Road safety
Driving fatigue causes one in five crashes
A recent study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) shows that 20% of car crashes result from drivers’ fatigue. The study also found that young drivers were more likely to crash if they drove while fatigued. The study is significant, as earlier estimates held that fatigue was responsible for just 2–3 percent of crashes. Charlie […]
The grim reality of high speed police chases in LA
Whether or not they manage to nab the suspects is a different story, but the LAPD’s high-speed chases are becoming increasingly life-threatening. Hot police-suspect pursuits abruptly disrupt the traffic, often resulting in accidents and injuring everyone involved, even bystanders and pedestrians. The latest victim, 23-year-old college student Julio Reyes, was killed in the midst of […]
US police to up seat belt citations
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is all set to launch its National Seat Belt Enforcement Mobilization campaign. This “Click it or Ticket” program will run for a fortnight, from May 20 – June 2, focusing on Memorial Day weekend, which falls smack in the middle. Police across the country are planning to be […]
Driving with pets doubles crash risk among elderly
A recent study by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has found that senior citizens driving with their pets face a greater risk of possible vehicle collisions. As reported by NBC News, the crash rate for senior drivers with pets is twice as high as those who rode without pets. Professor Gerald McGwin, Ph.D., […]
Up to speed with Paul Steely White of Transportation Alternatives
New legislation that would install 20 speed cameras in New York City aims to prevent traffic tragedies – tragedies like the one that killed a young couple in Brooklyn earlier this month, when a driver going 60mph down a residential street collided with their cab.
Wasted prom: How drunk driving is hurting high schoolers
Teens in Pataskala, Ohio and New York State were recently urged to come back to school – alive. Anti-drunk driving programs are being delivered to a variety of high schools at a prime time, as students prepare for the upcoming prom season. And though reports suggest that drunk driving is down for this age group […]
Distracted driving upgrades for new cars
Zipping around in his flashy aerocar, George Jetson himself couldn’t have predicted today’s latest update in car innovation. Cars of the future are about to get a major safety upgrade.
Has Houston’s walkability been overstated?
Studies and activists claim that the most pedestrian-friendly town in Texas really isn’t.
Traffic death count signs – do they work?
Cities throughout the U.S. have increasingly been posting traffic death count signs on major highways, serving as a striking reminder of the dangers faced on the road – and as a warning to take caution when behind the wheel.
Discouraging news for pedestrian safety
Look both ways, and cross your fingers: it’s been a bleak week for pedestrians. Two unrelated, recently released studies catalogue the dangers faced by even law-abiding walkers and cyclists.