News

Daylight Savings Time just rolled around and many drivers are likely still getting used to the one-hour time change. In fact, some experts compare the first few days to two weeks after Daylight Savings Time a “mini jet-lag” period as many drivers feel tend to feel lazier, slower, and hungrier due to the time adjustment.

In a country where technology is advancing at a rapid pace, it seems like roadway fatalities should be a thing of the past. However, the reality is that tens of thousands of drivers die on American roads every year.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is providing a new tool to vehicle owners to help them quickly identify if their vehicle has an urgent safety recall where the vehicle should not be driven or parked inside until fixed.

Alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities rose 14% from 2019 to 2020, accounting for 30% of 2020 overall fatalities, according to new data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 11-15. This year’s theme is “Work zones are a sign to slow down.” In 2019, 762 fatal crashes occurred in work zones, resulting in 842 deaths – 135 of which were workers, according to data provided by WorkZoneSafety.org.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill to ban the vehicle modification known as the “Carolina Squat” following a deadly crash last month.

The safety of truckers, other drivers, and pedestrians is a major focus for trucking companies for obvious reasons. Fortunately, the trucking industry is continually working to make its vehicles safer by producing a range of options in which fleets can invest.

SUVs, pickups, vans and minivans are substantially more likely than cars to hit pedestrians when making turns, suggesting that these larger vehicles may not afford drivers as clear a view of people crossing the road, a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows.

With so many young people — many of whom are just beginning to drive — looking to these online personalities for inspiration, people who engage in this risky form of content creation may be setting a dangerous example for their impressionable fans.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is launching a new yearlong $1.25 million digital paid media campaign to help drivers learn about the safety benefits of advanced driver-assistance technologies in newer vehicles. The agency’s research shows that many drivers are unaware of the benefits of the technologies and even how they work.

The National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving unveiled today its State Laws Map, an interactive, online database updated in real-time and designed to empower users to navigate the cannabis- and DUI-law labyrinth across the U.S. at no cost.

The NHTSA has finally released the report regarding 2020 traffic crash data showing the number of fatalities in the first pandemic year reached almost 40,000, the highest since 2007.

Springing forward can mean falling back into a bad driving habit – drowsy driving. The arrival of Daylight Saving Time this weekend means one less hour of sleep, a darker morning commute, and the potential for more sleepy drivers on the road.

As the industry works to regain profitability, factors are challenging the best efforts of insurers, customers and brokers.

Despite having the right to use most public roadways, pedestrians and cyclists are in a disproportionate amount of danger while on them. According to the most recent dataset from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, pedestrian and cyclist fatalities in traffic crashes are at their highest levels since the 1980s.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued final rules that eliminate the need for automated vehicle manufacturers to equip fully autonomous vehicles with manual driving controls to meet crash standards, Reuters reports.

Are you certain you have the right car seat for your child, and you’re using it correctly? A new survey revealed that many parents do not know car seat guidelines, or may be using seats incorrectly.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has released a report to Congress detailing the agency’s plan to make America’s roadways safer and more accessible for all vehicles — from the tiniest Fiat to the largest big rigs.

This week, Chicago will host the largest gathering of safety professionals in the United States at the 40th annual Lifesavers National Conference on Highway Safety Priorities.

More than five dozen lawmakers want the leader of the Department of Transportation to step in and address the gender gap in vehicle safety.

Vehicular manslaughter charges filed in Los Angeles earlier this year mark the first felony prosecution in the US of a fatal car crash involving a driver-assist system.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today announced the 2022 NHTSA Public Service Awards at the annual Lifesavers Conference on Highway Safety Priorities in Chicago.

During the 2020 St. Patrick’s Day period, 36% of motor vehicle crash fatalities involved drunk drivers, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Thursday is St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday that often involves alcoholic beverages. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is urging people who plan to celebrate to have a safe ride home set up.

A few lines in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that Congress passed last year required the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to publicize its plan for updating the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy challenged local advocates and safety leaders Tuesday to "fight like hell" and use the “Safe System Approach" to reduce rising deaths and injuries on our nation's roads.

St. Patrick’s Day is often looked at as the unofficial start of spring and a time to celebrate with friends at pubs, parties and festivals. Unfortunately, these celebrations have resulted in St. Patrick’s Day becoming one of the year’s most dangerous times to be on the road.

It's been 25 years since State Farm, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania teamed up to create a crash surveillance data system that zeroed in on studying how best to improve child passenger safety.

Crashes and unsafe driving incidents are ever-present concerns in the trucking industry. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were 4,447 fatal crashes and 114,000 injury crashes among large commercial vehicles in 2019.

Turning tragedy into something positive was all Doug Herbert intended back in 2008 after his two teenage boys were killed in a car crash. Sadly, those young men were just two of the 5,000 teenagers who died in car crashes that very same year – motor vehicle [crashes] remain the number one cause of death among teens.

When ADHD inattention, impulsivity, and distractibility get behind the wheel, serious risk of [crashes] and injury skyrocket. Within the first month of driving, teens with ADHD are 62% more likely than their non-ADHD peers to be involved in an automobile crash.

Manufacturers have identified multiple ways artificial intelligence can be utilized on the roads and ultimately provide an increase in overall safety and comfort for drivers and passengers.

The National Safety Council encourages every vehicle owner to check their vehicle's recall status during the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Recalls Week March 7-13.

Younger road users and those in urban areas were among the people killed in outsized numbers, according to newly released data for 2020. Safety advocates are calling on state and federal officials to take action.

A growing number of states are hoping to use sensors embedded in the pavement to fight climate change, keep traffic flowing and save lives.

The nearly 70% of roads on the National Highway System that are not access-controlled freeways yet serve a wide variety of road users and purposes, are the focus of the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Complete Streets initiative.

Did you know that a vehicle driven at 55 miles per hour or faster can traverse the length of an entire football field in a matter of seconds?

Autonomous vehicles and vehicles with automated driving functions now have their own set of motor vehicle safety standards, a U.S. federal agency ruled on Thursday. The ruling begins to provide clarity on how passenger safety should be defined in vehicles that are designed without things like driver’s seats and steering wheels.

Older Americans today are healthier and more active than ever before. The aging baby-boomer generation is the fastest-growing demographic in the U.S.

Getting behind the wheel of a car may feel like a monotonous part of your daily routine, but because we drive so often it's easy to forget how dangerous it really is.

Daylight saving time starting serves as a reminder that spring is upon us and after checking another year of winter driving from your list, hitting the road this spring should be a breeze, right? Not exactly.

Virginia schools have a chance to receive some grant money to throw an after-prom party to help keep students safe. For the first time, Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety is giving out seven $1,000 grants to schools.

Have you heard about all the new cars with driver monitoring systems? It’s quickly become one of the most popular safety features in the automotive industry. Like other driver assistance systems, they’re put in place to help the driver keep themselves and passengers safe.

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the country, it led to fewer drivers on the roads and a significant reduction in the number of miles driven. And yet, U.S. government data shows traffic fatalities have surged, along with an increase in crashes involving impairment, speeding, red-light running, aggressiveness, and non-seatbelt use, to its highest level in over a decade.

Distracted driving is a significant safety issue. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates about eight people in the United States are killed in crashes that are attributed to distracted driving every day.

The phasing out of 3G networks to make room for faster 5G service comes at a cost, and that includes safety features on many cars.

A new study from Texas A&M researchers finds that taking a route with an 8% reduction in travel time could increase the risk of being in a crash by 23%, reports Texas A&M Today.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has bestowed its highest safety recognition — the Top Safety Pick+ award — on 65 models from a wide cross-section of automakers. Another 36 models garnered the second-tier Top Safety Pick award.

Approximately 46,000 people died on U.S. roads last year, according to preliminary data from the National Safety Council. That number is up 9% from 42,339 deaths recorded in 2020, and up 18% from 39,107 deaths in 2019, according to the nonprofit health and safety organization.

Traffic [crashes] are the number one killer of American teenagers. The worst driver is the one who has had less than one year of driving experience. So how can you protect your teen?

The Department of Transportation has warned states that they must prioritize roadway safety or risk losing funds from the bipartisan infrastructure package signed into law last year.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has proposed significant safety updates to its flagship 5-Star Safety Ratings program.

Each year, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated across the Country with parades, leprechaun hats, and plenty of green beer. Unfortunately, it often ends with risky drunk drivers taking to the streets when the parties end. This St. Patrick’s Day, the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) is reminding you that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

​​Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for teens. Teen drivers have a disproportionately high rate of fatal crashes, mainly because of their lack of skills and experience. In 2019, approximately 2,400 teens in the United States aged 13–19 were killed in motor vehicle crashes. This means that approximately 7 teens died every day due to motor vehicle crashes.

Modern cars are put through rigorous testing to meet federal safety standards, but there are steps you can take to protect occupants

Safety tests of a new technology in a simulated environment showed that drivers alerted by Directional Audio correctly identified the nature and source of the roadway hazard 74% of the time.

Most people buckle up in the front seat, which is the law, and according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, adults have gotten the message that it’s safer for kids to ride in the back seat properly restrained, but when it comes to their own safety, there is a common misperception that buckling up is optional.

Maybe 2022 will be better. Last year was a bad one for drivers in Virginia. Seemingly riding the COVID-19 wave, crashes, injuries and deaths spiked across the nation. And 2021 outpaced 2020, when deadly crashes were up despite a drop in traffic during the lockdown.

FARMVILLE, Va. – A Central Virginia family is putting the worst day of their lives on display — literally. It’s being done to warn others of the consequences that can come from drinking and driving.

Since 2012, we have heard about changes to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) entry-level driver training (ELDT) requirements. Over that period, studies were conducted, and joint groups representing FMCSA and motor carriers met to develop regulations intended to enhance the safety of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operations on our highways. By establishing uniform requirements for both behind-the-wheel and theory training, the results will be better-qualified CMV drivers.

An exciting contest to encourage drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and e-scooter riders to be alert and safe when sharing the road.

Winter weather can be devastating, and it’s crucial to understand how to keep yourself and your truck safe while on the road in hazardous conditions.

Amazon is the target of a $100 million lawsuit that argues the online giant put unreasonable demands on a delivery driver that led to negligence and caused a collision in October 2021, leaving a motorcyclist to suffer a leg amputation after the crash, reports Federal News Network.

A few weeks ago, while motoring down the Long Island Expressway one weekday morning, the driver in front of me slammed his brakes. I did, too, but fearing I could not slow enough, veered left.

Two years of isolation and disruption due to the pandemic is fueling a number of negative trends in society including a large uptick in vehicle crashes, according to a New York Times report.

A new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study released today validated an NTSB safety recommendation that lowering the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit from .08 to .05 will save lives and increase road safety. NTSB issued the safety recommendation in 2013 to all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia to establish a BAC limit of .05.

While smartphones help us communicate with friends and loved ones, they can be a distraction while driving. Distracted driving caused more than 3,000 deaths in 2019 and is correlated with cell phone use while driving.

Put down the phone and pay attention; April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. According to a phone company survey, almost 100% of teens agree that texting and driving is dangerous, but half admitted to doing it anyway. It may take only a matter of seconds to glance at your phone, but, if you are driving at 60 miles an hour, your eyes were blind to the road while you drove the length of a football field. Please don’t text and drive.

Speeding was linked to nearly 9,500 roadway deaths in 2019 alone. A 2020 multi-vehicle collision has safety experts re-evaluating ways to reduce crashes and fatalities.

The U.S. is reporting its highest increase in traffic deaths since the 1940s. Deaths from vehicle crashes had been declining since the late 1960s, The New York Times reported, due to vehicle improvements, lower speed limits, and less drunk driving. The annual death rate from crashes was near its lowest level in 2019. But crashes and deaths began surging in the summer of 2020. Despite a decline in driving at the time, there was an increase in aggressive driving. Crashes continued to grow as people returned to the roads later in the pandemic.

Fatalities are climbing to record levels two years into the pandemic. Authorities cite drivers’ anxiety levels, larger vehicles and fraying social norms.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is finally poised to legalize adaptive beam headlights in the US. On Tuesday, the NHTSA announced that it has issued a final rule that will update the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, which currently only allow for "dumb" high- and low-beam lights.

Shopping for electrified vehicles set another record, and some models were among the most shopped of all luxury and non-luxury vehicles, electrified or not, illustrating electrified vehicles are going mainstream, according to the Q4 2021 Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch report released Feb. 15.

The B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe) national teen defensive driving program founded by multi-time Top Fuel drag racing champion Doug Herbert today announced it has surpassed two significant milestones, having now taught more than 50,000 young drivers and over 53,000 parents the critical skills required to make the country's roadways safer and save lives.

A multimillion-dollar transportation plan will bring new bike lanes, better lighting and miles of new sidewalks to Northern Virginia. The $7.2 million plan, which will focus on small-scale, non-highway transportation projects, was approved by the National Capital-Region Transportation Planning Board on Wednesday.

Rules, policies, and procedures are not “safety.” Safety and accident prevention come down to human behaviors. After all, rules won’t always stop your drivers from making unsafe choices.

The Federal Highway Administration issued new guidance for its signature highway safety programs on February 2 to help manage what the agency calls a “substantial” influx of new funding from the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA signed into law in November 2021.
The agency said its new guidance seeks to ensure the “strategic use” of IIJA funding to make travel safer, including protections for people outside of vehicles, such as those walking, biking, or using mobility assistive devices – thereby helping reduce the number of lives lost on the nation’s highways, bridges, and roads.

Uber is telling passengers they need to wear their seatbelts, even in the backseat. Forgetting a seatbelt can be a dangerous decision, and even in the back set you can still suffer serious injuries or die. You're also putting your driver at extreme risk. "If you're unbuckled, you can get all kinds of injuries including things like head injuries, or other serious bodily injuries from impacting the front seat or any partitions between the front seat and the backseat," said Jessica Jermakin, vice president of vehicle research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "And it increases the likelihood of ejection."

When bad weather occurs, it is best to stay in and avoid driving. But sometimes, driving in bad weather is unavoidable. Poor weather conditions, like fog, rain, snow and tornadoes, present a complicated driving experience. These conditions limit your line of sight, can alter your depth perception and cause many more distractions, especially when there are other drivers on the road.

The internet is full of lists, some good and some bad. Those looking for information on the best cars to buy for their teenage drivers have any number of reputable sources that offer solid recommendations. Instead of parroting those well-thought-out lists, we decided to rely on the advice of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, an organization that specializes in crash-testing vehicles and reporting the results to American consumers.

Impaired driving is a complex social and public health challenge that requires a data-driven and multi-disciplinary response. Governors are uniquely positioned to facilitate the kinds of collaboration necessary for effective interventions through a whole-of-government approach. Since 2018, the National Governors Association (NGA) has worked to promote Governors’ policies to improve roadway safety and reduce impaired driving. Annually, alcohol-impaired driving kills over 10,000 people a year, a trend that has persisted for a decade.

What’s the most dangerous part of your employees’ job? Even if you have utility workers climbing poles to fix down wires, the most dangerous thing your employees do is drive. In fact, driving is the leading cause of death for workers in the U.S. regardless of industry. Your drivers' [crashes] are costing you lost time, higher insurance premiums, and a high cost of loss. Worse yet, they’re hurting people. You can take action to prevent [crashes].

Among U.S. drivers who use both alcohol and pot, over 40% say they've driven under the influence, a new study finds. "Alcohol and cannabis are two of the most common substances involved in impaired driving and motor vehicle crashes in the U.S.," said study author Priscila Dib Gonçalves. She is a postdoctoral fellow at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City.

Parents of teenagers who are starting to drive can turn to a new resource for expert advice on safely navigating this milestone. The American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) are launching Navigate to Safety: Roadmaps for Parents of Teen Drivers, a series of downloadable guides on everything from choosing the right vehicle for your teen to understanding state laws and setting appropriate rules.

While automakers are making progress in including lifesaving automatic safety devices with their latest vehicles, advances in another kind of technology may be having the opposite effect on auto safety. According to a new report by Progressive, the increasing availability of hands-free Bluetooth phone calls, head-up display systems and in-vehicle “infotainment systems” in new cars and trucks is creating more opportunities for distracted driving.

NEARLY HALF OF ALL U.S. TRAFFIC DEATHS ON GAME DAY INVOLVE DRUNK DRIVERS - While the teams, site and time have been finalized, a local anti-drunk driving organization is urging the public to also develop a game plan to prevent drunk driving during this year’s “Super Bowl Sunday.”

NHTSA projects that an estimated 31,720 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes from January through September 2021, an increase of approximately 12% from the 28,325 fatalities projected for the first nine months of 2020. The projection is the highest number of fatalities during the first nine months of any year since 2006 and the highest percentage increase during the first nine months in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System’s history.

Some 52% of fleet drivers view themselves as safer and 53% say they are more careful behind the wheel following in-cab camera adoption, according to a survey of more than 500 professional drivers conducted by Together for Safer Roads (TSR). Moreover, over a quarter of those surveyed recall having avoided a crash due to in-cab alerts and more than one in five drivers have been exonerated based on in-cab footage.

The hazards of drunken driving are well known, and a new research review shows that adding pot to the mix only makes matters worse. The analysis of 57 past studies found that the combination of alcohol and marijuana compromised people's driving skills to a greater degree than either substance alone. And while alcohol was more impairing, marijuana was not as benign as some believe.

More and more vehicles are starting to feature driving assistance systems that can control some braking, accelerating, and steering functions, which make driving less stressful but increase the risk of driver distraction. Now, new research from AAA shows that adding a driver-facing camera is the best way to make sure that drivers will still pay attention to the road while their cars are doing most of the work.

In an effort to encourage safe driving habits, Chesterfield County Police Department is continuing its “In Memory Of” campaign. The department released a video and is beginning a week-long traffic enforcement effort in memory of Carlos Pereira III. The 25-year-old died in a crash June 26, 2021. The traffic enforcement efforts will focus on distracted driving, seat belt use, speeding and impaired driving, according to police.

Automakers aren’t doing enough to ensure that drivers are ready to take over if their vehicles’ self-driving features make mistakes, an auto-industry group argues, re-igniting a debate about who should be held accountable when the drivers of partially automated cars kill people on U.S. roads.

The Covid-19 pandemic has seen two pernicious trends emerge as to how Americans are getting around their country: public transit is struggling with a reduced number of paying customers, while there has been a sharp increase in car crash deaths. Meanwhile, transport officials have also been alarmed by a surging number of car-related deaths. The first half of 2021 saw more than 20,000 people die in car crashes, according to federal government data, up 18% on the previous year and the highest since 2006. Pete Buttigieg, the US transportation secretary, called the death toll, which is claiming the lives of about 3,000 people a month, “a national crisis” as he unveiled a new road safety strategy last week.

A measure by Del. Kaye Kory (D-Fairfax-Falls Church) to make the failure to wear a seat belt a primary, rather than secondary, infraction under state law died in the House Committee on Transportation. Currently under Virginia law, those in motor vehicles can only be ticketed for a failure to buckle up if they are stopped and cited for some other reason. By making it a primary offense, a law-enforcement officer could stop a vehicle specifically for that infraction. The House Committee on Transportation struck the bill from the docket on a 22-0 vote.

The statistics are frightening. In 2018, more than 2,800 people lost their lives in automobile [crashes] and an estimated 400,000 were injured with at least one reason in common…distracted driving. It didn’t matter if the person behind the wheel was using a cell phone, tuning the radio, or eating some fast food while driving, the result was a terrible accident and another life lost.

Automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection – those heavily advertised systems that stop a car from hitting a pedestrian even if the driver doesn’t hit the brakes fast enough – work well, according to one of America’s leading auto safety groups. They work well, that is, in the daytime.

A battery warning light on the dashboard is the most frequently searched warning light on the Internet by people trying to understand and remedy the problem before taking it to a garage, according to a new report from LeaseElectricCar.co.uk.

Michelin is bringing driving safety tips to classic computer video game The Sims for Teen Driving Awareness Month. The #GoldenGauge program invites teens playing on The Sims Free Play mobile app to play driving safety games for a chance to win prizes such as laptops and gaming consoles.

As a driver, how can you protect yourself and your passengers against threats posed by other drivers? The answer, in part, is to practice mindful driving: avoid your own distractions, stay vigilant, scan the road for surprises, check the body language of other vehicles, try to anticipate how a situation might evolve, and be ready to react.

Numerous studies and investigations have shown that SUVs and other light trucks are far deadlier for those outside the vehicle than sedans. This isn’t a novel finding: Almost 20 years ago, researchers showed that SUVs were more than twice as likely to kill pedestrians as a normal sedan.

For the last 50 years, the U.S. has increasingly fallen behind most other industrialized countries when it comes to traffic fatalities. But the Biden administration’s transportation strategy offers an opportunity to change that trajectory — Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has called the U.S. traffic fatality rate a “crisis” and promises to release a first-ever National Roadway Safety Strategy.

As the nation grapples with rise in traffic fatalities, new strategy outlines steps for the U.S. Department of Transportation and calls on stakeholders from across sectors to take action to address this urgent crisis.

Deaths on roads and interstates are rising at an alarming rate, according to experts. State leaders say drunk, drugged, and distracted driving are contributing factors. Now, for the first time, a week is dedicated to promoting safe driving practices.

To demonstrate the consequences of [a crash] caused by drunken or distracted driving, ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars will be responding to the [Virginia Tech] Drillfield on the evening of Friday, Jan. 28.

In “Benchmarking Bike Networks,” the country’s largest bicycling advocacy organization takes stock of the best infrastructure and policy practices for getting more people pedaling. It spotlights Boston; Chicago; Austin, Texas; Oakland, California; and Missoula, Montana — cities of diverse size and geography where bike commute shares are more than twice the national average and have increased over the last decade.

The federal government is moving forward with a plan to let teenagers drive big rigs from state to state in a test program. Currently, truckers who cross state lines must be at least 21 years old, but an apprenticeship program required by Congress to help ease supply chain backlogs would let 18-to-20-year-old truckers drive outside their home states.

Gone are the days when compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs)—which are a bare minimum, by the way—went a long way to help prevent a carrier from being the target of a significant settlement. Juries hold carriers to a high standard. Carriers have a "duty to act" to correct unsafe or non-compliant conditions before crashes occur. And all adverse information a carrier knew or should have known is discoverable in the event of a crash. Every carrier is accumulating data whether they know it nor not.

Some 56% of Americans said they were unwilling to pay more than an additional $500 USD for a vehicle equipped with advanced safety technologies, according to Deloitte’s 2022 Global Automotive Consumer Study. German and Japanese consumers were even tougher sticklers on paying for safety systems with 70% and 66%, respectively, saying they’d be unwilling to fork over more than the equivalent of $500 USD.

Some 27% of major U.S. urban roads — interstates, freeways, and other arterial routes — are deemed substandard and provide an unacceptably rough ride for motorists, according to pothole.info, an organization committed to helping educate and represent stakeholders of our nation’s transportation corridors.
Potholes are not just a nuisance; they are a real hazard to all road users.

Using innovative in-road sensors, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) removed 13,000 unsafe tires from commercial vehicles traveling on Interstate 81 in just one year. The technology, called Tire Anomaly and Classification System (TACS), enables weigh station technicians to identify commercial vehicles traveling with flat, missing, mismatched or underinflated tires and call the driver into the station to arrange for a repair.

“Human drivers, by our nature, have to eat, sleep and take breaks,” said Sterling Anderson, co-founder of Aurora Innovation Inc., which started testing driverless truck software last month in Texas with Uber Technologies’ logistics arms. “What that leads to is enormous underutilization of these trucks and much slower movement of goods.” The push to get driverless trucks on the nation’s roadways comes as safety concerns and the pace of development has delayed the adoption of fully autonomous passenger vehicles.

A safety report card that grades states on the number of deadly crashes and their traffic laws shows that Virginia is lagging behind other states.

Watchdog group Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety tracked a nearly 20% increase in the number of deadly [crashes] nationwide in the first six months of 2021. It is the largest boost of this type on record, said Cathy Chase, the group’s president.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is developing a new ratings program that evaluates the safeguards that vehicles with partial automation employ to help drivers stay focused on the road. The safeguards will be rated good, acceptable, marginal or poor. To earn a good rating, systems will need to ensure that the driver’s eyes are directed at the road and their hands are either on the wheel or ready to grab it at all times. Escalating alerts and appropriate emergency procedures when the driver does not meet those conditions will also be required.

As car companies offer more features that automate critical driving functions, Consumer Reports has decided to evaluate whether new vehicles also have driver monitoring systems that do a good job of encouraging safe driving. These systems use computers and onboard cameras to determine whether a driver is looking toward the road while the vehicle automates some steering, braking, and acceleration functions. If not, the system will sound an alert, and potentially restrict the use of automation.

Like the professional truck drivers you employ, state highway patrol officers are on the road long hours, day and night, in fair and foul weather. Out there with speeders and distracted drivers. They’re at crash sites, lending assistance. They’re out there when snowstorms and forest fires tell others to stay off the roads, because their being out on the road, no matter the conditions, means others can enjoy a better life.

Some 35% of Americans identified the ice scraper as the most important tool to have in your car during winter, according to a 2021 survey by The Zebra. That was followed by gloves or mittens, which ranked as the second most important item (28%), and sand or kitty litter, which came in third (25%).

The federal regulatory landscape for transportation operations must prioritize safety, economic growth and climate change, the leadership at the U.S. Department of Transportation recently affirmed in a series of guiding principles.

For years, the Lakewood Civic League in Norfolk has tried to get speed humps or speed tables installed on Willow Wood Drive connecting Tidewater Drive to Granby Street. Last week, the city put in the speed humps to get drivers to slow down. Even heavy trucks respect the speed humps as they slow down.

US millennials are slowing their roll when it comes to car travel. A new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice found a wide generational divide in the daily driving habits of adult Americans. Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) are driving 8% less than Gen X (1965 to 1980), and 9% less than younger baby boomers (1956 and 1964).

On Wednesday, Amtrak unveiled a specially-painted locomotive to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Operation Lifesaver. The P-42 diesel locomotive now features a black-and-yellow design with the message “See Tracks? Think Train!” on both sides. The message is to honor railroad safety education and awareness nationwide.

Since it was created, the fundamental design of the seat belt has remained the same and it has served, along with airbags, as a primary source of in-vehicle protection for drivers. Today, with the automotive industry pushing the world closer to the era of connected, data-centric mobility, a new class of in-vehicle safety measures are also being advanced. Fueled by the hyperconnectivity that technologies such as 5G are unleashing, these innovations are beginning to take a larger role in dictating the development and design of cars.

Some 95% of drivers say they observed road rage or aggressive driving in the past year, but only 64% of drivers admitted to doing it, according to a 2021 survey from The Zebra. Hostile driving appears to be the new norm on our national highways and byways. While 35% of people are driving less today, one in five drivers surveyed say they experience more frustration while driving compared to before the pandemic.

Virginia State Police have responded to at least 867 crashes and 846 disabled vehicles across the state since the start of the new year’s first major snow, sleet and rain event, the agency reported late Monday. Most of the crashes involved only damage to vehicles. There have been few injuries and no reported fatalities.

Drivers along a 50-mile stretch of Interstate 95 in Virginia have been stranded in freezing temperatures for hours after a crash involving multiple vehicles brought the roadway to a standstill and the first mid-Atlantic storm of the year dumped more than a foot of snow on the region.

Car insurance rates rose 12% in 2021 and are projected to increase another 5% in 2022, and risky driving behaviors is one of the reasons why, according to a new report from Insurify. The report sets the stage by exploring recent trends in crash fatalities. While the fatality rate decreased 3% between spring 2020 and 2021, it remained 26% higher in 2021 than it was during the same period in 2019.

Vehicles equipped with automatic emergency braking traveling at 35 MPH collided with a stopped vehicle 33% of the time when they were tested during simulated rainfall. Lane keeping assistance did even worse with test vehicles departing their lane a staggering 69% of the time.

While unquestionably impacted by the resurging COVID-19 pandemic including the Omicron variant, 461 persons in the Washington-metropolitan area still used the free safe ride service, SoberRide®, over the recent winter holidays. A total of 285 persons (included in the aforementioned ridership figure) used the local SoberRide® program during New Year’s, alone.

What is this technology called telematics, and how can it help teen drivers stay safe on the road? Today’s cars record and store all manner of information or data. That data and the method of transmitting or harvesting it is called telematics. You may not know it, but your car is an open book. As does your phone, your car can keep track of where it is, where it’s been, and a timeline of your movements. It can know when you drive, where you drive, and how fast you drive. Your car can recognize when you accelerate aggressively or brake harshly. It can even record seat-belt and smartphone use.

During winter, too many people forget to clear and de-ice their vehicle before heading out on the road. Others never think to inspect their windshield wipers and delay replacing them when necessary. In all cases, visibility and safety can be seriously compromised.

Distracted and inattentive driving are leading causes of vehicle-related [crashes] as the influx of mobile technologies competes for drivers’ attention. There are in-cab solutions that not only help minimize multi-tasking during critical drive time, but also detect drowsy driving, aggressive driving and threats from other vehicles on the road. Solutions exist that can help manage mobile technology use while behind the wheel.

Tesla vehicles will no longer allow video games to be played on the center touch screens after facing scrutiny from U.S. auto safety regulators. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced Wednesday that it had launched a formal investigation into the "Passenger Play" feature over distracted driving concerns, but said Thursday that the electric vehicle manufacturer had agreed to restrict the capability.

According to a study done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 20,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the first half of 2021. That’s up 18.4% compared to 2020. Robert Sinclair from the American Automobile Association joined NewsNation’s “Morning in America” to discuss the findings.

Students who attended Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) affiliated high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools submitted videos of up to one minute, memes, and GIFs of up to ten seconds with one goal in mind: raise awareness of the risks associated with distracted driving. "The End DD contest helps our students educate their peers on the dangers of driving distracted in a fun and impactful way.

Verra Mobility says that the video highlights the need for intersections, safety enforcement and increased driver attention. “We hope the release of this video will alert motorists across the United States about the dangers of red-light running,” an official press release says. “With the holiday season being one of the busiest travel times of the year, this video underscores the dangers distracted driving or poor driving decisions can have on our communities.”

A road rage incident caught on camera is being used by Virginia Department of Transportation officials to highlight the dangers of reckless driving. Video of the incident tweeted by VDOT shows two vehicles driving at highway speeds when the driver of the car appears to break-check the driver of a pickup truck. The driver of the truck then races around the car, drives on the shoulder of the highway and cuts off the other driver forcing them to swerve out of their lane.

With the New Year’s holiday approaching, the Checkpoint Strikeforce is launching a campaign to educate the public about the dangers of drunk driving - especially during the holiday season. Governor Northam spoke about this public education campaign.

A mother’s agony and hurt are still fresh several years later. “It's been almost four and a half years and it's still really hard,” Debbie Leger said as she fought back tears. May 19, 2017 is a day forever tainted for Leger. Senior skip day for her daughter Sabrina Mundorff and her best friend Kaitlyn Duffy took a tragic and devastating turn. A delivery truck driver in Virginia Beach crashed head-on into their SUV, killing Kaitlyn instantly. Leger’s daughter, who was the passenger in the car, survived.

As New Year’s Eve approaches, the Virginia State Police (VSP) wishes to remind motorists to drive responsibly during the holiday season and throughout the year. “Virginia is on pace to have more fatal crashes in 2021 than in 2020, which was, unfortunately, a record breaking year. But, I have faith that Virginians will do the right thing this holiday season,” said Col. Gary T. Settle, the superintendent for VSP. “During Thanksgiving, Virginia saw a record low number of fatal crashes – the lowest in more than a decade. Virginians proved that they know what to do and how to be responsible on the roadways. Let’s keep the momentum going through the New Year and start 2022 off on the right foot.”

Up to half of individuals whose breath alcohol concentration is over the legal limit to operate a vehicle may overestimate their ability to drive, which could trigger “devastating consequences,” according to a recent study out of England and Germany.

The holiday travel season remains in full swing as some travelers make their way back home after weekend celebrations. AAA projected 2.9 million Virginians will travel during the holiday period this year, from December 23rd to January 2nd. That’s a 32% jump compared to 2020, but still down 10% from 2019, before the pandemic.

If their estimates are correct, 6 million passengers will be crowding the skies, while the bulk of the other 106 million will [road] tripping more than fifty miles to their holiday destinations. About 3 million are expected to be utilizing rail, bus, or cruise lines for their travel. The figures are an estimation of December 23rd to January 2nd.

U.S. motorists drove 7.1% more miles in October over the same month last year as people returned to offices and resumed leisure trips, but the distance was off slightly from pre-pandemic levels and traffic deaths jumped dramatically. The Federal Highway Administration said on Monday that motorists drove 277.5 billion miles in October, up 18.5 billion miles from October 2020, but still down 5.6 billion miles from October 2019.

The Virginia Department of Transportation commemorated the completion of its six-year Interstate 64 widening project, built in three segments, Monday morning on the Peninsula with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting.

An estimated 798 people will die in traffic collisions over the upcoming winter holidays — 371 during the Christmas holiday driving period, and another 427 during the New Year’s holiday driving period, reports the National Safety Council (NSC). According to the NSC, the fatality rate could be far worse if seat belts did not exist. With the proper use of seat belts, some 500 people’s lives could be saved this holiday season, notes the organization.

Ford/Lincoln and Honda/Acura installed automatic emergency braking (AEB) on more than 95% of the vehicles they produced between Sept. 1, 2020, and Aug. 31, 2021, bringing the number of automakers to 12 that have fulfilled a voluntary pledge — before the deadline — to equip nearly all the light vehicles they produce for the U.S. market with AEB.

“Keep your family, your community, and yourself safe by not drinking and driving this holiday season,” said Governor Northam. “You can always designate a sober driver, call a taxi, or use public transportation and rideshare services. We owe our thanks to law enforcement professionals for keeping people safe this holiday season. Together, we can reduce impaired driving and save lives.”

If you're taking a lot of road trips this holiday season, maybe you've wished your car could just drive itself to Grandma's house. The auto industry has been working on autonomous driving for years. And companies like Waymo and Cruise are testing fully autonomous driving — in some cities, you can already hop in a driverless taxi.

THE build-up to the festive period is one of excitement certainly, but often also stress. For business drivers, this is a familiar time of rushing to and fro, dealing with higher workloads, and often feeling increasingly exhausted. Research by RED Driver Training shows that thousands of business drivers suffer from what the company has termed Seasonally Affective Driver Disorder (SADD). SADD is a phenomenon that affects all types of business drivers, whether they are in a company car, delivery van or HGV, and results in the potential for higher risk and lower productivity.

One Tuesday morning this fall, I strapped on a Kevlar vest and slid into the passenger seat of a gray Ford Interceptor sedan, the souped-up Taurus that replaced the Crown Vic as America’s default police car a decade ago.* (And has since been replaced itself: Ford no longer produces police cars, only SUVs and pickups.) This model has several features that are not available for civilian use, including a siren on the roof and a V6 Mustang engine under the hood.

What are your chances of being hit with a nuclear verdict? A bad FMCSA audit? Or skyrocketing insurance rates? Pretty high if your fleet forgets to put safety first. According to the FMCSA, large trucks and buses accounted for 155,585 crashes in 2020, 76,705 injuries, and 4,751 fatalities in 2020. Further, crashes can bankrupt a fleet. The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) puts the average cost of a fatal crash at $761,000, with jury awards hitting as high as $1 billion.

A prominent group of state road safety officials urged fellow advocates to focus on changing driver behavior—not just improving infrastructure—to fight a recent surge in traffic deaths. The Governors Highway Safety Association issued a report Wednesday trying to make sure that traditional safety messages don’t get lost as more people get interested in changing roads to make them safer.

American drivers lost on average 36 hours due to congestion this year, according to a new report. The 2021 Global Traffic scorecard, published by INRIX Inc, which provides mobility analytics and connected car services, identified and ranked congestion and mobility trends in more than 1,000 cities, across 50 countries, as economic and social disruption continued due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The driver of an SUV in South Carolina was distracted by her cell phone when she crossed the center line of a South Carolina highway and crashed into a bus carrying people with disabilities and special needs, causing two deaths, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has found.

FedEx on Friday received the first of 500 electric delivery trucks from BrightDrop, the newly formed EV unit of General Motors. It’s a moment both companies call a “tipping point” for EVs for package delivery and logis

A new study by Ou Stella Liang and Christopher Yang of Drexel University asks: How are different sources of distraction associated with at-fault crashes among drivers of different ages and gender groups? The researchers crunched data from the Strategic Highway Research Program Naturalistic Driving Study, which tracked 50 million miles of driving in six states using cars equipped with cameras and radars that could monitor in-cabin activities.

One person is dead after a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 95 in Richmond at 1:55 a.m. on Sunday. The person was involved in a crash before stepping out of their vehicle and being hit by two other vehicles. According to Virginia State Police, a driver was headed south in a Nissan Sentra on I-95 when they struck a jersey wall on the left side of the road. The Nissan came to a stop in the left lane. The driver tried to exit the crashed vehicle and was hit by a Dodge Journey that was traveling south.

“Check local forecasts and the 511 app for the latest road conditions. That can help tailor what the road conditions are looking like in your area so that you know what you’re facing when you get behind the wheel,” Glover said. As winter approaches, Glover said it’s important to remember to use headlights for your own safety and for the safety of other drivers.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is partnering with law enforcement agencies across Virginia for the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. The campaign — which runs from Wednesday, Dec. 15 through Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022 — aims to reduce drunk driving on roads during the holiday season.

Someone was definitely added to the Roanoke Police Department’s naughty list after getting caught driving 101 mph in a posted 40 mph zone. In addition to reckless speeding, police say the driver also received tickets for driving under the influence and racing.

According to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Christmas traffic is not expected to be as congested as it was during Thanksgiving. VDOT’s Lynchburg District Communications Director Len Stevens says you still never know what the future holds. More drivers mean a higher chance of crashes.

Unlike current safety systems, PreAct Technologies’ solution is focused on imminent collisions. The pre-crash technology uses continuous wave, time-of-flight technology to precisely sense depth, speed and location of objects to predict impending crashes. Because it is so precise and immediate, the system can also predict how severe a crash will be, thereby ascertaining which airbags to deploy and when, according to the company.

A new national survey by SafeAuto finds that 40% of Americans ages 21 to 34 say they are more likely to drive after consuming alcohol over the holidays than at other times of the year, reports KMMO.com. Fleet drivers need to be particularly cautious while behind the wheel for the next month, as the winter holiday season ranks among the most dangerous times of the year on the roadways.

Not long after buying a Tesla Model 3 this summer, Vince Patton saw a YouTube clip highlighting a feature that took him by surprise: three video games that can be played on the large touch screen mounted in front of the dashboard — while driving down the road.

Between 2000 and 2018, the number of drug-related road traffic fatalities increased from 266 in 2000 to a high of 551 in 2018, while the number of fatigue-related road traffic fatalities rose from 138 in 2000 to 159 in 2004 before falling to a low of 81 in 2018.

It was a tally that shocked the experts: 38,680 deaths on U.S. roadways last year, the most since 2007 even though pandemic precautions had dramatically reduced driving.

Older drivers, who are less likely to survive severe crashes than any other age group, also tend to drive outdated vehicles that lack crucial safety features, recent studies from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show.

Mercedes-Benz is recalling 227 vehicles with a feature allowing drivers to watch videos on the touch screen console, even while the car is in motion. The German automaker's recall report was filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA), Arlington, Virginia, recently sent a letter to the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee urging action to reduce incidents of distracted driving caused by mobile devices. The NWRA says it hopes federal action will ultimately regulate mobile devices to prevent distracted driving.

The Dept. of Motor Vehicles partnered with the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety and Schneider Trucking to conduct the first-ever trial of groundbreaking technology that could save thousands of lives. This new technology will test blood-alcohol content for commercial vehicle drivers, and it will work in two ways: a breath-based system or a touch-based system.

From earlier studies about the main causes of reckless driving the hypothesis crystallized, that ‘running late’ is the root cause for much of UAE motorists’ misbehavior. Hence, this new and vital study looking into all the dimensions of ‘running late’ is of truly critical importance to understand the consequences and the ‘quick-fix’ solution for poor time management or ’running late’.

Emerging technological apps and software have the inherent ability to reduce distracted driving, which ranks as the top cause of vehicle [crashes]. According to statistics, distracted driving played a major role in 8.5% of [crashes] in 2019. In addition, an amazing 42% of high school students admitted to texting or emailing while driving.

In a long list of potential safety strategies, the top three answers for both light-duty and medium-duty fleets were well-maintained vehicles, written safety policies and procedures, and driver training.

In 2020 alone, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) administered close to 900 safety recalls affecting more than 55 million vehicles and equipment.

“I think that from an educational perspective what down the road we really have to do is change the social norm, so we have to make driving the No. 1 and only thing someone is focused on when they’re behind the wheel,” said DRIVE SMART Virginia Executive Director Janet Brooking.

You may not know the name for it, but if you drive at night, you’ve probably experienced situational night blindness. It can occur “when you are temporarily blinded by a bright light such as an oncoming car’s headlights,” the Texas Department of Insurance says.

Personalized connectivity solutions for EVs, emerging Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything use cases, friction between OEM-held data vs. dealer data, and potential safety issues arising from the 3G sunset: These and other emerging trends will start impacting fleets in the year ahead.

The men and women who drive the biggest trucks on the road want your children to stay safe. This week, truck drivers and trucking companies from across Virginia are meeting with new drivers at L.C. Bird and Thomas Dale high schools in Chesterfield to talk to them about safe driving around big trucks and rigs.

Over the 2021 Thanksgiving statistical counting period, preliminary data shows that there were four fatal traffic crashes in Virginia. This is the lowest number of traffic fatalities during Thanksgiving in more than a decade. “Although even one life lost is a tragedy, this Thanksgiving has given us something to truly be thankful for,” said
Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent.

ezjion Henson has wanted to be a truck driver his whole life. When he turned 18 last year he jumped at the chance and signed on as an apprentice with Total Transportation of Mississippi, LLC in Richland, Mississippi. “Growing up, my dad used to drive trucks and I used to always ride with him,” he said. “I said that’s something I really want to do.”

As working arrangements continue to shift for many in the U.S., rush hour and traffic congestion is too. Resources from TRB can help those who work on the free flow of vehicles on the nation’s roadways and byways. State departments of transportation (DOTs) are increasingly using data in planning and investment decisions as they manage travel demands and monitor and communicate about real-time traffic, incidents, and highway conditions. An example outside of Boston is included in the TRB National Highway Cooperative Program’s (NCHRP) Use of Vehicle Probe and Cellular GPS Data by State Departments of Transportation. A system of zipper lanes/movable barriers allows for contraflow traffic, providing additional capacity in peak hours. Comparing the raw travel times plus congestion patterns along the corridor showed a decrease in traffic along the route, and led to a suspension of the system for some time in 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A TRB webinar went over more of the cases outlined in the study. The slides and recording are available.

“With traffic on the roads increasing and many people anxious to get to their destination, I encourage all Virginians to be patient. Buckle up and take your time,” said Settle. “Your family wants you to arrive safely and in a frame of mind to enjoy all the holiday has to offer. Making sure you are driving the posted speed limit, driving for conditions and wearing your seatbelt are the best ways to stay safe on the road, so you can enjoy the holiday.”

Smartphones and tablets aren’t the only devices that seemingly improve on a yearly basis. With each passing moment, new developments in maintenance technologies are empowering vocational fleet managers to take even deeper looks into how they can keep their trucks at peak health. Monitoring tires is a vital part of ensuring a vehicle is working properly and safely.

With the holiday shipping season beginning a crucial stretch this Thanksgiving weekend, freight carriers will share the road with up to 4 million more cars than in 2020. Major U.S. metro areas could see traffic congestion two to four times worse than usual right as LTL and parcel shipments pick up in advance of Black Friday and the Christmas shopping season.

Last month, Enterprise announced a collaboration with Microsoft and its Azure technology platform to bring telematics and analytical data to life within the Enterprise fleet, which includes Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, and Alamo Rent A Car brands. “We’re taking some of the most trusted brands in their respective industries (auto/computing) and we’re working together to bring some of these fields to life,” Sabie says.

For the study, researchers surveyed over 1,000 people who drive in the U.S. They found that 75 percent of employees who drive use their personal vehicle for business purposes, not including getting to and from work. Over half do this at least once a week.

Wilson hopes to help AASHTO and the broader transportation industry do a better job of promoting diversity in its workforce, and in leadership. That effort goes beyond just reaching people of different racial groups, he noted. AASHTO has only had two women as presidents and Wilson wants to do a better job of including LGBTQ people and people of different ethnic backgrounds, as well.

Do your plans to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday involve alcohol? If so, local law enforcement wants to make sure you get to the dinner table.
They said Wednesday marks one of the most dangerous days of the year to drive on Virginia roads.

Earlier in the week, Albemarle County Police stopped 82 drivers and issued 76 citations to drivers in an 8-hour “distracted driving enforcement initiative”. Sgt. Dean Dotts says this Tuesday effort is part of the overall effort to reduce traffic deaths in Albemarle County, which every year comes up with the most per-capita in the state.

Cell phones, as well as other mobile devices, have proven to be major distractions in today’s society, but they can also be a dangerous distraction on the road. In the hands of younger drivers, a recent study finds using a mobile phone increases the chances of also engaging in other potentially life-threatening behaviors while driving.

Some 1 in to 10 drivers — 11% — admit to putting the pedal to the metal and traveling 20 MPH over the speed limit during the early months of COVID-19, according to a recent national survey commissioned by Erie Insurance. Respondents gave a wide range of rationales as to why they drove much faster than normal during the pandemic. The majority — 66% — said since the roads were not so congested during the pandemic they felt it was safe to exceed posted speed limits.

Under Arizona law, using a cell phone while driving, by itself, will not justify punitive damages. “However, under certain circumstances, an individual who is using a cell phone while driving may manifest an ‘evil mind’ for purposes of punitive damages by consciously pursuing a course of conduct knowing that it creates a substantial risk of significant harm to others,” the opinion noted.

The cost of motor vehicle crashes involving company vehicles is pricier for employers than you might think. According to a report by TrafficSafety.org, car crashes cost them over $47 billion, with employers on the hook for [crashes] that happen both on and off the job. But, how can this be prevented? Safety expert Carly Baez, Safety Manager II at Kitchell, shares with us the ways employers can influence better behind-the-wheel safety for drivers of company vehicles by limiting or discouraging distracted driving.

Listen up, America. Adaptive driving beams are finally going to become legal, thanks to a provision in the infrastructure bill. This is great news for nighttime driving safety — your author is particularly excited that this technology will finally be legal in cars sold in the U.S.

A new analysis from LexisNexis Risk Solutions examines the effect of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) on insurance claim severity in a multivariate setting, revealing that by having at least one core ADAS feature in a vehicle there was a reduction in loss cost including a 23% reduction in bodily injury loss cost.

The designation of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) crash has serious implications. If the event appears as preventable, it impacts a motor carrier’s CSA Crash Indicator BASIC score and Accident Factor in the event of a compliance review. Realizing some crashes are beyond a CMV driver’s control, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) created its Crash Preventability Program. In this program, the status of the crash can be challenged by motor carriers, drivers, or other parties by submitting a Request for Data Review (RDR) through the agency’s DataQs portal.

Today in nearby Orlando, Mayor Buddy Dyer wants his city to take a similar forward-looking perspective, to become what he calls "America’s premier future-ready city." In September, the city moved toward that vision in announcing the early steps of a plan to bring flying cars to Orlando skies — a technology that not even Disney could bring to Epcot.

Improving safety of Virginia’s transportation system:
-Virginia will receive approximately $43 million for highway safety traffic programs to improve driver behavior and reduce deaths and injuries from crashes.
-$55.6 million over five years to augment commercial motor vehicle (CMV) safety efforts to reduce CMV crashes.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and National Highway Traffic Safety (NHTSA) Administration today marked the beginning of Crash Responder Safety Week by spotlighting the training offered by the FHWA for first responders. Crash Responder Safety Week is a national effort to both protect responders who are at the scene of highway crashes and remind the public of their responsibility to use caution when driving near roadside incidents involving emergency personnel. This year’s theme for November 8-14 is Slow Down, Move Over, Be Safe.

There are new developments being reported in our region to address teen driving safety and reduce risk using data and technology. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is treating teen driving risk as a heath concern – which it is – and incorporating an evaluation program into teen’s wellness exams.

No matter how much a parent wants to give a teenager a sense of freedom, monitoring teen driving, particularly in those first couple of years with a license, makes sense. Very few things in a teen’s life fill parents with both pride and utter terror as watching their newly minted driver pull away from the house for the first time. What could go wrong? Well, everything. However, as a parent, you aren’t as helpless as you may think.

Distracted driving is becoming the new social norm on the roads, with one study finding 9 out of 10 drivers admitted to using their smartphones while driving last year.
"It’s scary, it’s scary. I think people are rushed in their life. There’s a lot going on and they’re trying to multitask," said driver Raj Patel of St. Petersburg.

Federal data shows that over 150,000 automotive crashes occur annually due to icy roads, and over 1,800 people die per year in vehicle crashes due to driving in snowy and icy conditions. Winter is around the corner and now is the time for fleet operators to remind drivers of some scary statistics so they keep safety top of mind during the most frigid months.

Over 100,000 police-reported crashes involving drowsy driving occur every year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Moreover, these collisions result in more than 1,550 fatalities and 71,000 injuries, notes the National Safety Council. People across the nation set their clocks back this past weekend, and that means shorter days and more hours for driving in the dark — a particular challenge for commercial fleets. Darker days can affect the body’s natural sleep cycle and increase driver fatigue.

For years, the mantra has been “educate consumers and they will do the right thing.” However, incremental gains only get you so far. As consumers and workers are dying from inherently addictive mobile phones—whether it is walking, scooting, cycling or driving—we need to have a new approach to protecting consumers and those affected by improper consumer use. CPSC can’t hide behind outdated interpretations of what a consumer product is.

The Albemarle County Police Department has a new initiative to try to decrease the number of [crashes] caused by people doing anything but driving while behind the wheel. “People are on their GPS and cell phones texting, making phone calls, anything that’s taking their attention away from the roadways,” Sergeant Dean Dotts with the ACPD Traffic Unit said.

One issue that has shown itself repeatedly in vehicles employing self-driving technology is an apparent literal blind spot in such systems for first responders stopped at the side of the road. Repeated incidents of police cars and fire trucks being struck by cars whose drivers thought were driving themselves show that these “edge” cases of unusual circumstances remain a weakness for the software that studies the information coming into the car from its various imaging systems.

Impaired drivers are also more likely to be exhibiting other high-risk behaviors on the roadways, according to Executive Director of DRIVE SMART Virginia Janet Brooking. More than half of the unrestrained fatalities in 2019 were alcohol-related, according to the data.

What was once a technology seen mostly in movies portraying an idealized look at the future, autonomous vehicles are gaining momentum in all classes, from sedans to big rigs. In the Class 8 market, OEMs have been testing prototypes for five years or more, with Daimler Trucks North America leading the pack with its Inspiration Truck. This Level 3 autonomous truck is just one of a number of ongoing projects designed to further the acceptance of this technology.

Airports and roads may seem jam packed in late November this year as AAA predicts 53.4 million people to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday – an increase of 13 percent compared to 2020. The group projects that 48.3 million of them will travel via the nation’s roadways to and from their holiday destinations.

Australian researchers have developed new technology that allows autonomous vehicles to track running pedestrians hidden behind buildings and cyclists dwarfed by larger cars, trucks, and buses.

For the past 18 months, transportation safety officials have watched almost in shock as traffic fatalities surged despite substantially reduced driving during the pandemic. Among the more popular theories was that mostly open roads lead to a sense of adventure to drive as fast as possible. Then came more evidence of risky behavior: surges in drunken driving, reductions in seat belt use, more distracted driving.

WHO is kicking off the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 today in Geneva, with the ambitious target of preventing at least 50% of road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030. WHO and the UN regional commissions, in cooperation with other partners in the UN Road Safety Collaboration, have developed a Global Plan for the Decade of Action, which is released today.

IIHS introduced the rigorous test to help evaluate vehicles for their safety in higher speed collisions that continue to cause fatalities. While the results are somewhat underwhelming, the IIHS says they are in line with what engineers expected when they rolled out the more stringent test.

Every two weeks a roadside worker or first responder suffers fatal injuries and hundreds more are injured, according to a recent AAA report. The increased use of automated vehicle technology presents new opportunities to prevent crashes and eliminate fatalities, but the technology also poses risks to the first responder.

According to the World Health Organization, males are more likely to be involved in road traffic crashes than females. The WHO notes that 73% of all road traffic deaths occur among young males under the age of 25. In addition, male drivers under the age of 25 are nearly three times as likely to be killed in road traffic crashes as female drivers under 25.

A whopping 777 persons in the Washington-metropolitan area used the free safe ride service, SoberRide®, this Halloween (Saturday, October 30) as opposed to possibly driving home drunk – the second highest level of ridership for that holiday in SoberRide’s 30-year history. “For its hours of operation this Halloween, this level of ridership translates into SoberRide removing a potential drunk driver from Greater Washington’s roadways every 27 (27.7) seconds,” said Kurt Erickson, President of the nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program, the organization conducting the region’s SoberRide® effort.

The road to self-driving cars is a bumpy one, with automakers themselves creating potholes and taking consumers along for the ride. Tesla may be grabbing headlines, but many new cars from other brands also have the ability to partially automate driving now. Features under the umbrella label of active driver assist systems (ADAS) have been making incremental progress toward self-driving over the past few years.

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Florida showed that alerts from a connected vehicle smartphone application caused drivers to reduce their speed in active school zones, while also increasing the visibility of bicyclists sharing the road with those same motorists.

Reckless drivers are regularly backing up on I-395 to get to the Express Lanes, despite bollards placed to prevent it. Video has captured a number of drivers getting onto northbound I-395 from the Route 110 ramp, near the Pentagon, then driving in reverse to get around bollards that block access to the high-occupancy toll lanes. In return for driving the wrong way on a major highway, the drivers get to save a couple of minutes by avoiding minor traffic backups in the main lanes of the 14th Street Bridge.

The fastest-growing sector in commercial telematics is video telematics, leveraging emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and edge computing. The report says growth is due to the desire of fleet operators to determine liability in the event of a [crash] and for driver coaching.

During the recent 12-month period between July of 2020 and June of 2021, drivers across the nation struck an animal in the road an estimated 2.1 million times — a 7.2% increase over the previous 12 months, according to an annual analysis by State Farm.

Drivers traveling along Causeway Drive in Henrico’s West End will notice new signs showing a speed limit of 25 miles per hour, lowered from the road’s previous speed limit of 35 miles per hour.

In July of 2019, a 2.1% increase in Virginia’s gasoline tax took effect along the I-81 corridor, including in Winchester and Frederick County, to help fund $2 billion in improvements to I-81. Locally, the project calls for widening I-81 northbound and southbound to three lanes between exits 313 and 317, extending the acceleration lane onto the interstate at the truck weigh station on I-81 North at mile marker 304, and adding more message boards and cameras along Frederick County’s portion of the interstate.

A frightening statistic makes the rounds every year around this time: In the U.S., kids under 17 are three times more likely to die in traffic on Halloween than any other day of the year. That figure reflects the surge of trick-or-treaters taking to streets that are not well designed for people walking, especially after dark, with predictably deadly results. But it’s also just one facet of a much larger pedestrian safety crisis that’s been developing over decades. The U.S. has among the industrialized world’s worst traffic safety outcomes, with almost 40,000 people dying on our roads every year.

A new report finds unsafe driving behaviors, including red-light running, drowsy driving, and driving impaired on cannabis or alcohol, have declined in the past three years. Some dangerous driving behaviors have fallen more than others, with drivers still admitting to speeding and using a handheld cell phone, posing a danger on the roadways, according to new survey data from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

More than 20,000 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the first half of 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about an 18 percent increase from the number of traffic fatalities recorded in the same time period last year.

Close collaboration with autonomous mobility-as-a-service pioneer, Beep, has been enabling various regions to prove out the technology safely through purpose-built solutions in real-world shuttle deployments, servicing real microtransit needs. Logically starting off with what’s referred to as first and last mile use cases that complement existing means of connecting people to arterial routes and existing core transit services, Florida authorities and Beep are already at a stage where they’re integrating autonomous mobility deep into communities.

Alexandria Rossi-Alvarez almost died. She was crossing the road, in a crosswalk, and was struck by an impaired driver. The impact launched her nearly 20 feet into the intersection. The car did not stop there. She was laying on the road, unable to move, watching as the car continued towards her.

The recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report highlighting a record-setting spike in crash fatalities over the first six months of 2021 is serving as a “call to arms” for Pete Buttigieg, secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

He explained during a speech to attendees at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials annual meeting in San Diego that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said an estimated 20,160 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the first half of 2021, up 18.4 percent over 2020.

Distracted driving is a major obstruction to creating a safe company, but you don’t have to accept it as a reality of running a fleet. You can work to prevent distracted driving with your employees.

A woman was killed and her husband and children injured during a crash Sunday night involving a horse-drawn buggy in Cumberland County. Virginia State Police said the crash happened on Route 45 near Davis Lane when a 2005 Toyota Tundra struck a horse-drawn buggy. Ten people were riding in the buggy at the time it was struck.

A recent study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found a significant connection between teen brain development and the likelihood of a [crash]. Specifically, the part of the brain in question is the development of “working memory,” or the way in which the brain stores temporary memories to process immediate decisions (not unlike the RAM in your computer).

With nearly one-third of annual traffic fatalities in the U.S. involving drivers under the age of 25, Honda is building on its "Safety For Everyone" approach with several new initiatives targeting young driver safety. The multi-pronged effort includes more than $2 million in safety-related financial support; driver safety education resources; and a targeted social media advertising campaign highlighting young crash survivors, starting during National Teen Driver Safety Week.

Approximately 86% of the 2022 new vehicle fleet will undergo testing for the National Highway Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) 5-Star Safety Ratings program, according to NHTSA.

As National Teen Driver Safety Week is October 17 – 23, now is the perfect time for a reminder that new and improved technology in today’s cars can’t replace the time licensed adults spend with teens talking and driving together, Van Tassel says. Most states require teen drivers with a permit to spend between 30 to 100 hours in the car with a licensed driver.

As crashes involving teen drivers continued to rise in the state and region, one Virginia mom is spearheading a nationwide effort to save lives on the road. "All the time. Think about him all the time," said Julie Garner, a mom of two from Spotsylvania County. "In fact, this necklace is interesting because he loved the ocean."

More than nine months ago on Jan. 1, authorities began officially enforcing Virginia’s new law that makes it illegal to use a handheld communication device while driving (§ 46.2-818.2). If a driver is caught, they can expect a $125 fine for their first offense. A second or subsequent infraction will double the cost of the fine to $250.

Electrification, congestion pricing and how streets are used could all greatly influence the future of transportation in cities, say speakers at the Smart Cities Connect Conference and Expo.

The survey, conducted by Zebra Insurance Services, found about 75 percent of those with a past traumatic incidents had it while driving, while around 25 percent were passengers. Further, the study found 66 percent of Americans have driving anxiety.

When I was a youngster, my grandparents delighted in taking me for a trek in their car, especially on the weekends. They would come to visit during the summers. A car ride included rolling down the windows of the vehicle and we would all relish the rushing cool breeze on those hot and muggy summer days as we drove leisurely along.

Our Waymo Jaguar looked like a spaceship, with cameras and spinning sensors on the outside. But on the inside, it's more like a fancy taxi with a robot driver – equipped with a human "autonomous specialist" behind the wheel. Our trip from San Francisco's Bayview to Potrero Hill was mostly uneventful. The car obeyed all the traffic rules but it wasn't necessarily smooth.

"While the top 10 list of models with the most reckless driving infractions comprises trucks, SUVs, sedans, coupes, and luxury vehicles, the most strongly represented category by far is sports cars," Insurify says. Wondering which car to steer clear of on the road? Read on!

The coronavirus pandemic has upended many of the familiar routines that make up everyday urban life, bringing tectonic shifts in office culture, classroom learning and online shopping. Now it is transforming the way people move around the nation’s largest city. A boom in electric-powered mobile devices is bringing what is likely to be a lasting change and a new safety challenge to New York’s vast and crowded street grid.

The headlight ratings program developed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is reducing dangerous nighttime crashes in the real world, a recent study shows. Nighttime crash rates per mile are nearly 20 percent lower for vehicles with headlights that earn a good rating in the IIHS evaluation, compared with those with poor-rated headlights, the study found.

Millions of teens are learning to drive at an especially difficult time – amid a pandemic-fueled boom in risky and dangerous driving on U.S. roads. To commemorate National Teen Driver Safety Week, October 17-23, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and its partners continue to focus on keeping the youngest and most inexperienced drivers safe by reinforcing the important role of parents in the learning to drive process.

ndustry experts said in a report Thursday that American drivers should not become too reliant on automatic safety systems in modern vehicles during bad weather, like heavy rain, after studies showed that they sometimes aren't enough on their own to prevent crashes. AAA said in its report that systems like automatic braking and lane assist systems often failed in tests.

Homecoming season is a time of pain for Tammy Guido McGee, and it's a pain she doesn’t want any parent to experience. “The number of teenage deaths is continuing to rise and one death is too many deaths,” said McGee. In October 2019, her 16-year-old son Conner Guido was one of three Tabb High School students killed in a car wreck.

To broaden the scope of its research impact, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute has joined the newly launched National Distracted Driving Coalition as a member institution. The goal of the coalition is to accelerate national efforts to implement short- and long-term interventions that will promote attentive driving and eliminate distracted driving fatalities and injuries.

The emphasis on pedestrian safety comes as data show that, in 2019 alone, 6,205 pedestrians died in traffic crashes across the United States. Older adults, black and indigenous people, as well as people walking in low-income communities, remain disproportionately represented in fatal pedestrian crashes, NHTSA noted.

After their 16-year-old daughter died in a car crash, David and Wendy Mills wondered whether she would be alive if federal rules on rear seat belt warnings had been issued on time. Four years later, with no rule and traffic fatalities spiking, they’re still at a loss over the inaction.

State police have a reminder for drivers: stop for school buses or face the legal consequences. The warning comes after a single-car accident on Friday ended in a near miss for students in King William County. According to Sergeant Dylan Davenport of the Virginia State Police, a school bus was stopped on the Richmond Tappahannock Highway to drop off students when a 2003 Suzuki ran off the road to the right.

The United States ranks third out of 56 countries for the most dangerous places to drive with a fatality rate of 12.4 per 100,000 population, according to an analysis from Zutobi. The only two countries that rank worse than the U.S. are Thailand and South Africa, with fatality rates of 32.7 and 25.9, respectively.

Nissan has expanded its Michigan-based engineering center, Nissan Technical Center North America, on Sept. 29. The automaker's $40 million Safety Advancement Lab brings more efficiency to the vehicle development process and furthers Nissan’s goal of reaching a future with virtually zero fatalities, their announcement said.

Stress. We all deal with it. Much has been written about stress and challenges fleet managers face on a day-to-day basis, but what about drivers? First, what is stress? Stress is a body’s way of coping with forces on the inside or in the outside world affecting an individual. So, to combat stress, two things need to be addressed: inside, personal issues, and outside added stressors caused by the job itself.

The consequences for fleets: Motor vehicle deaths remain the leading cause of workplace death, causing $72 billion to employers, a 52% increase since 2013. Meanwhile, commercial insurance premiums have increased 18% over the last five years.

Whether they have installed systems yet or not, most fleet operators understand the benefits of telematics and GPS tracking technology to monitor locations and driver behaviors in areas such as vehicle speed, acceleration, and harsh braking and cornering. The goal, of course, is to identify problems before a crash, reduce liability, and save lives.

Ford is working with neuroscientists to develop brain-scanning technology that can more quickly detect when drivers are getting tired or distracted. Why it matters: It's crucial that drivers stay engaged behind the wheel, even as cars become more automated. But there's mounting evidence that people get complacent using driver-assistance features like Tesla Autopilot, which is why federal safety regulators are investigating the systems.

A report has been published looking at the association between access to pediatric trauma care in the United States and the number of children killed in car crashes. The study, published in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, showed access to pediatric trauma care is highly variable across the U.S. It revealed counties with pediatric trauma centers had significantly lower rates of pediatric motor vehicle collisions death than those with no trauma center.

One of the most dangerous acts a teenager can commit is getting behind the wheel after drinking. Young drivers are already higher-risk than other age groups due to their inexperience, their likelihood of being distracted while driving, and the higher prevalence of dangerous behaviors like speeding or not wearing a seatbelt. When alcohol is added to the mix, many of these issues only become more common and more likely to result in crashes and fatalities.

According to the 2020 State Farm annual study, nearly two million wildlife vehicle collisions (WVCs) occur every year in the United States alone, representing approximately five percent of all reported motor vehicle collisions. Thermal imaging solutions are one potential way to mitigate those collisions, which are often deadly. Thermal imaging cameras can see significantly farther than headlights to see large animals in various driving conditions.

Truck drivers who have a positive drug or alcohol test and find themselves in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse will begin having their licenses downgraded after a final rule from the agency takes effect.

Approximately one in five U.S. adults have, or know someone who has, driven while impaired by prescription medications, with 18% noting opioid use, or depressants (18%) or stimulants (17%) — or those mixed with other substances like alcohol or marijuana (22%), according to the findings from a recent survey commissioned by Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD).

The Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) GrandDriver program, a statewide initiative funded by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, is taking a new approach to promote safe driving among older adults. The RadDriver Totally 80's Workout Tape is a new series of short exercise videos recently launched to help older adults improve coordination, flexibility, and maintain strength to drive safely.

The In-Vehicle Coaching service provides fleet managers and drivers with real-time, verbal feedback regarding specific driving behaviors to help create awareness and encourage safer driving habits. Fleet owners set the criteria for each of the identified behaviors within the Motorq platform, including if the driver is braking or accelerating too hard; if the driver is exceeding either/both the posted or maximum allowed speed limits and if the driver/passenger hasn’t fastened the seat belt.

With an average attention span of about eight seconds — which has dropped from 15 seconds since 2000 — drivers need the necessary tools so they can stay focused on the road. A common thought process among drivers is the “it will never happen to me” syndrome, Franssen said.

Newly released AAA research indicates that some drivers may not fully grasp the danger they pose to roadside workers, a particularly alarming finding given the recent deaths of two AAA drivers killed this year along with dozens of other first responders working at the roadside.

As the number of pedestrians struck and killed by drivers continues a decade-long trend in the wrong direction during the pandemic, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and its State Highway Safety Office (SHSO) members are marking the second annual National Pedestrian Safety Month this October by taking steps to address the behavioral safety issues that put people on foot at increased risk of injury and death.

Campbell County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) has come up with a unique plan to help keep roads in Campbell County safe. CCSO has been working with a group of Swartzentruber Amish families in the Southern and Eastern parts of the county who recently moved to the area to ensure their safety while traveling local roads by horse-and-buggy. They have done so by having the families install reflective, silver strips on the back of their buggies, along with red, kerosene lanterns on the sides to improve visibility. In turn, CCSO has asked motorists to be respectful of buggies they may encounter on the road.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that thousands of crashes involving Level 2 autonomous vehicles will occur each year in addition to 200 crashes involving Level 3-5 autonomous vehicles.

There are certain things you shouldn’t have to tell adults not to do. Such as hurling yourself onto a semitruck then holding on for dear life as the truck travels at interstate speed. It should go without saying.

As we head into the fall, days get shorter, and nights get longer, which means we will all spend more time driving and walking in the dark. Nighttime driving heightens safety risks and calls for added precautions and awareness to help protect everyone, especially our children.

“We compulsively check our phones because every time we get an update through text, email, or social media, we experience an elevation of dopamine, which is a neurochemical in the brain that makes us feel happy,” said Dr. David Greenfield, founder of The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction. “If that desire for a dopamine fix leads us to check our phones while we’re driving, a simple text can turn deadly.”

Fall is a particularly fatal time on the nation’s roadways bringing with it 8,290 fatal collisions between September and November, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

With the goal of reducing the 38,680 roadway deaths experienced in 2020, four traffic safety initiatives from California, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and Tennessee recently received recognition from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) in Denver at the 2021 GHSA Annual Meeting.

The Fairfax County Police Department isn’t just on the hunt for those driving drunk, but officers are looking for people driving while high. Helping lead what’s known as the DWI Enforcement Squad is 10-year veteran of the force Officer James Burleson.

From Sept. 12 through Sept. 18, officers patrolled Midlothian Turnpike and several connecting roads. During that time they cited drivers for speeding, reckless driving, cell phone use while driving and failure to wear a seat belt. Officers also handed out 67 pedestrian safety cards during pedestrian safety talks with community members.

“In 2020, … an average of 104 people died each day on our roadways,” said Rob Molloy, Ph.D, director, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Office of Highway Safety. “For several decades, the number of fatalities has been dropping. But we've seen this trend change in the wrong direction.”

With thousands of deaths attributed to it every year, distracted driving remains a huge problem across the country. Now a top executive at General Motors who lost his own son is trying to raise awareness of the issue. NBC’s Tom Costello sat down with him for an emotional interview.

If you're planning a road trip to a city or state you've never been to before, it's reassuring to know ahead of time what to expect from its drivers. Will they let you in if you suddenly realize you need to merge or engage in some inappropriate sign language?

With millions of students recently returning to classrooms, some schools are seeing heavier traffic congestion as more parents drive children to avoid crowded buses. Safety advocates who tout the health and environmental benefits of children walking and biking to school say they can navigate the additional traffic more safely using some of the same pandemic-era measures that increase social distancing.

The new chairman of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board wants to change the way governments and businesses look at highway safety to consider the whole system rather than individual driver behavior.

The coronavirus pandemic and other economic challenges have continued to test the resolve of America's truck drivers, but once again they have delivered, keeping goods and services flowing as the country rebounds from a once-in-a-lifetime crisis.

In 2020, there were 880,595 vehicle thefts nationwide, up a staggering 86,000 from 2019’s 794,019, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s annual Hot Spots reports. That translates into one vehicle stolen approximately every 36 seconds and a more than 10% surge in total thefts.

In 2020, there were over 1,900 vehicle-train collisions and nearly 200 fatalities at highway-rail grade crossings in the U.S., according to the Federal Railroad Administration. Approximately 65% of highway-rail grade collisions in 2020 occurred in 15 states. The top five states that experienced such collisions include Texas with 191 crashes, followed by California (150), Georgia (103), Illinois (98), and Indiana (93).

Work truck fleets look toward advanced vehicle technologies, including ADAS, to reduce accidents and associated costs. Check out what a few of our subject-matter experts had to say when looking toward the future of this newer technology.

Five Septembers ago, my son Mitchel was a popular college student, a talented hockey goaltender and a gifted salesman who had just set a record selling Cutco knives. While accepting an award for his salesmanship, Mitchel told the crowd, “Dream colossal. Change someone’s life. Change the world.” Now those words are carved into his tombstone. Two months after that speech, Mitchel died in a car crash caused by a distracted driver. He was 18.

“In no other mode of transportation would we accept the kind of carnage that we have on our highways,” Bruce Landsberg, vice chairman of the NTSB, said during a press conference announcing the coalition. “Distracted driving is one significant and growing part of that. It has to stop. We’re killing literally thousands of people every year.”

Learn about the new National Distracted Driving Coalition!

The coalition will focus on such areas as distracted driving data collection, technologies, education, enforcement and legislation.
“Every few hours a life is lost on the nation’s highways due to distracted driving,” said National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg. “In no other mode of transportation would we accept the kind of carnage that we have on our highways.”

A former security officer in Chesterfield County who lost both of his legs in a distracted-driving crash nearly six years ago is making his way back into law enforcement. Brad Hughes is now a proud deputy with the Powhatan County Sheriff’s Office. “I once stood at 6-foot-3, and the way I am right now, I’m 4-foot-6,” the double-amputee told 8News.

Some 109 people lost their lives in school bus-related crashes in 2019 alone, according to the National Safety Council. With September upon us, children across the country head back to the classroom. Now is a good time to remind your fleet drivers about best practices for driving in school zones and around school buses.

An innovative double-teardrop roundabout design installed in Carmel, Indiana, cut injury crashes by 84% and reduced all crashes at multiple locations by nearly two-thirds, according to an analysis by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The National Safety Council released preliminary estimates today that show a 16% increase in motor vehicle deaths from the first six months of 2021 as more people began to hit the roads again. This increase is a deadly trend that started last year during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and negates more than 15 years of progress in preventing death on U.S. roads.

Modern cars already generate huge amounts of data: according to the European Data Protection Supervisor, a new car typically has over 100 sensors, and generates as much as 25 gigabytes a day. The rise of highly assisted driving and autonomy will see further exponential increases, with sensors hoovering up information on their surroundings to train algorithms. However, much of this is highly specific to the vehicle itself, and how it performs: what possibilities are there for a driver-focused approach, reliant on easily accessible devices such as smartphones, and how might this fit with an automaker’s connected car strategy?

You’re driving and you’re bored. Tired of staring at the road, your eyes drift toward the polished touchscreen to the right of your steering wheel—what the auto industry calls your “infotainment” system. First you scroll through its menus to select a pump-me-up playlist; then you use its mapping tool to reroute toward a nearby Starbucks.

"In the last 12 months, police have investigated three pedestrian deaths and three fatal motor vehicle crashes along the Midlothian Turnpike corridor," a Chesterfield Police spokesperson wrote in an email. "Speed, alcohol, lack of seatbelt use and distracted driving continue to be factors in these crashes."

State Police participated in the Crash Awareness Reduction Effort program (CARE) over the 3-day holiday weekend. The nationwide state-sponsored traffic safety program aims to help keep the roadways safe.

A dog climbing into the front seat can divert your attention from the road. Fido might bump into the controls or get between your feet and the pedals. In a worst-case scenario, your pooch could even stick its head through the steering wheel.

The highway can be filled with hazards that range from traffic, to sudden stops, aggressive drivers, blind curves, to distracted drivers. What if you could predict and prevent crashes before they even happen? That’s the question Feng Guo is working to answer.

Over 460 people may lose their lives in roadway collisions this Labor Day weekend — an alarming 19% jump from the 350 who died in crashes over the 2020 three-day weekend, according to the National Safety Council.

Professional drivers know the importance of good vision and attention to details. Even a momentary lapse in vision or focus can be the difference between a triumphant finish and a potentially disastrous outcome.
But the stakes are equally high for all of us. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 1.35 million people are killed each year on roadways around the world.

An eye-popping 34 million Americans live with type one or two diabetes. Although diabetic Americans typically lead perfectly normal lives, they sometimes have special considerations when behind the wheel. If a diabetes patient plans to get their license or move to a different state, they may want to analyze state-specific restrictions or guidelines for driving with diabetes.

You may have heard the advice, “expect the unexpected.” Yes, the statement is somewhat illogical; however there are some things that an urban driver doesn’t expect at home but should anticipate on rural roads. Let’s start with the biggest one, at least physically: farm equipment.

New fleet management software is combining with the Electric Vehicle (EV) revolution, along with other technological innovations, to drastically improve how service fleets handle fleet operations and improve safety measures.

The U.S. government’s highway safety agency wants detailed information on how Tesla’s Autopilot system detects and responds to emergency vehicles parked on highways.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration made the request in an 11-page letter dated Aug. 31 that was sent to the electric carmaker.

Crash avoidance features and teen-specific vehicle technologies have the potential to prevent or mitigate up to three-quarters of fatal crashes involving teen drivers, a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows.

Pedestrian deaths around the country have increased steadily and sharply. Now about 6,400 people are killed annually — about a 50% increase over 10 years earlier. Roughly the same pattern is apparent in Los Angeles. Pedestrian deaths are up 36% in the city since Vision Zero (an initiative aimed at gradually eliminating traffic fatalities) became policy in 2015.

NHTSA estimates that 8,730 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the first three months of 2021, a 10.5% increase from the 7,900 fatalities the agency projected for the first quarter of 2020.

With school buses hitting the road again, drivers have to be ready to stop. It could be life or death for children crossing the street. After a few months without seeing many buses on the road, it's easy to forget the rules, but unless there's a barrier separating two sides of the street, both directions of traffic must stop for a school bus.

State departments of transportation from across the country are helping State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) and law enforcement agencies step up efforts to reduce drunk and drug-impaired driving ahead of and during the Labor Day holiday.

It’s the end of summer and one thing is certain – kids across the country are going back to school. Over the next few weeks more and more kids (55-million-plus according to AAA) will be picking up their backpacks and heading out the door to grow and learn.

An estimated 22% of collisions involving light vehicles were attributed to brake-related problems, according to 2015 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Reducing those statistics — as well as avoiding violations and penalties — is why automotive fleet owners should be cognizant of Brake Safety Week, which commences Aug. 23 and runs through Aug. 28.

"Part of the issue was in COVID, people really got out. That was the big push," said Garry who is the grant coordinator for Hamilton County Safe Communities. "Let’s get outside. Let’s take walks. Let’s be around. More cars were speeding. More cars were not paying attention because there was less traffic on the roads.”

With highways deaths at a 15-year high, experts have pointed to a decline in seat belt usage — prompting safety advocates and auto manufacturers to look for ways to get people to buckle up again. General Motors, for one, has dusted off an idea from the 1970s, introducing a new system that prevents motorists from shifting into gear until they’re belted up.

A police car that is in a rush might end up coming to an intersection that presents a red light to the vehicle. Rather than coming to a stop, the officer is likely to proceed into the intersection and do so under the belief and hope that cars coming from the other sides will not intervene. This has got to be one of the most unnerving moments for an officer. A car that has the green light might proceed into the intersection and plow broadside into the speeding police car.

Drunken driving prevention and awareness campaigns are being held in Maryland and Virginia ahead of the Labor Day holiday. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam kicked off the 20th annual Checkpoint Strikeforce DUI enforcement and public education campaign on Thursday. The initiative uses sobriety checkpoints and patrols designed to get impaired drivers off the roads.

Michael Graham is on a personal mission to reduce the number of rear-end crashes. The National Transportation Safety Board member told a group of fleet and supplier representatives that he believes one way to do that is by installing collision avoidance systems on trucks.

Traditional schooling has seemed like a distant memory due to so many changes brought on by the pandemic. As the new school year begins with a more traditional feel, law enforcement is reminding drivers of school zone and bus safety laws. On Tuesday, the Roanoke Police Department posted about a driver who was ticketed for driving 52mph in a 15mph school zone.

When most people think of telematics, GPS tracking is the first thing that comes to mind. While there are many benefits of location tracking, fleet managers can use telematics for far more than real-time location data. Fleet intelligence technology delivers actionable insights to optimize multiple aspects of government fleet safety, service, and savings. It provides fleet managers with peace of mind knowing they have the right technology to protect their people and make data-driven decisions.

“Tree-lined roads leave practically no room for driver error.” In many areas, rural roads are more dangerous than urban ones. In Germany, most fatal road crashes — about 60% — occur on country roads, and one of the most common hazards is a collision with roadside trees, consistently responsible for some 25% of those deaths.

As summer winds down and millions of Americans take to the roads for the Labor Day weekend, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is reminding motorists that State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) and their federal and law enforcement partners are stepping up efforts to reduce drunk and drug-impaired driving, a preventable behavior that puts all road users at risk.

Relatively simple engineering changes, such as rumble strips, median barriers, pavement markings, better lighting and wider shoulders could make a big difference in rural road safety, transportation experts and advocates say.

Safety training is not an event. It’s a process. If you want drastic [crash] reductions, your drivers need continuous safety training.

"The winners of the Best Cars for Teens awards all have active safety features that can help teens safely develop their driving skills while lowering the risk that they'll be involved in a collision..."

The teardrop roundabout installed along Keystone Parkway and other busy intersections in the "Roundabout City" reduced crashes by nearly two-thirds, an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety analysis showed. The study said the roundabout has cut down on injury crashes by 84 percent.

Automation and autonomous driving are complex subjects. What engineers can safely deliver doesn’t always match what marketers want to sell. This guide will walk you through what you need to know about automotive autopilot, self-driving technology, and driver aids today and tomorrow.

If you haven't bought a new car in a few years, you might be surprised at how many driving tasks are now automated — speed control, braking, lane-keeping and even changing lanes.

The nation’s new chief accident investigator wants to send a message: Growing public confusion over automated driving systems in the U.S. is threatening to undermine the potential safety benefits of the technology.

Motorists put the pedal to the metal during the pandemic and police are worried as roads get busy with the final stretch of summer travel.

The teenage rite of passage of rushing to the DMV on your birthday to get that plastic card that represents freedom has changed dramatically over the last 30 years.

U.S. motorists drove 14.5% more miles in June as rural driving topped pre COVID-19 levels and more Americans return to offices and leisure trips.

The speeding and reckless driving seen on wide-open roads during the pandemic appear, like COVID-19 itself, to be sticking around longer than wished. Even as driving and travel habits bounce back to normal, the dangerous behaviors do not seem to be subsiding.

KeepTruckin is launching a new AI dashcam with technology designed to proactively increase safety and efficiency for drivers and prevent [crashes].

As Arlington, Virginia, bike shops struggled to meet increased demand, the number of weekday riders on the county’s network of bicycle lanes and multi-use trails rose 4 percent in March-December 2020 compared with the same period a year earlier. But the rate of injury crashes with vehicles plunged 28 percent compared with 2013-19, thanks to changes in riding patterns, IIHS researchers found.

The Honorable Jennifer L. Homendy took the oath of office Friday during an outdoor ceremony held at NTSB headquarters, in which she was sworn in as the 15th Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board.

If you don’t believe that road rage is a real thing, a video of a hammer-throwing incident just might change your mind. The video, released July 27, shows the driver of a Jeep get out and throw a hammer at another vehicle’s windshield in Washington state.

A study led by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital found that “hands-free” cellphone laws are associated with fewer driver deaths. However, more targeted cellphone laws – such as calling-only and texting-only bans, among others – are not.

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 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Pittsburgh-based tech startup RoadBotics released a new study, which used artificial intelligence (AI) to assess roadway conditions in 20 of the nation’s major metropolitan areas. As millions of Americans are preparing to return to offices and downtown business districts since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the study ranked the cities where commuters may encounter fewer problems and where headaches may be the worst.

Tuesday, GHSA released a report, including 10 recommendations, to help reduce racial disparities in highway safety. They include promoting the collection and analysis of racial data for every traffic stop.

Curves in the road are posing a challenge to some advanced driver assistance features, limiting their potential safety benefits, according to a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Drowsy driving continues to be a major problem pretty much everywhere around the world, despite the awareness campaigns and the investments that carmakers have made into technology supposed to prevent it.

In 2020, reckless driving began to rise. While there were fewer cars on the road, more drivers were speeding, reaching over 100 mph. On the other hand, fewer cars on the road have resulted in lower DUI rates due to the closing of bars and restaurants that serve alcohol.

More drivers have engaged in risky behaviors, like speeding and driving under the influence, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Compounding the problem, safety officials say, these drivers often leave their seat belts unbuckled, raising the potential for deadly consequences.

About one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the US involve drunk drivers. Ride-sharing can play an important role in reducing these deaths, according to a new study.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) says if you can avoid driving in wet weather, then stay put. However, with the chance for more pop-up showers and storms in the forecast, here are some safety tips to follow if you get caught driving through a downpour...

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 846 cyclists were killed in traffic crashes in 2019. Helmets are the single most effective piece of safety equipment for riders of any alternative modes of transportation.

Analysis of in-cab video and observation data gathered over 29 billion driving miles show that distracted drivers are more likely than other drivers to have a near collision, fail to stop at an intersection and exceed the speed limit, according to the Omnitracs study.

As of July 1, state law requires drivers to change lanes when passing cyclists unless the lane is exceptionally wide. Also, two bike riders are allowed to travel side by side without having to form single line when a vehicle approaches.

VDOT wants to study the U.S. 11 and U.S. 58 intersection — a crowded half-mile section of the two highways near I-81’s Exit 19 in Abingdon. For years, VDOT officials have talked about building a multimillion-dollar roundabout in this area.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration provides guidelines for local highway and street maintenance to prevent safety hazards.

Across the nation, many rural communities lack safe infrastructure to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists. Experts say more investment could save lives because fatality rates on rural roads are two times higher than on urban roads, according to federal data.

Knowing how to keep your lithium-ion battery safe is a big plus. There are a few simple steps each consumer should take. There is a desire for lithium-ion batteries to be lightweight yet hold a significant charge, making it easy for batteries to be damaged.

Every day vehicle safety notices go out and still these warnings go largely ignored by consumers. Every year car manufacturers will recall millions of vehicles in the United States due to important safety issues. Many may not know what a vehicle safety recall is, where to find more information or why it is very important.

Leading organizations and experts in the traffic safety community formally launched the National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving (NASID). During the NASID conference, hosted by Responsibility.org.

It is not enough to demonstrate that an autonomous vehicle is as safe as a human driver, as can be seen from some of the high-profile crashes that have undermined efforts to develop driverless tech in other vehicle sectors.

While contributing factors vary for every crash, a new report suggests the staggering increase in collisions during COVID-19 can be chalked up to young drivers going too fast on less-congested roads.

A report released in March 2021 by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) showed that of the unsafe behaviors that were tracked, distracted driving was the only behavior that costs employers more for on-the-job occurrences than off the job.

Not only does the seat have to be comfortable to the driver, but there also has to be some science behind it to eliminate a couple major issues prevalent in trucking for years — driver’s fatigue and lost time due to injury.

The messages might be memorable and change some behavior, but it’s unclear what the sign’s impacts are on the overall transportation landscape. Virginia saw 105,000 crashes and 847 deaths in 2020, an increase over the prior year.

Highway safety should involve every mode of transportation. It should involve every vehicle on the road, and there has to be a shared responsibility.

Preliminary numbers indicated speed related crashes have already claimed 182 lives on Virginia's roadways and injured another 4,248 within the first 6 months of 2021.

According to a 2019 report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcyclists were about 29 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash and were four times more likely to be injured.

When choosing a car seat, first consider safety. Then, when you've narrowed it down to the safest options in each category, you can then have fun with other details, like the ease of use, style, price, and the ability to clean and keep the car seat fresh.

Catalytic converters — which break down toxic exhaust into water, nitrogen and carbon dioxide — are popular theft targets because they contain certain metals that can be recycled for cash. Vehicles manufactured after 1975 were mandated to have the converters factory-installed.

The campaign’s central focus is an animated public service announcement (PSA), along with ads that will run on digital and social media, local radio, and on the sides of buses throughout Virginia, especially in pedestrian-friendly cities like Roanoke.

Regardless of whether the commonwealth can achieve a future with no traffic fatalities, researchers believe the increased priority being placed on combating speeding can only help improve road safety.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2019, per vehicle miles traveled, motorcyclists were about 29 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash and were four times more likely to be injured.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the national traffic safety research arm of AAA, found that drivers are four times more likely to crash if they are talking on a cell phone while driving and eight times more likely to be in a crash if texting.

The Natural Language Processing (NLP) component of the AI driving system might engage the human passenger in a brief dialogue. Besides asking where the person wants to go, the AI driving system might also ask the passenger to please glance around and underneath the autonomous vehicle.

Creative methods combined with the theoretical approach discussed in self-study and virtual meetings, as well as in-person training where the driver will physically manipulate a ratchet strap or similar tie-down device, is exactly what is the best practice going forward.

By adopting new technology to improve safety, such as cameras, advanced driver assistance systems, and more, fleets can demonstrate to drivers the seriousness and importance of their safety on the road.

Millions of wheels and rims are safely installed on commercial motor vehicles on an annual basis, but a loose tire and wheel can be destructive when striking another vehicle.

Never leave children, disabled or elderly adults, or pets in parked, unattended vehicles. Studies have shown that the temperature inside a parked vehicle can rapidly rise to dangerous levels for people and pets.

Virginia’s Department of Motor Vehicles says since January 1st, there have been 1,907 convictions for violating the hands-free law. State police say they’ve issued more than 742 violations.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has set this year’s Brake Safety Week for August 22-28. Throughout the week commercial motor vehicle inspectors will focus on truck brake systems and components.

In 2015, Dr. David Strayer of the University of Utah found that drivers took an average up to 27 seconds to fully regain awareness of their external surroundings after disconnecting from their smartphones and car voice-command systems.

A new study ranks Virginia the fifth worst state for fatalities caused by distracted driving, with 21.5 percent of fatal auto crashes in the state caused by distracted driving.

The latest data show that, indeed, traffic volume sharply fell during the pandemic. The estimated number of vehicle miles traveled was down 16%.
But our roads were not safer in several key categories.

Virginia is experiencing a disturbing trend on its roadways – increased traffic crash fatalities – with the state on pace to have another unfortunate increase in 2021.

In recent years, fleets have worked hard at trying to make their vehicles as safe as possible. They have made sure to stress safe driving not just in their on-boarding process but also and by rewarding drivers who reach a certain number of crash-free miles.

Before the early 2000s, a heavy duty commercial vehicle with anything other than a manual transmission was almost unheard of. Since then, demand for automated manual transmissions (AMTs) has increased.

The 2021 Bicyclist Safety Act, requires drivers to change lanes to pass a cyclist if the lane they’re in does not allow them to maintain a three-foot distance from the cyclist, even if that means crossing double yellow center lines.

The ability to reduce crashes is the grandest purpose of these projects, and every team declares that safety is at the core of everything they do. There’s a business reason behind that focus, not just a moral one.

PETA has asked the state Department of Transportation to designate a portion of State Route 10 in southeastern Virginia as a highway safety corridor due to what the animal welfare group and locals say is a high rate of crashes involving hog trucks.

If you think it’s hot outside, consider how hot it is for your furry friends! Lynchburg authorities issued a warning to the community about the dangers of leaving animals unattended in vehicles in hot weather.

Curves in the road are posing a challenge to advanced driver assistance features like adaptive cruise control (ACC) and more sophisticated partial automation systems, limiting their potential safety benefits, a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found.

The National Safety Council is urging roadway users to be extra cautious during the July Fourth weekend – one of the most dangerous driving periods of the year.

More than 47 million Americans are expected to travel for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, according to a forecast from AAA, the latest indication summer travel has come roaring back.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has implemented a new policy that will require car companies to report incidents involving semi- and fully autonomous driving systems within one day of learning of an crash.

According to AAA, from Memorial Day to Labor Day marks the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers. They say an average of seven people are killed per day in teen driver-related crashes during that time-frame.

As Americans head out on the roadways for some much needed rest and relaxation over the Independence Day holiday, they should do so with heightened awareness, as statistically it’s the most dangerous weekend to drive.

While there is not much you can do to change the behavior of passenger car drivers, there is much you can do to make sure your own drivers operate in a safe manner.

Speed-related fatalities increased to the highest number in at least 10 years with 406 fatalities reported, a 16% jump over 2019 fatalities. The number of people who weren’t wearing their seat belts killed as a result of crashes also increased in 2020.

AAA reports that in Washington State after the state legalized the drug, fatal crashes involving drivers who recently used cannabis doubled, according to research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (2020).

Temperatures in Virginia are rising as summer 2021 hits full force, which means a heightened risk of death for any children left inside a hot car.

The Governor’s Executive Leadership Team on Highway Safety is announcing Virginia crash statistics for 2020.

The number of crashes on Virginia roads plummeted in 2020, according to new data, but the number of traffic deaths rose to the highest level in more than a decade.

When the coronavirus pandemic shut down the country last year, highways emptied out as many people holed up at home. But those who got behind the wheel engaged in riskier behavior, leading to the deadliest year for US traffic crashes in over a decade.

Speeding is deadly. In a collision with a car traveling 20 mph, 95% of pedestrians survive, but in a collision with a car traveling 40 mph, 85% of pedestrians do not survive.

In more than 1,200 towns and cities around the world, not a single person was killed in a road traffic crash in at least one calendar year since 2009. Some municipalities reported zero traffic deaths for multiple years.

The COVID-19 outbreak prompted transportation companies to adopt a battery of safety measures — some of which may remain in place even after the pandemic is over.

An update to the National Safety Council's Alcohol, Drugs and Impairment Division's (NSC-ADID) recommendations for toxicology testing in impaired driving and motor vehicle fatalities has just been released.

The Ad Council and Project Yellow Light announced the winners of the tenth annual Project Yellow Light scholarship competition.

Regardless of how well a specific teenager drives, that doesn’t erase the fact that car crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers and young adults.

Various systems and technologies in today’s commercial vehicles and fleet operations collect data. Fleets feeling overwhelmed by data emitted from various commercial vehicle sensors, safety systems, and more are not alone.

A new report shows disturbing trends in traffic fatalities in 2020, despite less driving. A Virginia Tech professor says the pandemic brought the perfect storm of conditions for high-risk behavior.

The team developed an application called the Work Zone Builder to allow the transportation officials designing a work zone to publish useful data for autonomous or connected vehicles.

When lockdowns swept the nation last year but construction work was deemed essential, many state DOTs saw a golden opportunity to fast-track jobs that would otherwise snarl traffic and anger motorists.

New technology or horsepower may be the focus when shopping for a new car, but safety is always important. You can find a lot of info on a car's window sticker, but there's a very easy way to find the info at any point in time.

As the summer months roll in, many people are gearing up to take much-needed vacations. If you do opt to take a summer road trip, you’ll want to make sure your vehicle is in tip-top shape before you head out.

Whether you are behind the wheel of a car or on a bicycle, new laws hitting the books in two weeks will change the way you operate out on the roads.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration blamed the increase on drivers taking more risks on less-congested roads by speeding, failing to wear seat belts, or driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol.

While there are countless arguments in favor of continuing that strategy even after vaccinations allow for more remote work, a new study reveals that there’s a new argument in play: traffic deaths.

Motorists are advised to watch for slow-moving tractors during mowing operations. When traveling through a work zone, be alert to periodic changes in traffic patterns and lane closures.

So far, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported two children dying in a hot car in 2021. It also reported 24 deaths in 2020 and a total 886 since 1998.

Across the board, American trucks, SUVs, and sedans have been growing nearly every year, increasing in size and power. Even worse, vehicles are increasingly designed with high front ends that make them deadly in crashes.

Distracted driving is clearly a safety risk. It’s a factor in one in four fatal crashes, and a related analysis reported by the Traffic Industry Research Foundation (TIRF) found distracted drivers are more likely to kill other road users than themselves.

Preliminary traffic fatality data recently released by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) showed a surprising finding: the year saw the largest projected number of fatalities since 2007.

Proper hazard perception training can help drivers better understand just how distraction causes them to miss vital information and trigger devastating situations.

During the past decade, professional truck drivers have been introduced to more and more onboard safety systems designed to alert them to immediate risks and in many cases automatically intervene on their behalf to prevent crashes.

Thefts specific to cargo reached 1,059 total events in 2020, compared with 758 in 2019 and 797 in 2018. Vehicle theft events reached 861 in 2020. Prior to that, they were 676 in 2019 and 810 in 2018.

A new study found that 18- to 24-year-olds who use cell phones while driving are more likely to engage in other risky driving behaviors associated with 'acting-without-thinking,' a form of impulsivity.

Collectively, the entire library of EndDD PSAs educates and empowers drivers across the country to make informed choices about distracted driving for themselves and their families.

The spring to summer season of graduations and proms has historically been the trigger for teen driving hazard awareness, particularly to the dangers of drinking and driving.

Humans are, admittedly, not the best drivers--a full quarter (26%) of those surveyed confessed that they had broken the law while driving. But that's not quite enough to let them cede control. Only a third (36%) would be actually willing to let an autonomous driver take over at the wheel.

While creating a driver-centric company culture can be challenging, communication and transparency tend to be the silver bullets for the fleets that have found success.

An Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study found that from 2016 to 2018, an estimated 566 people were killed and 14,371 were injured each year in disabled vehicle crashes where low visibility was a contributing factor.

The type of memory that’s important for remembering how to drive is called procedural memory. And it’s a really strong long-term type of memory and it’s very difficult to forget.

While vehicles of all sizes have seen technological improvements in recent years—with more collision mitigation systems for both commercial and passenger vehicles becoming prevalent—road fatalities are still among the top 15 causes of death in the U.S.

When the summer heat is on, heat related illnesses become more likely. This is especially true with unattended children who may be left in hot cars, leading to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and even death.

Not only did the 2021 Memorial Day weekend see a rise in overall traffic volumes on Virginia’s highways, but also an spike in traffic deaths, nearly double the number of deaths from the 2020 Memorial Day weekend.

As June rolls in and the school year ends, most teens are thinking about how they will spend their summer vacation. Whether it is working or socializing with friends, teens will be on the road much more than during the school year.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released preliminary estimates of crash fatalities in 2020 involving motor vehicle occupants, motorcyclists, and people walking and biking.

Intersections are dangerous because they are where cars, often moving very fast and in different directions, must cross paths. Approximately 40% of all crashes occur at intersections, including 50% of crashes involving serious injuries and 20% of those involving fatalities.

In suburban and rural areas, transit becomes expensive to operate, and passengers can't expect to catch a bus every 10 to 15 minutes. Some rural and suburban communities are turning to the latest technology, contracting with Uber and Lyft to give passengers a ride.

Whenever road work has to happen, it’s essential to have a proper and systemized traffic control system for different construction sites. If the construction is being done at more than one site, it’s ideal to direct the traffic accordingly to not cause any potential road crashes

VDOT will hold a design public hearing for the I-81 southbound auxiliary lane project in Augusta County. The project includes replacement of the Route 635 (Barterbrook Road) bridge over I-81.

The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is traditionally the most dangerous time for teen drivers, with a 21 percent spike in teen traffic fatalities. Traffic safety officials often refer to it as "the 100 deadliest days."

According to NPTC’s Benchmarking Survey Report 2020, fleets continue to increase the amount of advanced safety technologies in their operations.

About 37 million people will travel this Memorial Day, a significant boost from a year ago, according to AAA’s forecast for the traditional kickoff of the country’s summer driving season.

In 2018, AAA released research that showed consumers are confused about the capabilities of various ADAS technologies and how they work.

Driving is a complex task involving dynamic cognitive processes and requiring essential cognitive functions and perceptual motor skills.

For every mile driven by new teen drivers between the ages of 16 and 17, they are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal car crash than adult drivers, according to AAA.

As graduations take place all across the country, many high school and college students are dreaming about a classic rite of passage to mark the accomplishment: obtaining a vehicle of one’s own.

Informal conversations about safe driving, personal responsibility, and the consequences of distracted driving or reckless behavior can help to take some of the air out of your new driver’s inflated sense of invulnerability.

Drowsy-driving crashes are particularly high for shift workers due to disruption of their natural sleep pattern, according to the study. While driving, lack of sleep results in slower reaction time, poor coordination, and less ability to pay attention.

While the basic skills involved with driving are likely still intact, tasks that require more attention (like driving at night), more precision (parking) or memories that aren't so easily accessible (where an old haunt is located) may have eroded.

Nine out of 10 motorists (89%) said they engaged in at least one of 14 distracted driving behaviors that involved the use of their phone while behind the wheel, according to a new survey from State Farm.

Recalls are carried out by the automaker but can be ordered by the safety agency. The process can start when a carmaker discovers a problem during regular quality checks, or defects emerge through the dealer service network.

Pedestrians deaths in 2020 increased by 21 percent from 2019 — the largest annual increase since such data collection began in the mid-1970s — according to a report released Thursday by the Governors Highway Safety Association.

As America reopens, more than 37 million people are expected to travel for the Memorial Day holiday weekend — a big boost from last year’s record low.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), seat belts save more than 11,000 lives in the United States each year.

Drivers should also be cautious when traveling with the elderly given that they are more at risk of heatstroke than younger adults, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's (CVSA) Brake Safety Week is scheduled for Aug. 22-28 and will emphasize the importance of brake systems and components during roadside inspections across North America.

Whether it is equipment, cargo, drivers or the carriers themselves, an out-of-service order means the discontinuance of related operations. Stay current on the latest criteria changes with these tips.

Fleet utilization dropped dramatically, according to data from Intellishift, a driver management platform. During the demand drop, large fleets customers saw a 10-15% drop in vehicles on the road, while overall utilization declined by 25%.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and others, including vehicle manufacturers, warn that ACC has limitations and that drivers should always keep their hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road at all times when using ACC.

A Safe System minimizes the chances for mistakes by drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists, and reduces the intensity of crashes when they do occur.

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said more than 5,000 motorcyclists died in 2019.

Science has named a chronic sleep disorder, SWSD, potentially affecting millions who work the graveyard shift and making it more dangerous for them to drive when tired.

To evaluate the impacts of these safety plans, NCHRP offers Estimating the Safety Effects of Work Zone Characteristics and Countermeasures: A Guidebook.

All it takes is a split-second delay in reaction, and the consequences of driving drunk can be utterly life-changing — and life-ending.

Vehicles in the U.S. traveled 13% fewer miles in 2020 than 2019, yet road fatalities increased by 8% to 42,060 — the highest in 13 years, according to the National Safety Council (NSC).

The primary causes for the deadliness of the crashes are speed and high-im­pact energy upon crashing. In Virginia there was a 35% increase in speeding-related fatalities, according to the data.

Starting next year, The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) regulations will disallow vehicle sales in large swaths of the world sans certifications that require, in part, an ongoing relationship with the vehicle.

Rural roads offer their own special challenges, such as slow moving vehicles and little to no shoulder, so we know they require extra vigilance and attention.

National Tank Truck Carriers (NTTC) recently relaunched its Zero Distractions Campaign, which seeks to educate current and future drivers, and their passengers about the importance of active and safe driving on the road.

Speed is one of the biggest dangers on the road. In 2019, 9,478 deaths — more than a quarter of all traffic fatalities — occurred in speed-related crashes. Higher speeds make crashes more likely and make the crashes that happen more severe.

Look past the stereotype of the stubborn 90-year-old who refuses to cough up the car keys and you’ll find a more nuanced reality. It’s painful to admit it’s no longer prudent to drive. But the decision gets easier if the option is putting yourself—and others—at great risk of harm.

During last year’s Operation Safe Driver Week, officers issued 71,343 warnings and citations and 28,486 state or local driver enforcement violations, ranging from speeding to failure to wear a seat belt.

Among the main causes of car crashes are texting and driving. Being on your phone for any reason will decrease your reflexes. Talking on the phone takes one hand off the wheel and texting takes your eyes off the wheel.

The Virginia Department of Transportation will break ground in May on a project to enhance safety in the Interstate 95 northbound corridor.

The IRT method’s origins were the result of passage of the 2015 Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act that required the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study of the CSA program and its motor carrier Safety Measurement System.

The role of an individual who services and maintains commercial vehicles has shifted significantly over the last several years, as has their title.

During the years from 2009 to 2018, the number of motorcycle fatalities per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) went up.

In honor of World Safety Day, the Together for Safer Roads (TSR) Global Leadership Council for Fleet Safety are calling for companies around the globe to enroll in the Focus on Fleet Safety program, designed to improve road safety, particularly in small- to mid-size fleets.

Wearing a seat belt helps prevent drivers and passengers from being ejected from a vehicle during a crash and can reduce the risk of fatal injury by 45 percent.

Make it a habit to always check the backseat of your car when you park. And don't just glance back, get out and look through the passenger windows since many carseats are rear-facing and it can look like no one is sitting back there from the driver's seat.

According to the NHTSA, sending/reading a text message takes your eyes off the road for five seconds. If a vehicle is traveling at 55 mph, that's essentially driving the length of a football field blindfolded.

The move by auto OEMs and suppliers to emphasizing head-up displays at the bottom left of windshields is fed by factors ranging from safety concerns to interior design, from the power needs of electric vehicles to the ergonomics of autonomous vehicles.

FMCSA Deputy Administrator Meera Joshi noted that while large trucks make up about 5% of vehicular traffic, they are involved in 33% of fatal crashes that occur in work zones.

New research and inspection data shows that electronic logging devices are largely on target to reach their goals of improving road safety and simplifying tracking hours of service, according to a technology expert.

The intersection of Nor-Dan Drive and the intersection at Arnette Boulevard are both listed in the VDOT Lynchburg’s top 100 site for potential safety improvements.

As trucking prepares for the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s upcoming safety events, now is the time to think about the possible consequences for unsafe driving behaviors.

By using the right kind of data to measure the safety, efficiency, and general quality of operations, fleets can effectively make better decisions.

A lot of emphasis has been placed on making trailers smarter, safer, and more resilient in recent years. From telematics sensors and advanced lighting systems to innovative designs and construction materials, the trailer is becoming a high-value asset for a fleet.

The national average for instances of “rude” driving in 2020 was 25.90 per 1,000 drivers. Virginia came in at 43.26 out of 1,000, or 41% higher than the national average. By contrast, the most polite was Kentucky, which has 10 rude infractions per 1,000 drivers.

American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council highlighted the importance of using technology during truck inspections in an April 22 session of TMC’s virtual spring meeting.

A Technology & Maintenance Council study group on fleet maintenance management hosted the session on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) as part of the council’s spring meeting on April 23. TMC is a division of American Trucking Associations.

Thanks to data analytics, fleets are getting better at using telematics data to determine average downtimes.

Cars have become safer for people inside them over the ears, but the number of people who died on roads last year in the United States still reached as many as 42,000 according to preliminary data from an advocacy group.

According to collision data from Virginia’s Traffic Records Electronic Data System, distracted driving contributed to 18,816 crashes and 121 fatal crashes in 2020.

For anyone considering buying an electric car, there’s growing evidence that they’re as safe or safer than conventionally powered vehicles. A new set of tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety looked into that.

The startling statistics are that about 40,000 car crash-related fatalities occur in the United States annually, along with approximately 2.3 million related injuries.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam declared the month of April to be Highway Safety Month in the commonwealth, and he’s urging all Virginians to help prevent injuries and fatalities on the road.

The essentials of attentive driving include three basic steps: eyes on the road, hands on the wheel and mind on the driving task.

In publishing this study, the center anticipates more effective collaboration for improved safety among industry stakeholders as they better understand fleet professionals' desires, constraints, and priorities.

Efforts to ensure the needed connections for exchanging more data between a tractor and trailer continue from many directions as electronics and sensors are increasingly coming to trailers.

An American Trucking Associations Technology & Maintenance Council task force called for action April 16 to develop best practices to address cab corrosion.

A vehicle maintenance coding system used by repair shops across the trucking industry is receiving an update that has been years in the making, and is also evolving to include the burgeoning electric vehicle segment.

Driver assistance technologies on commercial and passenger vehicles are more prevalent each year, creating the potential to reduce road crashes caused by human error.

The annual “I-95 Drive to Save Lives” initiative was held April 9-10 in 15 states from Maine to Florida. During the initiative, VSP cited 194 speeders and 11 people for failing to wear a seatbelt.

To help save lives and prevent crashes during the high-risk warm weather months, Virginia schools and youth groups have begun a campaign to establish safe driving and passenger safety behaviors.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s leadership and guidance to end roadway deaths were supported by the road safety community.

Progress is underway for guidance documents for advanced driver assistance systems, according to a Technology & Maintenance Council study group.