Road Safety

Caltrans Issues New Complete Streets Policy
A policy released by the California Department of Transportation in December will require Complete Streets elements in all state road projects.

Can't Drive 55: America's Dangerous Love of Speeding
While most Americans agree that speeding is a threat to public safety, dysfunctional laws and inadequate enforcement perpetuate a culture of tacitly sanctioned high-speed driving.

Replacing Houston's Missing Ghost Bikes
A Houston couple is asking for help installing 'ghost bike' memorials, a stark reminder of the dangers of unsafe roads to cyclists.

Infrastructure Bill Takes Small Steps Toward Pedestrian Safety
While road funding still dominates the newly passed infrastructure bill, pedestrian advocates praise the bill's modest investment in active transportation and road safety.

Opinion: Sharrows Are 'Make Believe Infrastructure'
The road markings known as 'sharrows' are meant to make streets safer for cyclists, but critics argue they're nothing but a convenient compromise that favors drivers and fails to improve road safety.

How Street Configuration Impacts Equity
With urban pollution and traffic violence disproportionately affecting communities of color, better management of public space and streets could improve equity in cities.

Outdated State and Federal Road Design Rules Hinder Freeway Removal
Although some cities are in favor of removing or reducing urban freeways in favor of more walkable spaces, guidelines like the 11-year-old MUTCD still encourage a 'throughput at all costs' mentality.

California Set to Decriminalize Jaywalking
Pedestrian and civil rights advocates have long argued that jaywalking laws are overly punitive and unequally enforced.

New Infrastructure Bill Guts Transit, EVs, and Safety Programs
The proposed bill keeps road funding almost intact while cutting funding for electrification, rail, and community development.

For Transportation Justice, Auto Safety Must Protect People Outside the Car
Light trucks are killing more pedestrians than ever while keeping their drivers and passengers safer. Is it time to reframe safety regulations?

NACTO Suggests Changes to MUTCD
The association's proposed changes to the manual include a focus on eliminating road deaths, improving pedestrian safety, and creating a more inclusive public process.

Tiger Woods Crash: Blame the Road, Not the Driver, Say Authorities
"Purely an accident" is how the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department characterized the one-person, single-vehicle rollover crash that severely injured golfing celebrity Tiger Woods on Feb. 23 while driving on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

The Key to Self-Driving Safety: Priority Over Expediency
Human drivers are fallible. Can automated systems do a better job to reduce the likelihood of car collisions?

Dallas Feels Impacts of Red-Light Camera Ban
Last year’s state ban ended a 13-year red-light enforcement program in Dallas. City officials say that intersections throughout the city are less safe without the cameras.
Watch: How the Road Got Rules
A video explains the origin of the right of way concept that controls the flow of traffic through the public realm.

Distracted Driving—Still a Problem and a Threat to Public Safety
Even with laws limiting or prohibiting the use of devices while driving, motorists continue to make calls and text while driving.

A New Transit Vision for Norfolk
Transit ridership in Norfolk, Virginia, has been lagging, and the city hopes that changes to the bus and rail systems will turn things around.

Uber's Self-Driving Cars Couldn’t Detect People Outside of Crosswalks
The National Transportation Safety Board has released documents related to the Tempe, Arizona, crash that killed a person, highlighting what went wrong with the driverless technology.

Signal Priority in N.Y.C. to Make Streets Safer for Cyclists
New York City will create green waves by adjusting traffic signals to keep cyclists moving, even when drivers will have to slow down.

The Vision Zero Commitment in Prince George's County
The Maryland county is launching a traffic safety program, but much work and many changes are needed to eliminate traffic fatalities.
Pagination
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