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For decades, public safety has been a priority for state departments of transportation (DOTs) as they strive to reduce traffic crashes. To support these efforts, the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Office of Safety developed a list of proven safety countermeasures that include brief descriptions, information sheets, and additional references. These measures have been field-tested and […]
The U.S. maritime industry operates more than 10,500 vessels that transport essential energy, food, and goods across inland and ocean routes. Yet the sector faces a shrinking skilled workforce, declining academy enrollment, and a series of high-profile misconduct incidents that have exposed systemic issues of culture, supervision, and accountability. Strengthening Alcohol Policies and Supporting Safety […]
The United States faces a road safety crisis: the fatal crash rate per mile traveled has been climbing for the past decade, and crashes involving vulnerable road users—pedestrians, bicyclists, and others who share the roads with motor vehicles—have grown the fastest. Furthermore, motor vehicle death rates in the United States are three to four times […]
Public Transportation in Rural Areas and Tribal Communities
Proper use of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)—rapidly being introduced into the U.S. vehicle fleet—offers the promise of reducing motor vehicle crashes and fatalities. ADAS features, however, can be confusing to drivers; include a wide variance of terminology; and have many differences in design and functionality. ADAS technology differs from previous vehicle safety enhancements for […]
Road debris is a traffic safety concern for all road users. While there is no singular definition of road debris, it generally refers to any object on a roadway that does not belong in the driving environment. Common examples include unsecured cargo that fell from a vehicle or parts that separated from a vehicle. Road […]
An event data recorder (EDR) is defined in 49 CFR Part 563 to mean a device or function in a vehicle that records the vehicle’s dynamic time-series data during the time period just prior to a crash event (e.g., vehicle speed vs. time) or during a crash event (e.g., delta-V vs. time), intended for retrieval […]
Although motor vehicle crash fatalities in the United States declined slightly in 2024 compared to 2023, road deaths remain high. Understanding the cultural environment of driving, drivers’ concerns about road safety, and their awareness of risky driving behaviors is essential for explaining why risky behaviors such as speeding, distracted driving, and impaired driving continue to […]
This study investigated the extent to which brake performance monitoring systems (BPMS) can be used for current, conventionally driven vehicles and future automated vehicles to assure their roadworthiness. For current BPMS, the feasibility of improving inspection efficiency and reducing industry costs by substituting their use for roller brake tests carried out as part of safety […]
Vegetation and roadside safety features need to be strong in order to prevent erosion that can lead to pavement or bridge failure as the ground supporting the overall structure erodes. Tools and Technology for Roadside Vegetation Asset Management