Category: Safety Topics

Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Technology: Determining the Impact on State DOT Maintenance Programs

  • August 19th, 2025

Traffic control devices, markings, signals, guardrail, computing systems, communications infrastructure, and other permanent and temporary devices will likely each be affected by the operation of connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technology. State departments of transportation (DOTs) need to identify gaps in knowledge and skills and prepare for the challenges of CAV implementation while maintaining the […]

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Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Technology: Determining the Impact on State DOT Maintenance Programs

  • August 1st, 2025

Traffic control devices, markings, signals, guardrail, computing systems, communications infrastructure, and other permanent and temporary devices will likely each be affected by the operation of connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technology. State departments of transportation (DOTs) need to identify gaps in knowledge and skills and prepare for the challenges of CAV implementation while maintaining the […]

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AI-Ready Federal Statistical Data: An Extension of Communicating Data Quality

  • August 1st, 2025

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is redefining how people interact with public information and shaping how public data are consumed. Recent advances in large language models (LLMs) mean that more Americans are getting answers from AI chatbots and other AI systems, which increasingly draw on public datasets. The federal statistical community can take action to advance […]

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Early Estimates of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities and Fatality Rate by Sub-Categories in 2024

  • August 1st, 2025

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently issued a projection report of traffic fatalities and the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) for 2024 (Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities in 2024, Report No. DOT HS 813 710). That report shows an estimated 39,345 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes […]

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Increasing the Use of Smartphone-Limiting Technology to Combat Distracted Driving

  • August 1st, 2025

Examining the behavior of drivers to encourage safe operation of vehicles is one of the core research areas at the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. This technical report presents research findings on one such driver behavior, distracted driving, because it remains a significant traffic safety concern. Technology-based countermeasures such as smartphone blocking features can effectively […]

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Guide for Roundabouts

  • August 1st, 2025

Roundabout implementation in the United States has increased in the last decade, and practitioners have learned lessons in successfully applying roundabouts in various land use and transportation environments and contexts. The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program’s NCHRP Research Report 1043: Guide for Roundabouts provides information and guidance on all aspects of roundabouts. Read the full guide […]

Construction Strategies and Techniques for Planned Bridge Replacements in Complex Scenarios

  • August 1st, 2025

State departments of transportation (DOTs) undertake numerous bridge replacements annually. Specific replacements present unique challenges among these projects due to location restrictions, mobility implications, design characteristics, and environmental constraints. NCHRP Synthesis 645: Construction Strategies and Techniques for Planned Bridge Replacements in Complex Scenarios, from TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program, documents practices and decision-making used […]

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How to Bring Intelligent Transportation Systems to the Next Level

  • July 16th, 2025

Public agencies nationwide are benefiting from ever-evolving advancements in traffic management operations, specifically through intelligent transportation systems (ITS). These transportation and traffic management systems use cutting-edge information and communication technologies to improve safety, efficiency and sustainability of their networks, thereby improving safety, reducing traffic congestion and enhancing driver experiences. Transportation leaders interested in implementing or […]

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