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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 2023 (Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities for the First Half (Jan–Jun) of 2023, Report No. DOT HS 813 514). That report shows an estimated 19,515 people died […]
A new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), with the support of State Farm®, examines traffic safety cameras – an underutilized tool in the fight to reduce dangerous driving behaviors that contribute to more than 100 people dying on U.S. roads every day. The report discusses the benefits of traffic safety cameras that […]
This paper presents a simulation model of the markets for light-duty electric vehicles (EVs) and the associated public charging infrastructure, as well as the network interactions between them. It illustrates the model’s attributes by simulating the effects of federal subsidies for public electric vehicle chargers and of an extension of tax credits for electric vehicles. […]
The crash performance of roadside safety hardware, such as guardrails, is typically evaluated using full-scale crash tests with vehicles striking the device in representative worst-case impact scenarios. Each test is evaluated based on vehicle response, device response, and potential for injury to vehicle occupants. Read the full report here.
In 2023, the Technologist in Communities (TIC) program hosted its inaugural scanning tour across the American Southwest, with a goal of investigating the region’s leading public mobility systems and their integration with on-demand public mobility services. The scanning tour concept was inspired by and named after a U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration practice […]
New and sophisticated vehicle technology is beginning to change the nature of driving, assuming tasks that were previously part of the driver’s responsibility. Past research has documented critical gaps in drivers’ understanding of these technologies and related safety implications. However, less is known about how understanding of new technology varies across the driving population. Moreover, […]
In 2022, North America was on the move again. People were commuting more, going back to in-person school, restaurants, and places of worship, and traveling again. As daily life and transportation has evolved, so has Lyft’s impact on drivers, riders, and communities across the continent. We talked to these riders and drivers, asking them to […]
Communities across the nation are turning to the Safe System approach to design transportation systems as a way to eventually reduce crash deaths and injuries to zero—the goal of Vision Zero programs. The Safe System approach uses thoughtful road and vehicle design to minimize the chance of a crash when people make mistakes and, when […]
Communication campaigns are among the most widely used efforts to promote traffic safety and can be used to promote safe driving practices and knowledge of traffic laws, and otherwise educate the public. One way campaigns could be improved is to use behavior change theory in campaign development. Behavior change theories are developed to explain and […]
Recent reviews by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety noted that technology-based countermeasures such as cellphone blocking apps offer a promising approach to reducing distracted driving. However, acceptance and use of such apps remain low, especially among driving populations most prone to distraction. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is working with researchers at the […]