Category: Safety Topics

  • June 9th, 2026

This program guide is designed to support federal agencies developing and refining workplace charging programs for employee POVs. While it provides guidance and best practices, it does not replace agencywide policies or agency-specific legal counsel. This document contains a roadmap for agency workplace charging programs and defines roles and responsibilities. For example, it recommends that […]

  • June 9th, 2026

State and local transportation agencies increasingly rely on proactive safety analysis to inform roadway design and improvement decisions before crashes occur. However, uncertainty regarding the potential use of proactive safety methodologies, manuals, and guidance in tort litigation has raised concerns about increased exposure to liability. Addressing Liability Issues of Proactive Safety Improvements

  • June 9th, 2026

Motorcycle helmets, specifies minimum performance requirements for helmets designed for use by motorcyclists and other motor vehicle users. FMVSS No. 218 includes three performance test types that have remained largely unchanged since it was first published in 1973: an impact attenuation test, a penetration test, and a retention system test. In 2013 NHTSA initiated a […]

  • June 9th, 2026

Traffic volume data are used by state departments of transportation (DOTs), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and other local agencies in various analyses and functions related to transportation planning, design, traffic operations, safety, pavement design and maintenance, enforcement, environmental analysis, and construction, among others. Leveraging Existing Traffic Signal Assets to Obtain Quality Traffic Counts

  • June 9th, 2026

State departments of transportation (DOTs) have effective procurement processes for highway construction but lag in acquiring new business technologies. As they invest in advanced solutions for communications, asset management, and human resources, they aim to leverage artificial intelligence and cloud-based big data tools. However, traditional procurement methods typically relied on by state DOTs focus on […]

  • June 9th, 2026

State departments of transportation (DOTs) have begun changing the medium of construction contract documents from paper or 2D plans to 3D models that are contractually binding. The driver of this major change is the ability for contractors and inspectors to use 3D models directly to support project activities and communicate the design intent. However, changing […]

  • June 9th, 2026

Advances in automotive technology aim to enhance traffic safety beyond the capabilities of earlier vehicles. Vehicle technologies have progressed from basic assistance systems to higher levels of automation. As these technologies continue to develop, it is essential to understand how drivers’ perceptions and attitudes toward these systems are evolving. Examining these trends can help us […]

  • June 9th, 2026

The ability of state agencies to track citation, adjudication, and disposition data accurately and effectively is essential for the identification and appropriate adjudication of problem drivers and habitual offenders. Efficient data tracking can provide benefits at all steps of the citation-adjudication process, from providing real-time information and safer roadside stops for law enforcement officers to […]

  • June 9th, 2026

Street racing on public roads presents significant risks to community safety. It includes behaviors such as excessive speeding, drag racing, street takeovers, and weaving through traffic, all of which endanger drivers, pedestrians, and emergency responders. In addition to immediate safety concerns, these activities can disrupt traffic and undermine community safety and confidence.  Street Racing: Prevalence, […]

  • June 9th, 2026

Before the 1960s, rural communities had little influence over transportation planning, despite substantial state and federal investment in rural infrastructure. Over time, federal policy emphasized greater rural participation, encouraging state departments of transportation (DOTs) to adopt planning approaches in nonmetropolitan areas that engaged communities and local officials. Early efforts focused on consultation with rural officials […]