News

Like most people, Roger Bligh appreciates the natural beauty of trees. But Bligh, an award-winning roadside safety research engineer, also sees trees as safety hazards.

Today, David Reich, Dir. of PR for National Road Safety Foundation, sat down with us to share his insight on the topic.

Driving after having less than five hours of sleep may be as dangerous as under the influence of alcohol, a study suggests.

Drivers of utility vans, tow trucks, and other light and medium-weight trucks could use safety training, according to a team from the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center.

Do you have an effective vehicle fleet safety management program?

A new report shows a big spike in cellphone-related distracted driving since 2019.

May 4, 2021, was supposed to be a normal Tuesday. Instead, I call it my “Alive Day.”

Flooding can happen anywhere in the country, and it’s a year-round hazard that happens in all 50 states.

If you drive, you will probably see many unsafe driver behaviors. The longer you drive, the more of them you’ll see.

The U.S. Department of Transportation today announced over 30 new commitments from organizations that are supporting the Department’s National Roadway Safety Strategy and taking action to reverse the crisis that is killing more than 40,000 people on American roads each year.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released its latest projections for traffic fatalities in 2022, estimating that 42,795 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes.

Making roads safer often involves doing a lot of little things. There’s no single reason crashes occur and no single way to protect people from death and injury.

Recent advances in roadway mobility have changed the way we travel, whether we’re heading to work, running daily errands or visiting loved ones.

Data shows that laws to prevent distracted driving have a near-immediate impact, but that the effect wears off quickly.

The NDDC was created by the NTSB to research and take action to reduce distracted driving, a growing problem brought to the public's attention during April, designated as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is working with the trucking industry and other stakeholders as it revisits a proposal to mandate installation of side underride guards on heavy truck trailers.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and statistics show that distracted driving has become an increasingly common and fatal hazard.

For the past few previous decades, on average approximately 350 people were killed each year nationwide in wrong-way freeway crashes, according to one analysis based on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Fatal Accident Reporting System.

When you think of driving dangers, you probably think about risky behaviors like speeding and distraction, or hazardous situations like foul weather.

When you tailgate, you reduce the time and space available to you in the event of an emergency or unexpected event.

While automakers have been working to improve the reliability and performance of automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems, issues with these systems can still occur.

In 1997, a few staff members of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Bristol district decided to spend a week in April raising awareness about work zone safety before construction season kicked into high gear.

As the summer construction season begins and those orange barrels and flashing arrows pop up along the highways, safety experts are putting out the annual reminder to motorists to slow down and stay alert in work zones.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and truck drivers face a sobering statistic: they are 23 times more likely to cause a [crash] when texting at the wheel, despite the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration prohibiting cell phone use when driving.

Federal, state and local lawmakers are increasingly concerned about roadway deaths and injuries, especially fatalities among pedestrians and cyclists, which increased by 13% and 1.9% from 2020 to 2021, according to the report.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will hold a vigil on Wednesday, April 19 in honor of all Virginia transportation workers who have been killed on Virginia roadways.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released its latest projections for traffic fatalities in 2022, estimating that 42,795 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) said it was committed to improving safety for road construction workers as part of this year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 17-21).

Ad Council, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and SXM Media today announced the launch of an audio PSA to raise awareness of the dangers of driving while high.

Distracted driving is one of the fastest-growing safety issues on roads across Virginia.

The 2023 theme is “Work with Us,” a reminder that highway workers and motorists all play a key role in work zone safety.

People living in the United States are constantly on the move while simultaneously staying connected to the digital world via smartphones.

As more drivers took to the road following the outbreak of COVID-19, the nation chalked up a significant increase in the number of crashes to distracted driving in 2021.

In the first three months of 2023, Richmond has seen nine people walking killed and more than 160 others injured, according to the city's VisionZero dashboard.

On Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that driver fatigue led to a deadly multivehicle crash in Phoenix in June 2021 that killed four and injured 11 after a tractor-trailer carrying milk rammed into stopped traffic of passenger vehicles.

Seeing aggressive driving, sometimes called road rage, has become familiar while on the road, especially if you have a long commute or get stuck in traffic.

American roads are deadlier than they were before the pandemic and many are looking at changes in police traffic enforcement as a cause.

We all see it every day. Drivers taking their eyes off the road. In fact, new research from Nationwide shows dangerous driving behavior has not improved since last year. In fact, it has reached alarming highs.

The Virginia Senate and House of Delegates has overwhelmingly passed SB982/HB1932 and Governor Glenn Youngkin has signed into law an important expansion of the state’s Move Over law that will help save lives.

Traffic safety campaigns promoted by DRIVE SMART Virginia have had a quantifiable impact on roadway users since the nonprofit’s founding in 1995, resulting in fewer fatalities.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is holding its annual “U Drive, U Text, U Pay” distracted driving prevention campaign April 3 through 10.

What if you could be fined or lose your license for driving tired?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is kicking off its annual U Drive. U Text. U Pay. campaign, raising awareness of the dangers of driving while distracted.

Texting and driving can be deadly. Holding your phone in your hand to talk and surfing the internet while behind the wheel is dangerous, too.

A new study compiled by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety indicated that a “multifaceted approach” that leverages enforcement efforts alongside public outreach efforts could buttress efforts to end distracted driving.

One of the first ways teens practice responsibility and independence is by earning their driver’s license and getting behind the wheel.

Don’t read this, or anything besides road signs, while driving! April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

SUVs cause more severe injuries than cars when they hit bicyclists likely because the vehicles’ tall front ends strike the bicyclists higher on their bodies, a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows.

In the digital age, an increased desire for constant online connection has created safety hazards for drivers on the road.

National Work Zone Awareness Week will kick off with an April 18 event hosted by the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Consumers fear drivers are faster, more aggressive, and more reckless compared to 2022. They are right. New research from Nationwide (PDF) shows dangerous driving behavior has not improved since last year. In fact, it has reached alarming highs.

On a daily basis, teens are surrounded by distractions, many of which stem from their cellphones – including social media, texts and emails. Behind the wheel, those distractions can be hazardous for anyone, but especially for young people just learning to drive.

The deaths come as federal officials and the highway construction industry mount a push to protect workers during a boom in projects funded by the infrastructure law.

Adding EVs makes fleets more sustainable by reducing emissions and saving on fuel and maintenance costs. But there’s more to it than simply swapping EVs for traditional vehicles.

As the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) prepares to spend hundreds of billions on the nation’s roads in the coming years, we’re urging officials to put the safety of older drivers and pedestrians at the forefront.

President Joe Biden’s big infrastructure bill could radically diminish one of America’s most common forms of death. But there are costs.

The National Road Safety Foundation says education and intervention can help limit distracted driving.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made a noticeable impact on traffic volume during the past few years.

Washington D.C. has struggled to bring down road fatalities because its Vision Zero program is hampered by limited infrastructure improvements, low funding and inconsistent oversight, part one of a new report reveals.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s annual campaign encourages drivers to put down their phones, pay attention and take responsibility for the daily choices they make on the road.

Distracted driving kills an average of nearly nine people every day in the United States in completely preventable crashes; NSC urges all to #JustDrive

The Virginia Senate and House of Delegates has overwhelmingly passed SB982/HB1932 and Governor Glenn Youngkin has signed into law an important expansion of the state’s Move Over law that will help save lives.

Industry groups say they’ve been unsuccessfully pushing for worker safety provisions for years.

We’re used to switching lanes when we see law enforcement or emergency vehicles on the side of the highway, but a new law expands that rule.

VTTI received a $1.2 million grant from the National Institute of Justice to study how changing police lights affects drivers’ reactions.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month – the perfect time to review some safe driving tips from the National Safety Council.

If you’re a frequent driver, you’ve probably seen someone at a red light or on the freeway with headphones on. The experience probably stuck out to you because that seems like a dangerous thing to do. It can’t possibly be legal, right?

The annual National Work Zone Awareness Week campaign is held every spring to coincide with the start of construction season to encourage safe driving through highway work zones.

Currently, almost every state in the U.S. has the same legal blood alcohol limit of .08 for drivers. The one exception is Utah, which has a lower limit of .05. But it may not stay that way for long.

More signs preventing right turns at red lights are going up around Arlington County to reduce crashes.

Farmers are busy planting their crops, and that means motorists will likely encounter slow-moving farm equipment on roadways.

Existing and emerging technologies have great potential to reduce distracted driving, which contributes to thousands of deaths each year in the United States, according to a new National Distracted Driving Coalition (NDDC) report.

Researchers at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently voiced concern about the safety implications linked to the weight of new electric vehicles (EVs).

Trends in increased home deliveries and initiatives like the American Jobs Plan could result in more active work zones on the roads, at airports, and on rails than in the recent past.

For Tammy Guido and David Messick, the first annual Keeper’s Cup Memorial Soccer Tournament means much more than trophies, medals and titles. This event is what keeps the legacies of their sons alive.

The Fairfax County Police Department and Virginia State Police troopers will utilize "high-visibility enforcement operations" targeting areas with high crash rates.

From implementing stricter speed limits to providing better road infrastructure, there are many steps that can be taken to help improve road safety.

It's a fear for many families with students that can drive: their child not making it home safely, due to drunk or distracted driving.

Roadway deaths in the United States continued to hover just above 46,000 in 2022, according to recently released preliminary fatality estimates from the National Safety Council (NSC).

The official number of deaths each year linked to drowsy driving is in the hundreds, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration records show, but they may be underreported.

Highway fatalities are on the rise again — 46,000 in the U.S. in 2022, up 22%, according to numbers released last week. How many of those deaths involved distracted driving?

More than one-third of St. Patrick's Day crash fatalities involved drunk drivers.

Two sisters were killed in a car crash in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, on Saturday.
Dawn Donnelly, 16, and Alexyss Scott, 18, were both students at Riverbend High School.

US roadways are carrying heavier, more powerful vehicles operated by motorists who are older, driving faster and more often distracted, according to CCC Intelligent Solutions’ annual Crash Course report.

While the thumbs-up emoji was recently placed on the chopping block by younger members of the workforce for its “rude” and “hostile” undertones, Gen Z and young millennials are going all in on its polar opposite.

With St. Patrick’s Day and the start of the NCAA basketball tournament aligning this week, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) said they are urging individuals to plan ahead and celebrate responsibly.

AARP launched a free smartphone app that empowers drivers to stay safe behind the wheel by analyzing five key driving behaviors linked to increasing safety and preventing crashes.

The National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF) and The National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) are looking for school resource officers (SROs) who are using innovative methods to teach students about safe driving behavior.

During our lives, there are things that we become passionate about and, as a result, we dedicate a great deal of time and effort in order to become better, more efficient, and skilled at particular tasks.

Can adolescents and young adults with neurodevelopmental differences learn to drive safely? Yes, and the number of adolescents and young adults driving with neurodevelopmental differences is growing.

According to Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety (YOVASO), more teen drivers in Virginia will be involved in traffic crashes between the months of May and August than at any other time of the year, statistics show.

In the last few years, the roads have become less safe primarily due to the rise in aggressive driving and distractions behind the wheel, said Tony Douglas, president and CEO of Smith System, a provider of crash-avoidance driver safety training.

For nearly five decades, drivers in much of the United States have taken for granted a privilege unknown in much of the rest of the world: Arrive at a red light, stop, and if the intersection is clear, turn right even if the signal isn't green.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nine people in the U.S. are killed every day in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver. That’s roughly 3,000 people every year.

Blindspots the size of a pre-school classroom. Hulking curb weights. Tall, aggressive hoods that can easily strike a fully grown adult at the level of the neck.

The driver walked away with $125 fine after an 86-year-old grandfather died in a crash.

The National Safety Council is urging all drivers to do a quick online check to see if their vehicle has any open safety recalls.

For a second consecutive year, preliminary estimates from the National Safety Council indicate the United States is in a dark place. Once again – in a single year's time – more than 46,000 people lost their lives in a preventable traffic crash

We live in a time of extremes that impact nearly every aspect of our lives. Even driving has become a hotly debated topic.

Although Irish in its roots, St. Patrick’s Day is known to be widely celebrated in the United States.

Daylight savings time, which begins this weekend, brings an increased risk of drowsy driving, recognized by traffic safety experts as a significant factor in crashes nationwide.

With St. Patrick’s day festivities just around the corner and the color green about to take over the streets of Downtown Roanoke, State Police reminds the community to stay safe on the roadways.

Some of the world’s most sophisticated vehicle makers and technologists are investing heavily in autonomous trucking and here is why.

Using a self-driving truck to follow a manned vehicle during “moving work zone” operations could help prevent roadway worker injuries, results of a recent study show.

AAA says on average, two emergency responders are killed after being struck each month by a driver on a roadway who is not obeying the law.

The number of people killed on U.S. streets in early 2022 was 5% higher than the same period a year earlier, showing a dramatic increase over the last decade.

Harrisonburg Public Works (HPW) is working on improving road safety and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure around the community through roadway reconfiguration projects, according to a press release.

Although alcohol is a factor in nearly 1 out of 3 traffic deaths, federal and state agencies need to also address driver impairment from cannabis and prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

Due to tougher criteria from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), currently just 48 vehicle models qualify for 2023 Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ awards, compared to 101 vehicles this time last year.

Springtime means the beginning of road trip season! Traveling by vehicle can be a fun way to experience several different places on your way to your ultimate destination, but it comes with its own costs, complications, and risks too.

Driving is an essential skill, but it’s easy to take the safety of being on the road for granted. However, visibility – both yourself and your vehicle – plays a major role in ensuring that you drive safely.

Drivers in the United States struck and killed 3,434 people in the first half of 2022 – up 5%, or 168 more deaths, from the same period the year before, according to a new analysis from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA).

Key Federal Highway Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and Federal Transit Administration officials shared their perspectives on ways to improve transportation safety during a panel discussion at the 2023 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Washington Briefing

All I remember are the headlights coming toward me and having no time to react.

The state of Virginia could soon enact a move over rule revision.

For 34 years, Drive Safe Hampton Roads has joined forces with community partners to collect old, used and potentially unsafe child safety seats during the Child Safety Seat Round-Up program.

Fairfax County police are putting new measures in place to cut back on distracted driving and avoid crashes involving pedestrians.

Using a seat belt properly can reduce the risk of a fatal injury from a car accident by as much as 60%, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Two field studies conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety examined the effectiveness of certain “countermeasures” that aim to reduce highway work zone crashes – especially vehicle-mounted electronic variable message signs or VMSs.

There is little in this world that can prepare a parent for the loss of their own child. Tammy Duffy knows that pain all too well.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), teens are notorious risk-takers and may not consider the consequences of taking risks.

Drivers traveling through Virginia Commonwealth University’s campuses in Richmond may have noticed a recent increase in traffic and parking violations issued by VCU Police.

Experts say we need an array of tools — education, training, legislation, and technology — to combat the nation’s distracted driving crisis and this hold true for fleets as well as consumers.

Distracted driving is one of the most dangerous behaviors on the road today. But what exactly is distracted driving and how does it impact your risks behind the wheel?

Dangerous driving is becoming more common in Richmond, sometimes ending in tragedy. That’s why the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Police Department wants to crack down on these types of behaviors.

The most recent figures show a slight drop in deadly crashes on U.S. roads during the first nine months of 2022. But the picture really isn’t even close to rosy.

Imagine you’re driving down the road and suddenly smell smoke or see flames shoot from under the hood or dash. What should you do?

Richmond reports 44 people died while traveling on Richmond’s streets from 2019 to 2021, and now, the City has been awarded a grant of $762,400 to fund road safety improvements throughout Richmond.

While winter weather leads many to prepare for driving in the snow and slush (and such preparation is important), government analysis of weather-related crashes and injuries points out that it’s driving on wet roads – not snowy or icy pavement – that leads to the highest percentage of crashes and injuries.

The immense weight of the electric Hummer prompted a crash test expert to stage a bizarre experiment—and wonder if EVs will make roads more dangerous.

Many solutions to slow down traffic elongate travel times. However, several compromise solutions exist that allow travelers to reach their destination quickly and improve road safety.

Transportation planners looking to address road safety issues and traffic fatalities could move beyond traditional methods of determining unsafe areas and rely more on technology, including the data collected by connected vehicles, according to one expert.

Police in Fairfax County, Virginia, are ramping up traffic enforcement during distracted-driving month, partnering with schools to educate the most distracted drivers — teenagers.

Missy Cummings, who spent more than a year at the federal auto safety agency, said that drivers were putting too much trust in systems like Tesla’s Autopilot and that regulators needed to restrict their use.

An autonomous truck is a semi-truck that can deliver goods across the country without needing a driver. Like autonomous cars, these trucks are currently in development at several self-driving-technology companies – and they’re on the horizon with some truly amazing capabilities.

While the frigid temperatures and gray skies of winter might seem endless, springtime is just around the corner. And with warmer, sunny days on the horizon, the time is fast approaching for fleet managers to prepare their vehicles for the change in season.

To help keep drivers in the know about ever-evolving vehicle safety technologies and how to use them, the National Safety Council has added resources to its MyCarDoesWhat.org website.

The Department of Transportation over the past year has undertaken a variety of actions related to guidance and rulemakings that officials say will lay the groundwork for reducing the number of fatal crashes on U.S. roadways.

The Transportation Department has enlisted dozens of organizations that have committed to taking action to make the roads less dangerous.

Nearly 50 businesses and nonprofits — including rideshare companies Uber and Lyft, industrial giant 3M and automaker Honda — are pledging millions of dollars in initiatives to stem a crisis in road fatalities under a new federal effort announced Friday.

A pedestrian has been struck by a vehicle at Virginia Commonwealth University for the second time in a week. Police responded to the scene at the intersection of West Grace and Harrison streets just before 9:15 p.m. Thursday.

The Traffic Injury Research Foundation USA, Inc. (TIRF USA), in partnership with TIRF in Canada and with sponsorship from the Anheuser-Busch Foundation, released the eighth annual Road Safety Monitor (RSM) on alcohol-impaired driving.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is proud to announce our new, National President, Tess Rowland, effective Feb. 6, 2023.

Henrico is one of 18 communities in Virginia to earn a share of the $7 million allocated through the competitive grant program to the state. In total, the program (for which localities had to apply and be selected) allocated $800 million to communities nationwide.

In his January 20, 2023 speech to the annual U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, DC, Secretary Pete (formerly Mayor Pete) brought a keen understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing today’s municipal leaders.

At DoorDash, safety is always a top priority. The overwhelming majority of deliveries on our platform – more than 99.99% – are completed without any safety-related incident at all and the rate of motor vehicle fatalities involving Dashers is significantly less than the national average.

As Super Bowl Sunday approaches, the Virginia State Police are partnering with the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) to remind all Virginians to choose a designated driver if they plan to drink on the big day.

Police are using enforcement, outreach and education to raise awareness and encourage safe travel on VCU’s campuses.

This January, the insurer is reminding parents that setting a good example can make a difference.

The Transportation Research Board is hosting a webinar on February 9 that examines practices and trends state departments of transportation are deploying to improve highway worker safety.

A 22-year-old Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) student was killed crossing a street on the school's main campus Friday morning, according to university officials.

Whether it's your first year driving in snow or your 20th, there are always new tricks to learn.

A family is reminding the public about the dangers of drinking and driving at the two-year anniversary of their daughter Jordan Barksdale’s death at the hands of a drunk driver.

Since the pandemic shutdown, collisions and fatalities have risen to historic levels, driven by spikes in impaired and aggressive driving, as well as electronics distraction.

A new safety research report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that between 71% and 99% of drivers in five populations studied tested positive for one or more potentially impairing drugs.

In 2020 alone, some 11,258 people lost their lives on our nation’s roadways due to speeding, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A new training module from the Emergency Responder Safety Institute focuses on the use of personal protective equipment when responding to roadway incidents.

The Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program aims to improve roads and address traffic fatalities.

Passengers can make a difference in reducing the number of devastating traffic crashes by speaking up when in a vehicle being driven unsafely. That's the theme of National Passenger Safety Week, January 22-29, 2023.

A new report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board calls on federal and state agencies engage in “new actions” to address the continuing problem of impaired driving, including from alcohol, cannabis (seen above), and other drugs, as well as well as multiple drug use.

Rick Birt, President of SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) shared important information relating to safe driving on Good Morning Delmarva. SADD has partnered with MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) for National Passenger Safety Week.

Transportation projects often get delayed because of unclear structures and procedures within city agencies. A new report examines how the right mix of structure, people and processes can achieve success.

Cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles are used in all kinds of industries to conduct business. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 1,982 fatal occupational injuries were due to transportation incidents in 2021.

Sunday kicked off National Passenger Safety Week, an initiative started in 2022 by The National Road Safety Foundation alongside “We Save Lives,” an organization that advocates for safe driving.

One of the most important jobs you have as a parent is keeping your child safe when they are riding in a vehicle.

It’s no secret that the number of traffic fatalities nationwide is averaging higher than in previous years. That's confirmed by reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Department of Transportation.

During Super Bowl LVII, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is teaming up with the Warren County Sheriff’s Office to remind football fans everywhere that Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.

Virginia law mandates that travelers on roadways with at least two lanes in one direction proceed with caution and, if reasonable, yield the right-of-way to emergency vehicles by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the stationary vehicle.

Cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles are used in all kinds of industries to conduct business. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 1,982 fatal occupational injuries were due to transportation incidents in 2021.

Children, relatives, colleagues, neighbors, and friends. These are the passengers that can pay the ultimate price when drivers choose to engage in distracted driving and other dangerous behaviors behind the wheel.

Dates for three annual events emphasizing commercial motor vehicle inspections have been scheduled by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

Pursuits in multiple statehouses call for expanding move-over rules to apply to all highway users.

The population over age 65 in the U.S. increased by 35% between 2011 and 2020. In 2020 17% of all traffic fatalities involved adults 65 years of age and older. The number of fatalities increase in adults over 75 and even more after age 85.

The moment a driver looks away from the road, the countdown to a potential accident begins. After just 1.7 seconds, the risk of crashing skyrockets with every millisecond of inattention.

The National Transportation Safety Board has forwarded a list of recommendations to state and national transportation agencies aimed at preventing alcohol and drug-related crashes.

Traffic safety experts have recently come to recognize the power passengers have when they speak up when in a vehicle being driven unsafely, which is why the theme of this year's Drive2Life PSA Contest is "passengers SPEAK UP."

The report examines the costs of one year of crashes that killed an estimated 36,500 people, injured 4.5 million, and damaged 23 million vehicles.

In 2020, of the 35,766 fatal crashes on the nation’s highways and byways, 4,588 (or 12.8%) involved at least one large truck or bus, according to the 2022 Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics published by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

There’s no question distracted driving is dangerous — the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports it claimed 3,142 lives in 2020 alone.

Texting is one of the most dangerous driving distractions, but here are 7 others.

Beyond just getting us from A to B, 2023’s vehicles want their drivers to be happier, healthier, and safer.

Partial automation is a wonder of today’s newer cars. But the technology has the potential to turn dangerous — and possibly deadly — because of how drivers are misusing it, according to recent research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a preliminary estimate today finding that 31,785 people died in traffic crashes in the first nine months of 2022, 65 fewer deaths than the same period the year before.

The surge of traffic deaths in the first year of the pandemic can't be completely explained by quarantine-emptied roads that made speeding easy — and new data on who, exactly, was involved in those crashes may lead to more questions than answers.

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute’s Smart Work Zone system capabilities have expanded to meet the safety needs of an Albemarle County work zone deployed at the roundabout intersection of Route 151 and Route 250 in November.

Winter driving means lots of challenges: Roads can be slick and icy, blowing snow can cause poor visibility and frosty weather can do a number on just about any vehicle.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released its latest projections for traffic fatalities in 2022, estimating that 31,785 people died in traffic crashes in the first nine months of the year.

A panel of top Department of Transportation leaders updated a session at this year’s meeting of the Transportation Research Board, outlining some of the activities aimed at reducing the continuing challenges of rising highway fatalities.

The agency’s new report, “The Economic and Societal Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2019,” examines the costs of one year of crashes that killed an estimated 36,500 people, injured 4.5 million, and damaged 23 million vehicles.

Traffic-safety advocates are hoping to get legislation passed allowing localities to set speed limits by zone. The Richmond Police Department has said speed was the number one factor in several fatal crashes in the city.

The head of the National Transportation Safety Board expressed concern Wednesday about the safety risks that heavy electric vehicles pose if they collide with lighter vehicles.

Members of Virginia law enforcement were out in full force over the holidays, working to keep the roadways safe from drunk drivers.

Actions from federal and state agencies are needed to address the continuing problem of impaired driving, including from alcohol, cannabis and multiple drug use the National Transportation Safety Board said in a new report released today.

Following a shocking increase in traffic deaths in the Staunton area, officials say car drivers need to learn how to share the road with big trucks.

According to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s office, in the commonwealth, 445 Virginians were injured, and 13 others lost their lives because of alcohol-related crashes between thanksgiving 2021 and new year’s day 2022.

Regardless of state marijuana laws, include in the policy that operating a company vehicle under the influence of alcohol, narcotics, any controlled substance, or any substance that impairs your ability is considered a violation to the fleet policy and to the organization’s code of conduct. Violations against the policy should be categorized as a severe offense and may include termination.

For years, the nation's roadways have become increasingly dangerous. Efforts from safety groups, technology companies, and the government are attempting to reverse this trend for 2023.

Large truck fatal crashes decreased in 2020. However, when you consider the major decline in traffic because of the pandemic, the 4,444 deadly crashes maintain a dangerous trend.

In May 2022, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released a report showing pedestrian fatalities have risen 59 percent since 2009, with more than 6,500 people struck and killed by vehicles in 2020 alone.

Research shows that car, pickup truck, and SUV drivers, including teens, initiate more than 75 percent of incidents involving heavy trucks. "Good Morning America" visited the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) to provide its viewers with a first-person perspective of what it is like to drive a truck on the road and tips on how to safely drive around them during the busy holiday travel season.

Whether activating technologies by voice, by touching a touchscreen or phone, or interfacing with the infotainment system, there’s little difference in distraction, Atchley of University of Florida says.

Drivers in Fairfax County struck and killed at least 29 pedestrians in 2022, the most pedestrian deaths in the county since at least 2010.

Whether it’s snow, sleet or ice, winter weather can cause extremely dangerous road conditions. In 2020, there were 374 fatal crashes, and an estimated 25,000 injury crashes that occurred in wintry conditions.

The most recent annual tally of carnage on our roads is sobering: an estimated 43,000 people killed in 2021. That’s more than the year before, which was more than the year before that.

With extra drivers on the road during the holidays, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles urges drivers to use caution.

Winter weather is approaching the East Coast on one of the year’s busiest travel weekends. The holidays are finally here, and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) wants to ensure you arrive safely at your destination.

A new study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration highlights the “pervasiveness” of alcohol and drug use in serious and fatal crashes involving drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

Law enforcement is cracking down on drunk driving this holiday season and is planning to host hundreds of patrols in an effort to get intoxicated drivers off Virginia's roadways.

These eight New Year's driving resolutions will help make those roads safer for yourself and other drivers, including law enforcement and first responders who risk their lives every day working traffic incidents.

On New Year’s Eve 2021, there were 43 crashes in Hampton Roads, with 6 of those involving alcohol, according to the DMV.

About 155,000 vehicle crashes occur annually in the U.S. due to icy roads and over 70% of U.S. roads are in snowy regions, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

Since it began operating in June 2018, Richmond’s Pulse has driven its way to becoming one of the most successful bus rapid transit services in the country.

A 72-page “Pocket Guide to Transportation 2023” from the federal government is available online and in print with key statistical data and highlights of major national transportation data trends.

The NSC says its estimates are reflected in the probability that the actual number of deaths will fall within a specific range. Their confidence interval is in the 90th percentile, and is between 333 and 490 fatalities.

Nadia Tawfik was 17 years old when she got her first car. Two months later, Tawfik was following behind her mother’s car when her mother continued driving straight and she made a fast decision to go a different way and make a left-hand turn.

AAA Tidewater Virginia is reminding motorists to use safe driving practices, which includes keeping an emergency winter driving kit in your vehicle.

Police have released the names of the two men and one woman killed following a crash that involved a party bus carrying more than 20 people and a tractor trailer on Interstate 64 in Virginia early Friday morning.

The city of Richmond is launching a drive-safe campaign encouraging drivers to remain aware on the roads ahead of the Holiday season.

Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety (YOVASO), the Virginia State Police (VSP), the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and State Farm partnered to announce the winners and congratulate all the contestants.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recently joined nine other transportation organizations in support of a joint statement issued December 14 “reaffirming” their belief that deployment of vehicle-to-everything or V2X technologies will save lives and that removing “regulatory uncertainty” will help achieve that goal.

Although convenient for transporting groups, 15-passenger vans can pose a safety risk to inexperienced drivers, their passengers and other road users.

The thought of your baby behind the wheel of a potentially dangerous piece of machinery disguised as an everyday automobile is enough to throw any parent into a panic.

Virginia's Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is increasing their messaging over the holidays. It's a two-part campaign: First is an increased effort by police to apprehend drunk drivers. Second is to prevent it from happening at all.

An estimated 350 people may lose their lives in traffic crashes over the Christmas holiday and another 400 may die in collisions over the New Year’s holiday, according to the National Safety Council’s latest projections.

As 2022 comes to an end, Virginia has seen a rise in traffic deaths. Many of these tragedies included pedestrians and those not wearing a seatbelt, VSP also said.

The holidays are right around the corner and if you are driving in Virginia, you might run into a couple of weather-related roadblocks.

The holiday season is a time of great joy, anticipation and celebration. But it is also a time of great sadness due to drunk driving.

Driving in the winter can be dangerous. Storms, bad weather and messy road conditions are a factor in nearly half a million crashes and more than 2,000 road deaths every winter, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

A new report by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety finds that unsafe driving behavior – including speeding, red-light running, drowsy driving, and driving impaired on either cannabis or alcohol – increased significantly from 2020 to 2021.

The results from a AAA report show a double-digit slide in the wrong direction.

Making “resilience analysis” a cornerstone of the infrastructure decision-making process is becoming a key focal point for state departments of transportation and federal transportation agencies alike.

A new AAA study indicates a “troubling” increase in unsafe driving behaviors from 2020 to 2021.

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates) is proud to release this year’s Roadmap to Safety — the 20th edition of our annual report assessing the state of safety on our nation’s roads.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released its first crash ratings for a rear-seated dummy in its moderate frontal overlap crash test, a scenario the nonprofit has been running for some time.

Holiday parties and end of the year celebrations are in full swing, and with that fun Mothers Against Drunk Driving wants people to plan ahead.

The SoberRide program will return over 17 days for the holiday season to help prevent impaired driving on local roads.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is kicking off its annual holiday season impaired-driving campaign, raising awareness of the dangers of driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs.

As holiday season celebrations kick into high gear, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is joining forces with federal, state and private-sector partners to encourage people who consume alcohol or other impairing substances to make the safer choice and leave the driving to someone who is sober.

A large study by U.S. highway safety regulators found that more than half the people injured or killed in traffic crashes had one or more drugs, or alcohol, in their bloodstreams.

Rushing around to get ready for the holidays? You’re not alone. The increase of traffic and risky driving behaviors is why the holiday season is a dangerous time to be on the roads.

Distracted driving can affect the driver, the reputation of the company and others on the road.

The Christmas and New Year's holidays are times for families to gather together, enjoying each other's company and celebrating all that is good.

State police are urging Virginians to buckle up this holiday season, citing multiple fatal crashes that happened over the Thanksgiving weekend, where a driver or passenger was not wearing a seat belt.

This holiday season, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is partnering with the Warren County Sheriff’s Office to share the message about the dangers of drunk driving.

In the three-plus decades since the Virginia Inland Port opened in rural Warren County, economic development has followed. A study underway right now will look at whether it makes sense to open a second inland port near Lynchburg or Bristol.

Reaching for an object and reading were the top two secondary tasks truck drivers performed which increased the risk of being in an unsafe event or crash, according to a VTTI study.

The Virginia State Crime Commission is meeting Monday to discuss proposed policy changes to DUI laws in the Commonwealth.

If you are going out to celebrate the holidays and there is even a possibility that you may drink alcohol, you need to plan for a safe ride home.

U.S. streets are transforming into testing grounds for automated vehicle technology — but both Congress and state governments are failing to protect road users who didn’t sign up to be guinea pigs, a new report says.

Police say to triple driving distance between vehicles.

State legislators should change traffic laws to make sure kids under the age of 12 sit in the back seat, to limit when teens can drive, and to allow for automated enforcement with speed and red-light cameras, a group of advocates said Tuesday.

The American Automobile Association has released its annual Traffic Safety Culture Index, and the results aren’t great: In every category, Americans drove more dangerously in 2021 compared to the year prior.

While some drivers can safely drive into their nineties, for others medical conditions, problems with eyesight, sleep, tremors, or memory can make driving more difficult and dangerous.

No matter how much is budgeted for road improvement, it’s clear that roads alone won’t solve the region’s traffic woes.

Any task that involves a driver’s hands and eyes has the highest risk of resulting in an incident or unsafe event on the road, according to study findings by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.

Traffic safety experts urge motorists to be sun-glare aware at sunrise and sunset this time of year.

About a thousand people gathered on a bright morning on the National Mall the Saturday before Thanksgiving for what has become an American tradition: mourning a roadway fatality.

A dramatic reduction in traffic deaths in US cities is possible, despite huge headwinds. In some places, progress is starting to become visible.

The National Safety Council (NSC) estimates that 518 people may die on U.S. roads this Thanksgiving holiday period, and if this estimate holds true, this Thanksgiving holiday weekend would experience the most deaths since 2007.

When it comes to drunk driving, it’s not just the physical dangers that you need to be aware of. There are also mental health risks associated with this behavior.

An estimated 518 people will die in car crashes on U.S. roads this Thanksgiving, a leading safety organization says — but little is being done to save lives by addressing the root causes of traffic violence.

Before you hit the road this holiday season, don’t just be thankful, be courteous towards other drivers on the road.

State and local police officers across Virginia will be on the lookout for unbelted motorists during the Click It or Ticket campaign, which runs from November 26-30.

It’s a problem that lots of states have struggled with in recent years as the nation has moved to marijuana legalization and pot usage has spiked. How can police tell if someone is driving under the influence of cannabis?

Area police are stepping up traffic enforcement throughout the region, hoping to bring down the number of people killed or hurt while out walking and biking on local roads. In the month of November, there have been at least nine people killed in the region.

The pedestrian killed in a hit-and-run incident in Roanoke on Friday was one of 14 people who died in Virginia over the Thanksgiving weekend, according to Virginia State Police.

In 15 years working in the substance abuse field, I’ve had a front-row seat to a lot of heartbreak and tragedy. One of the most consistent themes in these sad stories is impaired driving.

Passenger-vehicle drivers were far more likely to get speeding-related citations than commercial drivers in last summer’s week-long Operation Safe Driver Program organized by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

During National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, we recommit to stopping avoidable traffic deaths and keeping America’s roadways safe by driving sober, raising awareness, helping each other get home, and supporting fellow Americans who are struggling with substance use.

When taking to the highway in Richmond, there's hardly a time that you won't see tractor-trailers traveling through.

Police know the routine when they catch a drunk driver, but what if the driver is stoned? There is no standard test for police to find out whether someone is too high to drive quickly.

With an estimated 54.6 million people traveling to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday this year, the American Trucking Associations and ATA’s Share the Road highway safety program provided safe driving tips in preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Virginia is mounting an extensive campaign, fueled by millions of dollars, to cut the mounting death toll on the commonwealth’s highways and streets.

The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV), today released “Every Second Matters®: Reducing Distracted Driving, One Voice at a Time,” an educational guide published in partnership with Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), the world’s largest telematics company.

If you plan on driving the newly extended I-66 Express Lanes next month, make sure there are at least two other people in the car to avoid paying a toll.

Plans include modifying the staging of snowplow and towing crews, new police drones and improved communications with the public.

An average of 2.7 people are killed in traffic crashes every day in Virginia. Pedestrian and bicycle accidents are on the rise, and lawmakers have made it easier to go after distracted driving, but the laws are not getting used.

To mark the anniversary of a $1 trillion infrastructure law, the nation’s top transportation officer pointed to progress in implementing safety provisions linked to freight and commuter corridors.

Think you know the proper car-seat safety rules because you’ve transported your kids or grandkids, who are now grown?

Parents have to have conversations with their children about distracted driving and more.

According to statistics from the NHTSA from the past five years, it is estimated that 10,732 people (about the seating capacity of Cameron basketball stadium at Duke University) in the U.S. were killed in car [crashes] during popular days off.

Detectives say the driver of a sedan was attempting to make a U-turn when he was struck and killed by an alleged drunken driver who was speeding.

Two new U.S. studies show that automatic emergency braking can cut the number of rear-end automobile crashes in half, and reduce pickup truck crashes by more than 40%.

This week (November 14-18, 2022) is Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW), and fire fighters and paramedics are urging the public to use extreme caution while driving near traffic [crashes].

Some 61% of Americans plan to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday with 80% choosing to drive to their destination, and many are sticking to 50 miles of home, according to a recent survey from cars.com.

The first winter weather advisory for the cold season is making its way to our area. National Weather Service Meteorologist, Will Perry says it’s not unusual to see winter weather in our area during this time.

According to 24/7 Wall St, 2021 was one of the deadliest years for automobile fatalities. That year, 42,915 people died from car crashes. That’s a 10.5% increase over the previous year.

USDOT’s National Roadway Safety Strategy calls for cooperation to improve the safety of all road users, including first responders.

A high school student died after a driver crashed into her while she was walking in the crosswalk Wednesday, according to Fairfax County police.

Holidays are traditionally a time of travel for families across the United States, and the Thanksgiving holiday is no different.

Ten Henrico County school buses were involved in crashes during the 2020-2021 school year – the most of any locality in the state – according to data from the Virginia Department of Education.

In Virginia, comparing 2022, so far this year with 2021 at this time, there has been a 34% increase in walkers and cyclists being killed in traffic, according to John Saunders, the director of Highway Safety for the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

The Virginia Department of Transportation hosted another successful Highway Heroes event on Saturday, Nov. 5, at the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds, where hundreds of residents and families from across Central Virginia showed up to learn about the role of first responders on the state’s roadways and the tools they use to address various traffic incidents.

Jamel Tanner, a recent victim of a fatal pedestrian crash, spent the last couple of months of his life walking up and down Route 234, a busy highway also known as Dumfries Road, in order to get to work.

Deer will be on the move in the coming months, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife. This means the chances of hitting a deer on the road are higher.

The likelihood of dying in a motor vehicle crash in Canada is 60% lower than the same scenario in the United States, Bloomberg reports.

More than 745,000 vehicles were stolen in the first three quarters of 2022, with over 250,000 having been reported to law enforcement since the end of June, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). This represents a 24% increase compared to the same time period in 2019.

More than one in 10 Virginians have driven at least once a month in the past year after using marijuana, according to a recent survey conducted by Stratacomm.

In a few years, your car is likely to know if you've been drinking too much and could block you from driving — even if you think you're sober enough to do so.

Imagine your 4,000-pound passenger vehicle colliding with an 80,000-pound truck.
That’s how Alan Boyd, a professional truck driver for more than four decades, frames part of the roadway safety talks he has with high school students.

Virginia teens, do you think you have what it takes to create a safe driving song or tune?

A new Department of Transportation inspector general report concluded that DOT’s key 2023 “management challenges” range from reducing highway fatalities to successfully implementing the variety of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act programs.

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and NEC demonstrate intersection safety using artificial intelligence-based video analytics.

Trick-or-treaters and Halloween partiers can be a dangerous mix, warns AAA Mid-Atlantic​. Here are safety tips for kids and VA drivers.

The pandemic upended everyday life in lots of ways, and one of them was driving. We didn’t do as much of it for a couple of years.

According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, there were nearly five thousand work zone-related crashes in Virginia resulting in more than one thousand injuries and nearly 30 deaths.

The shorter days can have negative effects on the mind and body – and lead to an increase in driving [crashes]. Here are some safe driving tips to help you after the clocks change.

A new survey reveals some Virginians are downplaying the dangers of using cannabis behind the wheel, according to the state agency overseeing recreational marijuana legalization.

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute says nearly 80 percent of all wrecks and close calls involving tractor trailers are caused by other cars.

Every day, approximately 32 people in the U.S. die in drunk driving collisions. Safety advocates — and a majority of the public — support the use of ignition interlocks to keep drunk drivers off the streets.

In a recent study, young adult drivers aged 20–34 reported spending more time driving and driving more miles each day in 2021 than drivers aged 35–49 did in the U.S.

The NHTSA reminds drivers that children are at greatest risk not while riding the school bus, but while boarding or disembarking.

A drop in tickets issued by Roanoke police was prompted by several reasons, those involved say.

Most people consider drowsy driving dangerous, but an estimated 37 million Americans still get behind the wheel at least once a year when they're so tired they can barely keep their eyes open.

Auto insurance premiums, on average, are higher for teenage boys than girls, because statistically and biologically boys are far riskier behind the wheel.

Gig-economy workers are 4 times as likely as other drivers to use smartphone apps regularly while driving, a new survey from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows.

With Drowsy Driving Prevention Week beginning soon — it runs Nov. 6-13 — the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) is warning of the dangers of drowsy driving and sharing tips to prevent this behavior in the first place.

Adopting permanent daylight saving time in the United States would reduce deer-vehicle collisions, report researchers.

DRIVE SMART Virginia, Hopewell Police Department and VCU traveled to Hopewell High School to educate sophomores students about the dangers of distracted driving using its drive smart simulator Wednesday.

Thursday marked the first-ever national "Do Not Disturb While Driving Day" when driving safety advocates encouraged drivers to turn on the "do not disturb" function on their phones when behind the wheel.

Pete Buttigieg, secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, is looking to states for help in reducing what he describes as a “shocking” number of annual roadway fatalities.

FMCSA’s recently confirmed Administrator Robin Hutcheson gave an agency update at the American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference and Exhibition in San Diego on Oct. 22.

Several Virginia agencies came together Friday to spread a single message to drivers on the Commonwealth's highways: "slow down, move over".

AAA has released detailed expert guidance and new tools to assist policymakers, prosecutors, law enforcement, and toxicology laboratory staff when starting or expanding an oral fluid program to detect drugged drivers.

Automakers tout advanced driver-assistance systems like adaptive cruise control and emergency braking as a solution to the epidemic of traffic fatalities. But what if they’re just convenience features?

The Virginia Department of Transportation is working with construction contractors along I-81 between exits 137 and 141 to decrease the number of crashes, which have led to traffic backups along the highway stretch.

“E-scooters, which were a novelty just a few years ago, are here to stay,” Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), said in a statement.

'Tis the season for zombie driving, but it’s no laughing matter. In all seriousness, it turns out nearly 30% of Americans admit to doing it.

Safety advocates say teens need to watch speed, put down the phone and wear seatbelts to avoid deadly crashes.

So far this year, crashes have killed 124 pedestrians on Virginia roadways, an increase of 34% compared to this time in 2021, according to a new report from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

When it comes to Halloween, costumes and candy are not the only thing pedestrians worry about. Halloween is known as one of the deadliest days of the year for pedestrians.

Local law enforcement agencies and national safety leaders are urging people to stay scary safe this Halloween.

More than 175 runners and walker registered for the Jimmy Rich 5K held Saturday at Anglers Park in Danville. The race was in honor of Rich, who was killed by a distracted driver in January while out on a run.

Halloween night will bring anything from spooky ghosts and goblins to masked superheroes and crowned princesses knocking at your door — but only for about two hours for kids under the age of 13.

The variable speed-limit corridor on Interstate 95 in Spotsylvania County seems to be doing what it was intended to do: initiate gradually slower speeds for a more efficient trip, with fewer crashes, through a heavily congested area.

Brooke Point High School sophomores watched as their principal, Tim Roberts, started driving home from a party under the influence of seven alcoholic beverages.

For some people, fall means road trips to view spectacular foliage and pick apples. For others, it’s back-to-school time.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released an update on its National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) on October 14, and shared a new online dashboard that allows stakeholders and the general public to track the Department’s progress on commitments made as part of the NRSS.

The thought of a teenager driving is pretty nerve-wracking as it is, adding in ADHD might make parents even more nervous.

Anytime a driver reaches over to send a text message, answer a call, or perform any other task while operating a vehicle, they place the lives of themselves, their passengers, and other drivers at risk.

Historically, “free range” has been the most common way most dogs travel when riding in the car. That’s right, they simply roam freely – many times even sitting on the driver’s lap.

As part of National Teen Driver Safety Week, October 16-22, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is encouraging teen drivers and their parents or guardians to start candid conversations about safe driving habits.

Statistically, October is the most dangerous month on Virginia roadways, according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and Virginia State Police.

Just because you gave your children keys to the car, it doesn't mean you can't talk to them about safe driving.

Motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of death for US teens, that’s according to the CDC. To bring awareness to the importance of safety behind the wheel, it’s National Teen Driver Safety Week.

National Teen Driver Safety Week, which runs from October 16-22, provides the perfect opportunity for parents to talk with teens about safe driving habits

Once a year, pull out the orange cones, bring everyone together, and conduct a skills course. Don’t make it just another hum-drum day at work, though. Make it a fun, special event.

If you have trouble ignoring a call or text message while you’re driving, your phone has a feature that might just help. Oct. 20 is National Do Not Disturb While Driving Day. The National Distracted Driving Coalition is calling on drivers to use the Do Not Disturb feature on their cellphones.

The American Transportation Research Institute analyzed more than 580,000 individual truck driver records and identified more than 25 different violations and convictions that increased the likelihood of future crashes...

Although only 19% of people in the United States live in rural areas, half of all fatal roadway crashes happen on rural roads, a recent analysis from the Governors Highway Safety Association shows.

From the period of 2010 to 2020, pedestrian deaths have increased faster than other traffic fatalities. In 2020, pedestrian deaths made up 16.9% of total traffic fatalities in the Unites States according to Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

With October marking the beginning of National Pedestrian Safety Month, the U.S. Department of Transportation is reminding drivers of their responsibility to stay alert for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users.

According to research by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), October is the most dangerous month to drive in Virginia. Because of this, the Virginia State Police and 19 local police agencies are teaming up for a new campaign to prevent crashes and reduce injuries this month.

With fall deer breeding season now underway, police in Fairfax County, Virginia, are giving drivers tips on how to safely navigate the roads.

Many Americans feel comfortable treating their advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), which partially automate certain driving functions, as full self-driving systems, according to a study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Many drivers who use partial automation on a regular basis often treat their vehicles as fully self-driving, despite widespread warnings and numerous high-profile crash reports.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched a new national paid media campaign to educate drivers about the dangers of illegally passing stopped school buses. The campaign will run through October 31.

Teenagers are engaging in risky driving behaviors, according to new research, highlighting opportunities for targeted interventions that address the concerning trends.

Make sure you avoid common pitfalls by following this advice from Chris Morris, UNC Health child passenger safety technician. Morris estimates he's installed between 150,000 and 200,000 car seats since 1983.

When drivers make phone calls or read or send text messages while behind the wheel, they increase the risk of being involved in a crash.

To help keep older drivers safe and extend their driving years, a number of inexpensive products can easily be added to your vehicle to help with many needs.

"I am sick and tired of car crashes being the No. 1 killer of youth, those under 25, whether they are driving or not," Filler said.

Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety’s peer-to-peer campaign, Drive for Change: Buckle Up and Slow Down, is designed to encourage youth and teens to develop a lifelong buckle up habit by reminding them that seat belts are their best defense against injury and death in a crash.

What priority does traffic enforcement have in your agency compared to other activities involving life, property and community service?

When you have been driving cars for a long time, it is easy to get lazy in your driving habits and not realize you have forgotten what you learned about car safety.

National Pedestrian Safety Month celebrates the right of everyone to walk or roll safely and reminds drivers of their responsibility to stay alert for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users.

Close to half a million vehicles were stolen in the first half of 2022 — a 25% increase over the vehicle theft total reported for the first half of the year in 2019, according to the latest analysis from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

States are partnering with Waze, Google’s crowdsourced navigation app, to improve real-time road and highway information to drivers.

It would be the first to do so in the U.S. in over 80 years. But other places are looking at similar restrictions to improve street safety.

Transportation officials are spending millions on traffic infrastructure in Virginia in hopes of curbing an alarming increase in traffic fatalities from 2014 to 2021.

A new push to stop drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel could happen soon. The National Transportation Safety Board is calling for alcohol impairment detection systems to be installed in all new cars in the next three years.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration projected a 4.9 percent decline in motor vehicle crash fatalities for the second quarter of 2022 compared to the same quarter in 2021.

In one of the more unusual experiments we've seen recently, researchers attached a large pair of cartoonish googly eyes to the front of a small, self-driving vehicle – and it turns out that this kind of anthropomorphic tweak could actually improve pedestrian safety.

Behind-the-wheel instruction provides approximately 14 hours of observation and actual driving in residential, open, and interstate roadways. Contact your school's driver education coordinator for information on behind-the-wheel class availability.

Road rage is extremely common with 62% of drivers having experienced it. Perhaps even more shockingly, 30% have experienced a face-to-face confrontation with another driver.

More than 51,000 vehicles illegally passed stopped school buses on a single day during the 2021-22 school year while bus drivers participated in the annual National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services survey.

Downtown rush hour has still not roared back to pre-pandemic levels even as car travel surges in the suburbs, a new study finds — and it may help explain why traffic deaths have stayed so stubbornly high in U.S. communities.

A study by Carnegie Mellon University found that if at least 20 percent of cars are autonomous vehicles, traffic systems may start to see the operational improvements these vehicles are expected to bring.

Touted as lifesaving, crash-preventing tech, Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) is standard equipment in most new cars sold in the United States.

For many people in the United States, driving is a necessary part of everyday life. In fact, U.S. drivers logged 3.27 trillion miles between March 2021 and March 2022, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

The Statistics, Causes, Consequences and Possible Solutions to Rising Truck Crash Rates.

With autumn around the corner, it’s hard not to get excited about the cooler weather. But as temperatures change, so do driving conditions.

Anyone who's ever got behind the wheel has probably shouted a few curse words while stuck behind an inconsiderate driver.

Carriers that wish to implement technology to deter distracted driving should evaluate what features they need, including customizability and privacy settings.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today released its early estimates of traffic fatalities for the first half of 2022.

This is National Child Passenger Safety Week. It's an important issue because car crashes are the leading cause of death for kids aged 14 and under.

In frontal crashes, women were three times as likely as men to experience a moderate injury such as a broken bone or concussion and twice as likely to suffer a serious injury like a collapsed lung or traumatic brain injury, according to research conducted approximately one year ago by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

While only 19% of Americans live in rural areas, almost 50% of fatal crashes occur on rural roads, according to a new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA).

The National Transportation Safety Board is recommending that all new vehicles in the U.S. be required to have blood alcohol monitoring systems that can stop an intoxicated person from driving.

According to the Federal Railroad Administration’s preliminary data for 2021, 21 people died after being hit by trains in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C.

A third of drivers who drink alcohol and use marijuana at the same time report getting behind the wheel within two hours of consumption, a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows.

With deaths and serious injuries from traffic [crashes] on the rise, the Virginia Department of Transportation wants to step up the pace on safety improvements to Virginia’s roads.

Every time you step on your car’s brake pedal, the brake lights will illuminate to alert following drivers you’re slowing or stopping. Brake lights are an essential car safety feature, without which our roadways would be risky and chaotic.

“Last year, we saw nearly 5,000 crashes and 100 fatalities involving commercial motor vehicles on Virginia’s roads. We are pleased to know that these federal dollars will go towards promoting greater safety on roadways and helping prevent future tragedies,” said the Senators.

A statewide teen safe driving campaign kicked off this week in Virginia. Liberty High School is one of Virginia’s schools that is participating in the ‘Drive for Change: Buckle Up and Slow Down’ campaign.

Aside from the joy of riding in the open air, motorcycles offer other benefits, such as being affordable, faster, and more efficient means of transport than four-wheeled vehicles.

Getting a driver’s license is a rite of passage for many teenagers. But the reality is, teen drivers face much higher rates of serious crashes.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 938 cyclists were killed on the roads in 2020, the latest available data. That’s up by 9 percent from 2019 and the highest number since 1987.

Most drivers understand the dangers of drinking and driving and texting and driving, but many people underestimate the dangers of drowsy driving.

The 2022 NFL season kicked off on September 8. Football season draws crowds to high school, college and pro football stadiums alike.

Nearly 300 people in Virginia died in vehicle-related traffic crashes in the first quarter of 2022, a roughly 72% increase from the same period in 2021, according to preliminary estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The number-one cause of workplace death is car crashes, according to the National Safety Council. Driver inattention is a big factor leading to crashes, and a preventable one.

More than 1.5 million rear-end collisions occur every year, and most have one avoidable cause.

Transit agencies across Virginia are seeking to increase ridership, even if it means dropping fares.

New research finds that after many years of the converse, traffic fatalities on urban roads have eclipsed those on rural roads and the problem is growing.

Current EVs generally weigh hundreds if not thousands more pounds than comparable internal-combustion vehicles due to heavy battery packs, and that might compromise road safety.

Until the early 1970s, Japan endured a high rate of road fatalities. Now the nation boasts one of the world’s best traffic safety records. Here's why.

Traffic fatalities have surged since the early days of the pandemic, reversing a persistent decline since the 1970s. Roads in the U.S. are now more dangerous than they've been in 20 years.

Students, schools, and youth groups across Virginia are kicking off a statewide campaign this week to increase seat belt usage rates among teens and youth.

Research shows that parents can make a difference by talking to their teens about expectations. Use these teen driver tips to help your child become a safer driver.

Safety is king. If your budget allows, 2013-and-newer vehicles come with the Big Three safety features: anti-lock brakes, traction control, and stability control.

While the number is a reduction from Labor Day 2021, which had 10 crash-related deaths, state police said that “there was still an alarming number of deaths among young people and pedestrians.” Of the six people killed, four were juveniles and two were pedestrians.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis and Reporting System, roughly one-fifth of people who walk and roll are killed by a vehicle operator who did not remain on the scene after impact, compared to less than 2 percent of car occupants who die in U.S. crashes.

The National Safety Council estimates more than 450 people may die this Labor Day weekend in preventable crashes, a decrease of 2% compared to the same holiday period last year.

Virginia farmers are poised to reap plentiful harvests this fall, and that means increased farm equipment on roadways.

During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, cities including Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles installed dedicated bus lanes within a matter of months.

Traffic calming is a set of design interventions aimed at slowing or diverting car traffic to reduce the chance of crashes and improve safety for all road users.

For some tips on how to drive a small car, like a sports vehicle or a sedan, safely, read below. We put together some great tips for you if you are ever in this situation.

On Thursday, September 1, Governor Glenn Youngkin, law enforcement officials and trauma care professionals will show their support for Virginia’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign focused on preventing alcohol-related traffic fatalities on Virginia roads.

The Department of Motor Vehicles, better known as the DMV, has launched a new initiative - to reduce or eliminate fatal car [crashes].

When looking at road signs based on their shape and color but devoid of text, only 73% of Americans could accurately identify a road construction sign, according to a new survey from myvision.org.

In an ideal world, you would not get behind the wheel of a car and drive during a migraine episode. The physical limitations and impaired thinking ability can make driving unsafe.

As a new school year gets underway, the roadways look a lot different. Yellow school buses, flashing school zone signs, and crossing guards fill the streets.

According to research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, more people are now killed on the nation’s city streets than on rural roads, with speed playing a critical factor.

A first-of-its-kind US safety rule aims to upgrade pavement paint to help drivers — and autonomous vehicles — stay in their lanes.

Few vehicles excelled at the new nighttime test of the pedestrian-focused automatic braking systems while many received little to no credit.

Inside the Patrick Henry Building in Richmond on Thursday, Governor Glenn Youngkin joined other leaders across the state to remind Virginians about the dangers of impaired driving as part of a statewide traffic safety awareness campaign called “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”

A study showed that it is less time-consuming to push a button, as drivers have been doing for decades, rather than operate a touchscreen infotainment system.

Run a 5K in memory of Jimmy Rich and help fund DRIVE SMART Virginia, a nonprofit that seeks to promote traffic safety through education and outreach program.

In October 2021, a pickup truck hit an Amish buggy in Cumberland County, killing two parents and injuring their eight kids.

A crash that killed one cyclist and seriously injured another last weekend in Henrico County highlights a national trend of increasing roadway fatalities.

Car crashes are the leading cause of death for US teens. Sixty-one percent of teen passengers are killed while riding with a teen driver.

Across the country, reported catalytic converter thefts have skyrocketed in the last few years.

Car crashes are killing more and more people since the start of the pandemic — even though the volume of traffic hasn’t risen above pre-pandemic levels.

Most vehicles are equipped with an annoying little feature. If you don’t buckle up, they’re going to ding. And ding. And ding and ding – until you finally put on your seat belt.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led to a spike in depression and anxiety among teens, causing some young people to delay or altogether avoid getting driver's licenses.

The future of roads and what connectivity is capable of is coming to fruition on Virginia's Interstate 66.

When you think of self-driving cars, you probably imagine a vehicle that accelerates, steers and brakes without a human behind the wheel. But the scope of automated driving spans far beyond that.

The number of people who died in motor vehicle crashes in the United States decreased 1% in the first half of the year compared with the same period in 2021, according to preliminary estimates released by the National Safety Council.

Virginia’s traffic fatalities have increased 17% due to riskier driving since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and state officials are looking for solutions.

Many people find themselves driving at night for various reasons. Maybe you went out for a night on the town and stayed out a little too late, or perhaps you’re coming home from a late shift at work.

Driving has become such a normal part of our everyday lives that it’s easy to forget the risks we take when getting into a vehicle.

Emotions of shock and heartbreak continue to fill the hearts of many after Henrico Police said a teen driver hit and killed Jonah Holland and seriously injured Natalie Rainer while they were riding their bikes in the area of Osborne Turnpike and Village Field Lane on Saturday morning.

Injuries and deaths in shopping center parking lots and garages remain mostly unreported; unless there is a fatality, most law enforcement agencies do not submit crash reports to state DMV data banks.

The US auto safety agency is losing its top official after just three months in the job, a blow as it seeks to quell rising traffic deaths and concern over autonomous vehicles.

Anne Heche’s recent car crash and ensuing death has once again brought attention to the subject of driving fatalities and some of the factors that have led to their increase.

James City County Police announced it will commit extra enforcement to deter impaired driving from Aug. 17 through Sept. 5 as part of the NHTSA’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.

The newer the car, the safer it is for women drivers, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a new report Tuesday.

The technology works with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Integrated Public Alerting System to display hazard and evacuation alerts on the center console.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration kicked off its annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Labor Day enforcement campaign today.

U.S. traffic deaths jumped about 7% in the first three months of 2022 to 9,560, the largest first-quarter number since 2002, regulators said on Wednesday in a preliminary estimate.

For businesses that own and operate fleets—like utility companies, home service providers or construction companies—creating a culture of safety is critical to ensure the well-being of their employees.

When you hear a text alert, do you have an overwhelming desire to answer it? That desire can be deadly if you happen to be driving at the time.

When you’re driving, paying attention to the road in front of you is the most important thing you can do. That said, in reality, people use their driving time to unwind and listen to the radio, to podcasts, audiobooks and even make phone calls.

You’re about to experience increased traffic and embark on a few months of sharing overcrowded roads with kids commuting to and from class and school bus pick-ups and drop-offs.

It’s common knowledge that texting while driving is illegal in most places. But what about tapping the screen of your cellphone to accept a faster route suggested by Google Maps?

There are some 9,429 fatal collisions in the U.S. during the summer months — the most of any season, according to a Teletrac Navman analysis.

Teen drivers will have the opportunity to learn more about safe driving in a seminar by the Goochland County Sheriff’s Office next month, whether they are first starting out or looking to brush up on their skills

Some students in school districts across our hometowns are headed back to the classroom on Monday. “Kids are crossing the road either to go home or get on the bus. If people aren’t paying attention, they’re putting lives in jeopardy,” said Sgt. Richard Garletts, with Virginia State Police.

As a new school year draws near, lawmakers are pleading with drivers to slow down, and some jurisdictions are going as far as putting up new signage and enforcement to make sure the roads are more safe.

Speed governor devices could help protect road users from motorists who defy posted limits. Why won’t US regulators demand them?

The flashing school zone signs and full school buses have been absent for several months due to summer vacation. Now that students are returning to the classroom, though, authorities and school officials across the Commonwealth are urging drivers to slow down and pay attention.

Within the context of construction fleets, crashes happen for many reasons. The most frequent cause of construction-related accidents is distracted driving, a bad habit the National Coalition for Safer Roads' Stop on Red Week aims to mitigate.

As summer winds down, students across the country are getting ready to go back to school. But whether your child gets to school via the bus, biking, walking or carpooling, it’s important to be aware of traffic risks.

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and the National Alliance to Stop Impaired Drive (NASID) is teaming up to encourage safe driving after cannabis consumption.

“Driving Skills for Life” courses teach teens hard lessons on the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and being distracted while driving.

As students return to the classroom, you can expect to share the road with more school buses, and flashing school zone lights are not the only thing drivers should be on the lookout for.

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has launched a new series of ads using humor to promote safe driving. According to a release, there are four public safety announcements highlighting outrageous behaviors that people would never combine. These include jumping out of an airplane without buckling a parachute or texting while in the middle of an MMA fight.

While driving on I-35 with her cruise control set to 80, Blain struck and killed two people who had stopped on the side of the highway to change a tire. At the time, Blain was engaged in a 20-minute hands-free cellphone conversation with Richter. Plaintiffs claimed Richter was negligent because he distracted Blain while he knew she was driving. But the appeals court agreed with Richter that he “had no duty to exercise reasonable care to avoid distracting Blain once he realized she was driving.”

Approximately 50% of drivers said they used one or more potentially impairing medications in the past 30 days, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Moreover, the proportion of those choosing to drive is higher among those taking multiple medications — a worrisome fact.

Dangerous driving is at an all-time high since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with upward trends in speeding, dangerous driving at night and a large increase in distracted driving. Potential solutions are on the way, however, with legislation supporting hands-free technology and insurers adopting telematics programs to continuously monitor drivers.

There can be a bit of tension between fleets and drivers when it comes to tracking driver behavior. Drivers not only want their privacy, but their managers’ trust, and fleet managers need to ensure that they are protected. Drivers, of course, have valid concerns, but there are many benefits to tracking driver behavior that everyone should appreciate.

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) will host a Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Communications Summit at its headquarters in Washington, DC on August 24-25, 2022, and online.

The supply chain is a complex web of transportation, production, and distribution that links factories with consumers. As the global economy becomes more reliant on just-in-time delivery, the supply chain faces increased pressure to move goods quickly and effectively.

A new report by Pew Research Center Wednesday finds that women are far more skeptical than men that self-driving cars will make our roads and highways safer. The findings suggest a public relations problem that could further slow the emergence of automated vehicles, despite the fact that studies have shown that such vehicles would improve safety.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials hosted a knowledge session at its 2022 Spring Meeting regarding the best way to implement equity policies in the transportation industry. Mendes said during that session that equity is a job for “everyone” to work on. “Everyone has a role to play. It is not ‘stove-piped’ in some department that takes care of equity considerations. It is an organizational wide cultural commitment. And that sometimes might require organizational changes and rethinking the actual structure of one’s institution.”

Across the country, state departments of transportation regularly support to a wide variety of efforts aimed at protecting numerous wildlife species and their habitats. For example, in July and August every year, the North Carolina Department of Transportation temporarily lowers speed limits from 55 mph to 20 mph on the William B. Umstead Bridge – locally known as the old Manns Harbor Bridge – at dusk and dawn during the roosting period of purple martin bird flocks.

While pedestrian deaths are skyrocketing across the country, Virginia has experienced a decrease, according to a new safety report.

Better lighting and other changes to street crossings could improve pedestrian safety for seniors -- the age group most likely to be killed by oncoming vehicles.

Through the first six months of 2022, 431 people have been killed in car crashes in Virginia.

With more drivers in fatal crashes testing positive for cannabis during the pandemic, recommendations will help states advance traffic safety outreach efforts.

Coalition is urging automakers, regulators, safety organizations, journalists, and other stakeholders to adopt standard terms to clear the confusion around driver-assist features.

Driving can be risky for drivers and passengers, but it can also be dangerous to others, especially pedestrians. And when it comes to kids, one of the biggest threats they face when taking the school bus is usually not from the bus but other cars.

Neither bears, blizzards, nor bad drivers has kept Ben Grannis from cycling across the country.

Regulations issued by FMCSA are published in the Federal Register and compiled in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). What regulation covers emergency equipment that must be carrier in your truck?

As more states prepare to approve or consider legalizing recreational marijuana, the Governors Highway Safety Association last week teamed with Responsibility.org and the National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving to release a 15-page report outlining steps states should take to inform drivers of the potential danger of smoking and driving.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) should improve the world of car safety. Unfortunately, each brand has adopted a name for simple systems meant to protect the drivers on the road.

According to an article in the Bristol Courier, traffic officials continue to see jarring road safety statistics, the number one thing they are hammering home is the importance of buckling up.

The Liberty and Jefferson Forest high school YOVASO clubs were among the 15 award winners recognized during the annual Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety (YOVASO) Awards Banquet held Saturday night, July 16, at James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, Va.

For many of us, driving is one of the most enjoyable activities we will ever do. However, our cars are also one of the most dangerous things we will ever own.

An airbag can be defined as a gas-inflated cushion that serves as a safety system for some of a vehicle’s occupants.

Seeing clearly is necessary for safe driving. When part of your eye has an irregular curve (astigmatism), night driving can be difficult.

Despite efforts like the long-running “Click It or Ticket” campaign, many drivers still refuse to “click it” when they get behind the wheel — and pickup truck occupants are the worst offenders.

In 2021, catalytic converter theft claims in the U.S. increased a staggering 1,215% compared to 2019, and car thefts rose 17% in 2021 compared to 2019, reports The NICB Informer, published by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

All states make it illegal to drive a motor vehicle when a driver has a certain concentration of alcohol in their bloodstream.

Car crashes and deaths are on the rise in U.S. states that have legalized recreational marijuana, a new study finds.

The U.S. government’s road safety agency says it will spend $8 million on ads aimed at stemming the rising number of traffic deaths caused by speeding.

State transportation officials are gearing up to use an artificial intelligence system that will monitor emerging conditions to predict the impacts of traffic disruptions in Northern Virginia and the Fredericksburg metropolitan area.

Nearly half of the drivers surveyed said they used one or more potentially impairing medications in the past 30 days, according to new research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

Almost 9 out of every 10 commuters routinely conduct other activities while driving. And some of those activities pose an even greater threat than texting while driving.

As traffic officials continue to see jarring road safety statistics, the number one thing they are hammering home is the importance of buckling up.

According to a new study compiled by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, speeding by motorists increased during the morning and afternoon commuting hours in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic and never slowed down.

Whether a driver or passenger, chances are you will witness road rage or be involved in an aggressive driving event yourself at some point. Unfortunately, road rage continues to impact America’s roadways

The head of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Wednesday the agency plans a new push to convince Americans to stop speeding, hoping to reduce traffic deaths which have risen sharply in recent years.

This year’s Operation Safe Driver Week is scheduled for Saturday, July 10, to Saturday, July 16, and will see law enforcement personnel in Canada, Mexico and the United States fanning out in force on thousands of miles of roadways.

Over just a single decade, fatal crashes linked to aggressive driving rose nearly 500%, jumping from 80 in 2006 to 467 in 2015, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

NHTSA Administrator Steven Cliff believes automatic emergency braking (AEB) along with other advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in all vehicles will greatly benefit safety.

In 2020, IIHS reported that a total of 2,974 of 53,890 fatal crashes involving passenger vehicles were caused by distractions ranging from daydreaming and text-messaging to eating and rubbernecking.

Only 14 states and the District of Columbia have taken the necessary steps to require alcohol ignition interlocks — a key action recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in 2013.

In 2019, the United States had the highest population-based traffic fatality rate — 11.1 per 100,000 population — as compared with 28 other high-income countries, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and State Farm brought together student leaders from across the country and local Agents in a challenge to raise against the clock for safety.

If you're going to binge watch, do it from the comfort and safety of a couch. One young driver in Minnesota is lucky she didn't end up in the Upside Down.

The nation’s streets are becoming more deadly for pedestrians, according to a new report released today.

We’ve been a cantankerous, rude, anxious bunch over the past 2 1/2 years, ever since the pandemic consumed us. That’s understandable – and not exactly news.

The death of a AAA worker giving roadside assistance in Bowie, Maryland, Tuesday night was a grim reminder for people to be aware of and respect “move over” laws.

Federal Highway Administration officials and emergency responders foresee a need to prepare for large fires in crashes and incidents from lithium-ion battery-powered heavy trucks.

When Montgomery County, Maryland Assistant Police Chief Thomas Didone, now retired, narrated a “MythBusters” style video on seat belts a few years ago, he says that a lot of the myths that were debunked several decades earlier had since resurfaced.

Laws and grim warnings have done little to deter distracted driving. Commuters routinely use their time behind the wheel to catch up on emails, says research by Raffaella Sadun, Thomaz Teodorovicz, and colleagues.

In a potentially significant move for road safety outcomes in the US, the country's National Safety Council (NSC) has moved to push the needs of people who are not in vehicles to the fore.

Traffic fatalities in Virginia were up 16% last year compared to 2019 and were up 19% across the entire country, according to a new report from TRIP, a transportation research nonprofit.

Driver safety is one of those topics that gets talked about a lot — but discussing it is a lot different than practicing it. There are too many aspects to count, from weather to other drivers to distracting technology and more.

Despite the plunge in traffic at the height of the pandemic, deaths on U.S. roads spiked, and the trend continued in 2021, according to a report by TRIP, a nonprofit transportation research group.

“Addressing America’s Traffic Safety Crisis: Examining the Causes of Increasing U.S. Traffic Fatalities and Identifying Solutions to Improve Road User Safety” – said that spike in traffic fatalities is largely related to higher rates of “risky driving” behaviors, such as speeding and impairment due to alcohol and/or drug use.

As roads in the US get more dangerous, Canada’s traffic fatalities have been going down. These practices and policies help explain why.

A train strikes a vehicle or a person every three hours in the United States, according to Operation Lifesaver.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has completed a final rule upgrading requirements for rear underride guards and is turning its attention to side underride guards.

Preliminary reports indicate the 2022 Independence Day weekend proved deadly for nine individuals, to include three motorcyclists, across Virginia.

The head of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Wednesday the agency plans a new push to convince Americans to stop speeding, hoping to reduce traffic deaths which have risen sharply in recent years.

Improvements to Interstate 81 are accelerating three years after the General Assembly approved a new funding stream for the highway.

Distracted driving was responsible for more than 3,000 fatalities in 2020 in the United States, a whopping 75 percent of which had males in the driver's seat, according to a data from NHTSA.

"We are instrumenting the car in a way that is overloading the driver just like we were overloading the helicopter pilots," said Strayer, director of the university's Center for the Prevention of Distracted Driving.

There can be only one captain of a ship. But captains usually have crews to update them on critical events on a voyage.

Automated vehicle safety technology can remove human error from the crash equation, save lives, and reduce injuries.

The National Safety Council estimates 462 people may lose their lives on U.S. roads during Independence Day weekend in preventable crashes.

With the summer vacation season in full swing, drivers are encouraged to plan ahead to make it safely to their destinations.

Drive Safe Hampton Roads (DSHR) and Lyft are teaming up to offer free or reduced-fare rides to alcohol-impaired drivers throughout Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg this Independence Holiday Weekend.

Today the Ad Council and Project Yellow Light announced the winners of the eleventh annual Project Yellow Light scholarship competition, a unique opportunity in which students create TV, radio and billboard PSAs to educate their peers about the dangers of distracted driving, specifically the dangers of using your mobile device while driving.

The odds that a Virginia driver was going at least 10 mph over the speed limit increased a little more than 50% during March through June 2020, compared with the same period in 2019, according to a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Some 65% of Americans said they feel more anxious traveling in vehicles now compared to before the pandemic, and over half of drivers "always" or "often" feel anxious about other drivers' behavior, according to a newly released survey from Cobra Electronics.

On a Sunday afternoon in May 2021, Patsy Ellison left her Knoxville, Tenn., apartment in her motorized wheelchair and started to cross a nearby street, as she often did.

Using ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft can reduce the number of impaired drivers on the roads, potentially leading to fewer alcohol-related crashes, a new research review confirms.

The barbecues, festivals, family gatherings, and fireworks are all the ingredients for a fun July 4 celebration. However, the Virginia State Police (VSP) want to make sure Virginians plan ahead so they make sure everyone is safe and sober on the roads.

Summer is often synonymous with long drives with the windows down and the radio up, but it isn’t all picturesque.

According to a report released by the National Transportation Research Group, TRIP, the number of traffic fatalities in the U.S. surged by 19 percent from 2019 to 2021.

Addressing the current and ongoing national crisis on U.S. roads, the report's executive summary offers 10 key conclusions for the next 20 years.

Cities should prepare for new kinds of vehicles that could use their streets and sidewalks, including delivery robots and electric vehicles that blur the lines between bicycles, cars and motorcycles, according to a prominent road safety group.

Despite the pandemic-induced drop in vehicle travel, the year 2020 saw a dramatic increase in U.S. traffic fatalities.

Transportation officials, at both the federal and state level, believe equity initiatives in the transportation sector are a way to not only improve access and opportunity for all communities but also address wrongs created by infrastructure projects in the past.

A survey of 2,000 adults looked at how people are being more careful on the road and reveals that over half of drivers “always” or “often” feel anxious about other drivers’ behavior (53%). Three in five agree that the pandemic has made people drive more unsafely (61%) which may be why a similar percentage say it’s more important to drive safely now than ever before (62%).

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has announced a new communication device that strives to accommodate the needs of those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

In 2021, almost 43,000 people died in traffic crashes in the United States—the most since 2005. This increase is partially attributable to Americans driving more miles than they did in 2020, when many stayed home because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since 1998, 38 children in the U.S. die in hot cars each year on average, according to the National Safety Council. In the recent past, though, the United States saw record numbers of hot car deaths.

The next “Henry Ford” moment is here. While autonomous mobility is one of the first steps of the last mile, autonomous-mobility players and smart cities that harness advancements in technology across AI, machine learning, and data intelligence are better equipped to unlock the future of mobility.

“Side-impact collisions cause serious injuries and deaths in young children each year,” said Dr. Steven Cliff, NHTSA Administrator. “By establishing more comprehensive testing requirements, we are advancing child passenger safety and assuring parents that the safety seat they choose for their child must meet the highest safety standards.”

If you’ve noticed an increase in erratic driving behavior over the last couple of years and wondered if it’s just you — it’s not. Stay-at-home orders at the start of the pandemic led to increased speeding and other risky behaviors that continued even after lockdowns were lifted, according to a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Drivers want automation on their cars, and they want their cars to help them use that automation safely, a new survey from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety suggests. When the road safety advocacy group asked drivers about advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) such as lane centering assist (LCA), automatic lane changing, and driver monitoring, respondents said they wanted the features—but they also indicated that they wanted to remain engaged behind the wheel.

Whether your company has been under the same management or leadership for 40 years or was recently acquired, knowing your worth and being to “sell yourself” to upper management is not a natural effort for many of us. Some still expect their work to speak for itself. Unfortunately, with the growth of remote work and the simple fact that much of the time spent driving or managing a fleet is time spent alone, it can be hard to ensure that happens. You must act.

More than a decade after the Governors Highway Safety Association produced a report laying out issues with distracted driving, the problem persists.

Car safety has long been attributed to aspects like safe driving habits, seatbelts, and airbags. However, we also can’t discount the number of advanced safety features that have debuted in recent years.

High visibility enforcement (HVE) of traffic safety laws has a measurable impact on roadway safety by reducing dangerous driving behaviors, according to a recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study.

Chesterfield Police have increased patrols and focus on Hull Street Road this week. Officers said they were writing tickets not to generate revenue, but to get drivers to slow down and be respectful on the road.

Male drivers were distracted in 2,125 fatal crashes in 2020, whereas women drivers were distracted in 781 fatal crashes during the same period.

Driving your car in the rain can be a pretty dangerous challenge. It doesn't matter if its drizzling or raining heavily; you must always be careful.

Speeding is one of the most persistent and deadly road safety problems – in 2020, speeding was a contributing factor in nearly a third of all traffic fatalities...

Since 2016, Virginia has witnessed 24 collisions involving a horse and carriage, resulting in four fatalities and at least 65 injuries.

Automakers reported nearly 400 crashes over a 10-month period involving vehicles with partially automated driver-assist systems, including 273 with Teslas, according to statistics released Wednesday by U.S. safety regulators.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released its yearly report on traffic deaths, and the numbers are startling. The NHSTA’s early findings indicate more than a 10% increase in traffic-related deaths from 2020 to 2021.

New LED signs with the capability to display variable speed limits will be illuminated starting Thursday, June 16 on Interstate 95 northbound in Caroline and Spotsylvania Counties and in the City of Fredericksburg.

Everyone knows that driving comes with its hazards. But going out for a walk can also be an intrinsically risky proposition.

Commercial motor vehicle inspectors throughout North America will conduct announced and unannounced brake system inspections Aug. 21-27 during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Brake Safety Week.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has calculated that at least nine people are killed in the US every day because of distracted driving.

With teen driver-related fatalities on the rise in Virginia, several schools are being recognized for their efforts to educate students about driver and passenger safety as part of the statewide Arrive Alive: Buckle Up and Slow Down campaign.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced that it would award over $463 million in grants to states to reduce commercial-motor-vehicle-involved crashes, fatalities, and injuries through safety programs.

With billions of dollars in new congressional funding available for transportation regulatory agencies to spend on safety initiatives, several high-level federal officials said leaders must take a hard look at how that money is being spent, and whether there are opportunities to take new approaches to improve highway safety.

The Governor’s Highway Traffic Safety Administration (GHSA) and General Motors (GM) have joined forces to support State Highway Safety Offices (SHSO) and their partners in their efforts to combat distracted driving with result-oriented strategies.

While there has been a large amount of published
research showing that enforcement reduces unsafe driving behavior and crashes, there has been little research
on the relationship between the intensity or amount
of enforcement and the magnitude of observed safety impacts.

A U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee on Wednesday is holding a hearing on soaring American traffic deaths and efforts to build safer roads.

Operation Safe Driver Week is scheduled for July 10-16. It is a program of the Commercial Motor Safety Alliance. Law enforcement officers in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. will be taking part.

The preliminary yearly increase reported is the highest since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began using its traffic fatality tracking system in 1975.

Driving while distracted is something that all drivers do at some time, and it’s not just about cellphone use.

According to a new report, nearly 7,500 vehicle vs. pedestrian deaths were reported last year. That represents a four-decade high. The numbers speak to the continued dangers of distracted driving.

Driver safety is one of those topics that gets talked about a lot — but discussing it is a lot different than practicing it.

A U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee on Wednesday held a hearing on soaring American traffic deaths and efforts to build safer roads, calling it an urgent crisis.

The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is what is known as the “100 deadliest days” for young drivers on the road, according to Morgan Dean at AAA Mid-Atlantic.

The Virginia State Police has one message for Memorial Day drivers: "slow down." Monday morning, state troopers tweeted a photo of a ticket from Rockbridge, Virginia, where a driver is accused of going 126 mph in a 70-mph zone.

The best way to lower your chances of getting into a [crash] is to follow safe driving practices. Whether you're a new driver or have been driving for years, it's a good idea to go over some basic rules of safe driving.

The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is often referred to by traffic safety experts as "the 100 deadliest days," since the summer months usually bring a dangerous spike in teen traffic fatalities.

If all cars had automated emergency braking (AEB) and drivers left it on, crashes could be reduced by 750,000, according to a recent analysis by Erie Insurance.

In a recent survey, 97% of contractors say that highway work zones are either as dangerous, or more dangerous, than they were a year ago.

As traffic returns to pre-pandemic levels, crashes are increasing. Fleet owners must ask questions if they are to convey the safe driving message to their drivers.

How a driver behaves and reacts behind the wheel can be the difference between a safe journey and a deadly motor vehicle crash.

On Monday morning, as thousands of motorists prepared to head home from their Memorial Day weekend trips, Virginia State Police reminded them about the consequences of unsafe driving.

Pedestrian deaths in the U.S. reached a count not seen in 40 years.

When shutdowns from the COVID-19 pandemic started in March 2020, fewer vehicles traveled the roads. However, the data suggests that aggressive driving and recklessness increased dramatically among the passenger vehicles that remained.

On a Sunday afternoon in May 2021, Patsy Ellison left her Knoxville, Tennessee, apartment in her motorized wheelchair and started to cross a nearby street, as she often did. She never made it.

Virginia State Police saw a sharp decrease in traffic crash fatalities this year compared to 2021. VSP said reports indicate eight people lost their lives in six-vehicle crashes during the Memorial Day weekend.

New vehicles on sale in the U.S. today are the safest and most advanced ever made, yet roadway fatalities last year reached their highest level in 16 years.

Teen driver safety is a topic that affects all drivers on the road. With 7.8% of all fatal crashes occurring among drivers ages 15 to 20, motor vehicle deaths are the second-leading cause of death for this age group.

With May being National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, experts say we could see even more motorcyclists on the road this summer due to the rise in gas prices, so safety will be crucial.

Learning to drive is often associated with independence, and it can be both an exciting and anxiety-provoking time in your life.

Ahead of the start to the summer travel season and one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, law enforcement agencies are again partnering with the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to remind motorists to buckle up.

Before Jeffrey Michael spent three decades in the federal government trying to reduce the nation’s road fatalities, he worked in college as a car mechanic.

This year, some 450 people may be killed on U.S. highways and byways during the Memorial Day weekend, according to National Safety Council (NSC) estimates.

City transportation officials don’t usually get a say on how vehicles are designed, even though the size and shape of cars and trucks play a big role in how safe local streets are.

The summer months are when teens are involved in the most fatal crashes. Between 2010-2019, more than 7,000 people died in crashes involving teen drivers nationwide.

A third of recently surveyed business executives expect their workers to answer or participate in work-related calls while driving – and 42% of workers say they oblige.

Free and reduced-fare rides are being offered to combat drunk driving throughout Norfolk and Virginia Beach this Memorial Day.

Excessive speed appears to have been a factor in this crash, according to Harrisonburg police. The 16-year-old driver and two juvenile passengers were on their way to school, and each was transported to Sentara RMH.

On May 5th, the Policy Board for the Richmond Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RRTPO) adopted BikePedRVA 2045, a visionary framework tied to immediate recommendations for activating bicycling and pedestrian transportation throughout the region.

According to AAA, an estimated 34.9 million people will hit America’s roads for the Memorial Day holiday weekend. That’s a 4.6% increase over 2021.

With Memorial Day weekend being one of the busiest — and most dangerous — travel weekends of the year, Virginia’s transportation officials and law enforcement officers are working together to make sure motorists reach their holiday destinations safely.

Two South Hill Volunteer Fire Department vehicles were struck by another car while crews were investigating the scene of an earlier crash.

Most light-duty fleets are not regulated by the Department of Transportation. Thus, there is no specific “fleet safety certification” or demarcation for being “fleet safety certified.”

The most anticipated party of the year for Halifax County High School juniors and seniors, prom 2022, is Saturday night.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released its early estimate of traffic fatalities for 2021. NHTSA projects that an estimated 42,915 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes last year, a 10.5% increase from the 38,824 fatalities in 2020.

GHSA's annual spotlight report, Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2021 Preliminary Data, offers the a comprehensive look at state and national trends in pedestrian deaths for 2021. The report projects that drivers struck and killed 7,485 people walking in 2021 – the most in a single year in four decades.

Between July 2020 and June 2021, drivers experienced a total of 2.1 million animal collisions on American roads, which is a significant 7.2 percent increase over the same time period one year prior.

The National Safety Council estimates 450 people may lose their lives on U.S. roads during Memorial Day weekend in preventable crashes

Roanoke City officials report crashes in school zones have increased by 85% in the last five years. Now, the city is working on new ways to keep kids safer in school zones by educating drivers.

Sunday starts the “Click It or Ticket” campaign from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, where you can be pulled over if you’re not buckled in.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that the application process is now open for communities to apply for $1 billion in Fiscal Year 2022 funding to help them ensure safe streets and roads for all.

Designed to protect roadside workers and motorists, the work zone system creates a boundary and alerts workers when they approach its edge, keeping them safe from potential hazards.

Traffic fatalities as a whole were up significantly in 2021, and pedestrian deaths alone increased by 13 percent. Here's what's happening on US roads.

In 2021, fatalities in crashes involving at least one large truck were up 13% compared to 2020, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s latest traffic fatalities estimates report.

Here’s a scary statistic for parents of teenage drivers: Per mile driven, drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 are nearly three times as likely as drivers aged 20 or older to be in a fatal crash.

The World Health Organization, or WHO, declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. By April 15, 2020, driving trips had fallen by 60%.

Driving fatalities in the United States are at the highest point since 2008, yet new research reveals that many are unaware of the enhanced risk and are actively making choices that increase the danger on our roads.

Law enforcement agencies across the country are participating in the Click It or Ticket campaign. “It’s a simple thing you can do to protect yourself and others if you’re involved in a crash,” said Sgt. Rick Garletts with Virginia State Police.

Warmer temperatures and dryer conditions are in the forecast and farmers will soon be in the fields in full-force. That means more equipment will be on the roadways in the coming days.

Whether you’re using your cellphone, eating or talking to a passenger, distracted driving now kills more people than drunk driving.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) celebrates “511 Day” Wednesday, May 11, as Virginia 511 marks 20 years of service to Virginia residents and travelers this year.

In AAA’s latest survey of attitudes about automated vehicles, drivers overwhelmingly want automakers to improve the performance of existing driver support features rather than develop self-driving cars.

May is Youth Traffic Safety Month. Although teen driver fatalities have declined over the years, motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for 15-18 year olds.

When should an adult who has physical or mental health conditions that interfere with road safety give up driving and the convenience and autonomy that comes with it?