting and processing the data, and the key parties involved. The report highlights opportunities, limitations, and potential risks of using LBS data, based on the literature and interviews with transit agencies, […]
Several pieces of legislation have expanded DOT’s authority to combat human trafficking. These include expanding grant programs, requiring air carriers to train certain personnel, tracking air carrier training and tips, establishing the multimodal advisory committee, preparing a triennial advisory committee recommendations and best practices report, instituting a lifetime ban on Commercial Driver’s License holders who […]
The most basic truth about transportation too often goes unsaid: arriving safely is what matters most. We know this to be true, yet in our most familiar and common form of transportation – the use of roads by vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists – tens of thousands of lives are lost every year in America. One […]