Road Safety

20 MPH speed limit sign

Reducing Driving Speeds Requires More Than Lowering Posted Speed Limits

Without additional changes to roadway design, lower speed limits only slightly reduce driving speeds.

November 7, 2024 - The Minnesota Star Tribune

Bike lane delineated with white paint and orange bollards.

Study: Bike Lanes Improve Road Safety

Bike lanes delineated with bollards or traffic cones are most likely to slow drivers and reduce crashes between cars and bikes.

November 6, 2024 - Next City

Washington state capitol dome in Olympia, Washington.

Olympia Draft Transportation Plan Zeroes in on Complete Streets, Bike Infrastructure

The city’s comprehensive plan update could signal a shift in transportation planning priorities to a more comprehensive approach that ensures safer roads for all users.

October 30, 2024 - Journal of Olympia, Lacey & Tumwater

Person on bike rides in marked bike lane with brownstone homes in background in Phialdelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philly Council Wants to Crack Down on Bike Lane Parking

The city council passed a bill that would raise penalties and eliminate a grace period for drivers who stop in bike lanes.

October 30, 2024 - Philly Voice

Tesla self-driving car view from inside dashboard.

NHTSA Opens Investigation Into Tesla’s Autonomous System

The agency will probe the “Full Self-Driving” system in the wake of crashes that include a pedestrian death.

October 28, 2024 - Associated Press

Blurry person in bike riding quickly in bike lane with Big Ben in background in London, UK.

Over and Over, Studies Show Bike Lanes Don’t Cause Congestion

Bike infrastructure tends to make vehicle travel faster, improve road safety, and bring more revenue to local businesses.

October 25, 2024 - CBC

20 MPH speed limit sign

Chicago Could Join Other Cities in Lowering Speed Limits

Lowering speed limits by just 10 miles per hour can have a major impact on traffic safety.

October 25, 2024 - NBC Chicago

Red Light

Banning Right Turns on Red: Lessons From Atlanta

How road safety activists passed a law that could make roads much safer.

October 24, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

Busy pedestrian crosswalk on wide boulevard in Santa Monica, California lined with tall palm trees against golden hour light.

California Transportation Commission Reluctant to Incorporate Complete Streets Guidelines

The agency plans to update its road design guidelines by the end of the year — before a new law that prioritizes pedestrian and cyclist safety takes effect.

October 23, 2024 - Streetsblog California

Nighttime view of blurred fast car traffic on street leading to U.S. Capitol dome in Washington, D.C.

DC’s Traffic Cameras Are Working, but Not a Panacea

Automated enforcement is reducing speeding, but bigger changes to street design and the built environment are needed to make the District’s streets safer and more pleasant for people walking.

October 22, 2024 - Greater Greater Washington

Bike lane in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Milwaukee Road Safety Efforts Paying Off

The city is seeing fewer speeding violations after installing traffic calming measures and boosting enforcement to limit reckless driving.

October 17, 2024 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Two young children crossing street at a crosswalk in front of black car.

US Street Design Manual Inches Toward Safer Roads

The guiding document for U.S. road design is starting to recognize the needs of people walking and biking, but safe streets advocates say more significant changes are needed to reduce the high number of pedestrian deaths and improve connectivity for all road users.

October 16, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up of bottom half of three people walking down city sidewalk paved with paving stones.

How “Walking Audits” Can Improve Neighborhood Mobility

A simple walk through your community can reveal infrastructure gaps and highlight where cities can make streets safer for pedestrians.

October 9, 2024 - Strong Towns

Workers in safety vests installing a black modular roundabout ringed with yellow.

‘Modular Roundabouts’ Offer Quick-Build Traffic Safety Solution

The prefabricated roundabouts can be installed more quickly and at a much lower cost than traditional concrete traffic circles.

October 9, 2024 - Equipment World

White self-driving car at stop sign coming down hill with Coit Tower in background in San Francisco, California.

California Governor Vetoes Autonomous Truck Ban, Approves New Guidelines for AVs

A new law will allow police to issue citations to self-driving car operators and create stricter guidelines for crashes and interactions with first responders.

October 8, 2024 - The Verge

Red car turning right on red light.

Banning Right Turns on Red Just One Step Toward Vision Zero

Experts caution that blanket bans on right turns on red make only a slight contribution to reducing fatal crashes, and other interventions are needed to bring down traffic fatalities.

October 8, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Woman pressing beg button at crosswalk about to cross street.

California Governor Signs Complete Streets Bill Into Law

The state’s transportation agency will be required to prioritize multimodal transportation infrastructure and improve transparency.

September 30, 2024 - Streetsblog California

Man sitting in driver's seat looking at cell phone.

IIHS: Drivers Using ‘Autonomous’ Features More Likely to Be Distracted

Despite warnings that drivers should remain attentive, people behind the wheel of cars equipped with ‘autonomous’ assistance often take their eyes off the road.

September 22, 2024 - Quartz

Red 'Welcome to Sacramento' sign in downtown Sacramento, California.

Sacramento’s Traffic Safety Crisis Could Be Declared a Public Emergency

Street safety advocates are calling for a stronger declaration that would focus on road design and equity.

September 19, 2024 - Streetsblog California

Sunset view of Gateway Arch and downtown St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis Zeroing in on Safe Streets

The city is creating its first Department of Transportation and using hundreds of millions in federal funding to launch road safety projects.

September 17, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

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