News

Read the latest news and announcements from traffic safety interest groups and about traffic safety topics here.

State DOT Policies and Practices on the Use of Corrosion-Resistant Reinforcing Bars

  • June 5th, 2025

There is widespread material degradation that affects all components of bridges, often limiting their service lives. For reinforced concrete bridge members, that deterioration is predominately caused by corrosion of the internal steel reinforcement. NCHRP Synthesis 641: State DOT Policies and Practices on the Use of Corrosion-Resistant Reinforcing Bars, from TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program, […]

, ,
Read More

Outcomes of Variability in Teen Driving Experience and Exposure

  • June 5th, 2025

Motor vehicle crash rates for teen drivers during the learner’s permit phase are relatively low and comparable to those of adult drivers. However, once teenagers begin driving independently, the crash risk increases significantly at licensure and remains high during the first few months of solo driving. BTSCRP Research Report 13: Outcomes of Variability in Teen […]

,
Read More

A Randomized Field Trial of Smartphone-Based Feedback Designed to Encourage Safe Driving

  • May 21st, 2025

Globally, motor vehicle crashes result in 1.2 million deaths and as many as 50 million non-fatal injuries each year. Many crashes can be prevented by reducing risky driving behaviors such as speeding, hard braking, rapid acceleration, and handheld phone use. Innovations in smartphone telematics enable these behaviors to be measured, paving the way for scalable […]

, , , ,
Read More

Alternative Transportation Use and Life Satisfaction Among Older Drivers: AAA LongROAD Study

  • May 21st, 2025

This research brief examines changes in alternative transportation use and satisfaction over time among older adults using data from the AAA Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) study. Eight transportation modes other than driving—public bus, train/subway, taxi, special community transportation, ride with a friend or family, volunteer driver, rideshare (e.g. Uber or Lyft), and walking […]

,
Read More

Keeping Kids Safe on the Road: Groups Provide Funding for Youth Traffic Safety in Three States

  • May 21st, 2025

For the fourth straight year, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and the National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF) are funding community-based projects and programs focused on keeping youth safe while walking, biking and/or riding scooters. The State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) in Missouri, Oregon and Washington will each receive $25,000 for youth safety initiatives in […]

,
Read More

THE LONG-RUN EFFECTS OF TRANSPORTATION PRODUCTIVITY ON THE US ECONOMY

  • May 21st, 2025

We quantify the aggregate, regional and sectoral impacts of transportation productivity growth on the US economy over the period 1947-2017. Using a multi-region, multi-sector model that explicitly captures produced transportation services as a key input to interregional trade, we find that the calibrated change in transportation productivity had a sizable impact on aggregate welfare, magnified […]

,
Read More

Considerations for the Design and Construction of Bonded and Unbonded Post-Tensioned Concrete Bridge Elements

  • May 21st, 2025

Grouted tendons are predominantly used for post-tensioned concrete bridge elements in the United States. However, because of potential durability issues with grouted tendons, some highway agencies have opted to use ungrouted tendons for post-tensioning to facilitate replacement. NCHRP Research Report 1139: Considerations for the Design and Construction of Bonded and Unbonded Post-Tensioned Concrete Bridge Elements, […]

,
Read More

Artificial Intelligence Opportunities for State and Local DOTs

  • May 2nd, 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized various areas in departments of transportation (DOTs), such as traffic management and optimization. Through predictive analytics and real-time data processing, AI systems show promise in alleviating congestion, reducing travel times, and enhancing overall safety by alerting drivers to potential hazards. AI-driven simulations are also used for testing and improving transportation […]

,
Read More

Tactile Wayfinding in Transportation Settings for Travelers Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

  • May 2nd, 2025

Travelers who are blind or visually impaired use a variety of cues and strategies to orient themselves within their surroundings and move through space to where they want to go. This wayfinding process can be particularly challenging in complex urban environments where some cues, such as detectable edge treatments, the sound of surging parallel traffic, […]

, ,
Read More