Category: Safety Topics

  • August 21st, 2023

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are designed to increase driving comfort by automating parts of the driving task under certain conditions, as well as increase safety by warning drivers of dangerous situations and momentarily braking or steering automatically to attempt to avoid crashing. These technologies have become common on new vehicles, and they are expected […]

  • August 18th, 2023

This study reviewed ground ambulance crashes that occurred from 2012 to 2018 in the United States. The study queried several national crash databases and reviewed NHTSA’s Special Crash Investigation reports for ambulance-involved crashes. The objective of the study was to review ambulance crashes that occurred from 2012 to 2018 to identify factors contributing to ambulance-involved […]

  • August 18th, 2023

This 12-month demonstration project was focused on increasing seat belt use in rural areas. The project relied on a multifaceted approach consisting of sustained publicity and police enforcement. A technical assistance guide was used to motivate and assist law enforcement agencies/officers to engage with rural community members on the usefulness of wearing seat belts. The […]

  • August 8th, 2023

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration considers a traffic crash to be speeding-related if any driver in the crash was charged with a speeding-related offense or if a police officer indicated that racing, driving too fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor in the crash. A speeding-related fatality is […]

  • July 31st, 2023

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 […]

  • July 28th, 2023

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 […]

  • July 27th, 2023

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 […]

  • July 24th, 2023

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 […]

  • July 24th, 2023

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 […]