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News
Read the latest news and announcements from traffic safety interest groups and about traffic safety topics here.
Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities in 2015
A statistical projection of traffic fatalities for 2015 shows that an estimated 35,200 people will die in motor vehicle traffic crashes. This represents an increase of about 7.7% as compared to the 32,675 fatalities that were reported to have occurred in 2014.
Methodologies Used to Estimate and Forecast Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)
Texas A&M Transportation Institute: Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is a measure used in transportation planning for a variety of purposes. It measures the amount of travel for all vehicles in a geographic region over a given period of time, typically a one year period. VMT is calculated by adding up all the miles driven by […]
You’re Merging Wrong, And Now States Are Calling You Out
Most drivers, when they see a merge sign, slow down too quickly and change lanes, causing a traffic backup. Continuing in each lane as long as possible reduces the speed difference between the two lanes, which helps keep traffic moving (zipper merge).
Motor Vehicle Crash Fatalities in the U.S. Could Drop by Half with Proven Strategies
About 90 people die each day from motor vehicle crashes in the United States, resulting in the highest death rate among 19 high-income comparison countries. Our nation has made progress in road safety, reducing crash deaths by 31 percent from 2000 to 2013. But other high-income countries reduced crash deaths even further—by an average of […]
Speed Up, Slowpoke, or Get a Ticket
New York Times: Slowpokes, beware: More states are cracking down on drivers who dawdle in the left lane.While all states require slow-moving vehicles to keep to the right, laws that went into effect in Tennessee this year, Indiana last year, Georgia in 2014 and Florida and New Jersey in 2013 are setting harsher penalties for […]
U.S. Traffic Deaths Jump 7.7% in 2015 to 35,200
Yahoo Finance: U.S. traffic deaths rose 7.7% in 2015 over the previous year to 35,200, the highest number of people killed on U.S. roads since 2008, the government’s preliminary estimate reviewed by Reuters shows.
NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts: Passenger Vehicles
In 2014, there were 21,022 passenger vehicle occupants who lost their lives in motor vehicle traffic crashes and an estimate 2.07 million passenger vehicle occupants who were injured
2014 Traffic Safety Fact Sheet: Rural/Urban Comparison
NHTSA: Of the 32,675 motor vehicle traffic fatalities in 2014 there were 16,710 (51%) that occurred in rural areas, 15,487 (47%) that occurred in urban areas, and 478 (1%) that occurred in unknown areas. Rural traffic fatalities decreased by 34% from 24,587 in 2005 to 16,710 in 2014. Urban traffic fatalities decreased by 17% from […]
A Fatality Forces Tesla to Confront Its Limits
As the co-founder and chief executive of Tesla Motors, the technology billionaire Elon Musk has consistently portrayed his company’s electric cars as cleaner, safer and more innovative than models made by other automakers. His confidence in Tesla’s technology has seemed boundless, particularly when the company announced last year that it would equip its flagship Model […]