Category: Safety Topics

Impact of Cold Ambient Temperature and Extreme Conditions on Electric Vehicles

  • January 17th, 2025

A battery electric vehicle (BEV) is an efficient and clean personal transportation solution that eliminates tank-to-wheel (downstream) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and tailpipe criteria pollutant emissions while reducing petroleum dependency. As renewable energy sources increase as a share of total grid electricity production,1 the associated well-to-tank (upstream) emissions of BEVs will also steadily decrease. In […]

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The Human Cost of Allowing Non-helmeted Motorcycling in the United States

  • January 17th, 2025

It is not news that riding a motorcycle involves more risk than traveling in a passenger vehicle and that no single countermeasure can eliminate every crash, injury, or fatality. However, that elevated risk can be reduced with the implementation of multiple effective countermeasures and by recognizing that humans make mistakes—two fundamental pillars of a line […]

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Incorporating Nondestructive Evaluation Methods Into Bridge Deck Preservation Strategies

  • January 17th, 2025

The use of NDE and structural monitoring (SM) technologies for assessing bridge deck condition is becoming increasingly popular due to cost savings and extended service life from timely interventions. Traditional assessment relies on visual and sounding surveys, but NDE methods, such as those based on physical principles of stress-wave propagation, electromagnetic properties, and electrochemical and […]

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Early Estimates of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities and Fatality Rate Through June 2024

  • January 17th, 2025

NHTSA has recently issued a projection report of traffic fatalities and the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) for the first half of 2024 (Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities the First Half (Jan–Jun) of 2024, Report No. DOT HS 813 633). That report shows an estimated 18,720 people died in […]

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Pocket Guide to Transportation 2024

  • January 13th, 2025

The BTS Pocket Guide to Transportation is a quick reference guide that provides transportation statistics at your fingertips. It provides key information and highlights major trends on the U.S. transportation system. Intended as a compact reference, the Pocket Guide supports the BTS mission to create, manage, and share transportation statistical knowledge. Read the full article […]

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Intelligent Transportation Systems Deployment Tracking Survey Report

  • January 13th, 2025

This report summarizes the Arterial Management Survey findings of the 2023 Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Deployment Tracking Survey. From 1999 to 2020, the ITS Joint Program Office (JPO) used the ITS Deployment Tracking Survey on an ongoing basis to collect information about ITS deployment in a subset of metropolitan areas across the United States by […]

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A Systematic Approach to Selection of Changeable Messaging Signs During Nonrecurring Events

  • January 13th, 2025

Changeable message signs (CMSs) serve as safe, accessible sources of relevant travel information. Previous research has provided insight into the potential value of CMSs as sources of traveler information. However, a gap remains in efforts to document the information and the messaging that effectively promote desired changes in traveler behavior to improve safety and the […]

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2023 Traffic Safety Culture Index

  • January 13th, 2025

There was a small decline in motor vehicle crash fatalities in the United States in 2023 relative to 2022. However, each death represents an unacceptable human, societal, and economic cost. While causes of motor vehicle fatalities are complex, risky driving behaviors such as speeding, alcohol involvement, and non-seat belt use are linked to tens of […]

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Building Resiliency through Maintenance Activities, Low Volume Roads, and Public Lands Roadways

  • January 13th, 2025

The evolving landscape of climate conditions leads to more frequent and intense natural hazard events, affecting low-volume roads on federal lands. Despite the existence of known maintenance solutions to reduce these impacts, the limited funding availability hinders the implementation of these solutions at scale. This funding limitation is compounded by the absence of necessary data […]

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Building Resiliency through Maintenance Activities, Low Volume Roads, and Public Lands Roadways

  • January 13th, 2025

The evolving landscape of climate conditions leads to more frequent and intense natural hazard events, affecting low-volume roads on federal lands. Despite the existence of known maintenance solutions to reduce these impacts, the limited funding availability hinders the implementation of these solutions at scale. This funding limitation is compounded by the absence of necessary data […]

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