An expansive and illuminating new investigation by Streetsblog found that streets surrounding New York City public schools are disproportionately dangerous compared to other streets in the city. The massive analysis is well worth reading on its own, but some highlights are recapped below. To conduct its analysis, Streetsblog gathered data on “nearly one million crashes” in the […]
Traffic Accidents
Analysis: What Will It Take to Solve Traffic Violence in the US?
Newly released estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a division of the US Department of Transportation, reveal that almost 43,000 people lost their lives to motor vehicle crashes in 2021, a 10.5% increase since 2020 and an 18% increase since 2019. An analysis by CNBC examines why the traffic violence crisis is “a tough problem […]
Analysis: How Local Control of Traffic Enforcement Will Benefit NYC’s Streets
A recent report by the New York Times examines the effort to bring “home rule” to New York City. “Home rule” refers to the local control of traffic enforcement mechanisms, the use of speed cameras and the establishment of speed limits, that currently fall under state authority. City officials are currently pushing state lawmakers to turn […]
Data: Almost 43,000 Car Crash Deaths in 2021
Figures released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a division of the US Department of Transportation, show that almost 43,000 people died of traffic violence in 2021. The NHTSA’s estimates suggest that 42,915 lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes last year, up 10.5% from 38,824 in 2020. This makes 2021 the deadliest year for the […]
Are Dusk and Dawn Car Accidents Accurately Counted?
New research by Evari GIS Consulting, a consulting firm based in San Diego, suggests that the number of motor vehicle accidents that happen at dawn and dusk may be inaccurately reported by authorities. Building an analysis of collisions in Tennessee between 2017 and 2020, the firm found that “88% of collisions occurring during dusk or dawn were […]
Will 24/7 Speed Safety Cameras Save Lives in NYC?
A recent publication by safe transit advocacy group Transportation Alternatives argues that a New York state law preventing New York City from operating speed enforcement cameras on nights and weekends is a contributor to the epidemic of traffic violence afflicting the city. According to the organization’s data, “59 percent of traffic fatalities occur at times when the […]
Reports: NYC Suffers Eight Car Crash Deaths in Four Days
The epidemic of traffic violence in New York City continued last week, with at least eight deaths from traffic accidents in four days, according to a report by Spectrum News NY. Advocacy group Transportation Alternatives, which tracks traffic violence in the city, said data shows a “13% increase year over year in traffic fatalities,” with city […]
Do Bicycle “Stop-to-Yield” Laws Reduce Injuries?
A new resource published by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, a division of the Department of Transportation, highlights the benefits of bicycle “stop-as-yield” laws, which allow cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs: first stopping, then proceeding through the intersection when safe. According to the NHTSA, these laws are correlated with decreased crashes […]
NHTSA Taking Steps to Make Cars Safer for Pedestrians
A recent column in America Walks argues that the US Department of Transportation should take regulatory steps to ensure that large vehicles associated with higher pedestrian deaths implement technology designed to keep pedestrians safe. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a division of the NHTSA, has initiated a rule-making process that would rate passenger vehicles for pedestrian […]
Is NYC Ticketing Enough Reckless Drivers?
The New York City police department’s ostensible effort to crack down on drivers who fail to yield at non-signalized intersections, announced by Mayor Eric Adams in January, has reportedly fallen far below expectations. According to a recent analysis by Streetsblog, the NYPD issued “1.77 failure-to-yield tickets per precinct per day” in March 2022, after issuing 1.81 per day in […]
Does Highway Safety Signage Actually Reduce Car Crashes?
A new study suggests that some measures intended to reduce traffic accidents may have the counterintuitive effect of increasing them. According to a recent report by the Los Angeles Times, researchers at the University of Minnesota and the University of Toronto looked at the impact of highway safety signage in Texas—specifically, signs displayed every January notifying drivers of […]
Data: 2022 Another Deadly Year on NYC Streets
The first three months of 2022 were the deadliest on New York City’s street since former mayor Bill de Blasio launched the Vision Zero plan to eliminate traffic violence in 2014, according to data analyzed by Transportation Alternatives. During those months, 59 people lost their lives in motor vehicle accidents, a figure that represents a 44% […]
NYC Launches $900 Million Investment in Transit Safety
Last week New York City Mayor Eric Adams unveiled a massive investment in transit safety. According to a press release issued by his administration, the city government will devote nearly $1 billion toward addressing traffic violence and creating “a safer, healthier, and greener city for all New Yorkers.” The Adams Administration’s new transit safety program will devote […]
Study: Asphalt Art Makes Streets Safer
An illuminating new study by Bloomberg Philanthropies found that the installation of asphalt art on city streets makes them significantly safer for pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. Released earlier this month, the study defined asphalt art as “public art projects coupled with improvements to transportation infrastructure,” and it examined historical crash data and driver behavior at […]
Understanding the Dangers of Driving While High
Two recent articles discussed the dangers of driving while under the influence of cannabis, as well as broader policy discussions surrounding the issue. In the New York Times, a health columnaddressed whether driving while high is as dangerous as driving while drunk. The column argued that the question isn’t quite as clear-cut as drunk driving, which […]
Study: E-Bikes May Cause More Injuries than Motorcycles, Cars
Using an electric bicycle is more likely to result in injury than using a motorcycle or car, according to a recent UCLA study. However, the study found, those injuries were “less serious than those of victims of motorcycle and car crashes, and significantly less deadly.” As a report by Electrek explains, the study involved a review of […]
NHTSA Raises Awareness of Distracted Driving Injuries, Deaths
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a division of the Department of Transportation, launched a campaign raising attention to the dangers of distracted driving. As a recent release by the agency notes, April is “National Distracted Driving Awareness Month,” and the NHTSA marked the occasion with a weeklong enforcement effort intended to stop drivers who were texting […]
How Can Pedestrians Stay Safe on Increasingly Dangerous Roads?
In 2019, a pedestrian was killed in a motor vehicle accident every 85 minutes in the US, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A resource provided by the agency, a division of the US Department of Transportation, offers information, analysis, and essential tips regarding pedestrian safety. The NHTSA maintains safety recommendations for both drivers and […]
Reports: NYPD Van Driver Strikes, Kills Pedestrian in Brooklyn
An NYPD driver struck and killed a pedestrian in Brooklyn last week, according to a recent report by the New York Post, which states that the 53-year-old pedestrian “was believed to be homeless and panhandling” in the painted central median of Eastern Parkway. The driver was at the wheel of a police van that was reportedly […]
Data: Traffic Fatalities Rise in NYC
Public data indicates that New York City traffic fatalities have increased 35% in the first three months of 2022 compared to a similar period in 2021. According to a recent report by the New York Post, New York Police Department figures reflect the deaths of 58 people in motor vehicle accidents, as opposed to 43 people […]
How To Avoid Drowsy Driving
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that approximately 91,000 “police-reported” motor vehicle accidents in 2017 involved drowsy driving, or the operation of a motor vehicle while sleepy or fatigued. A resource maintained by the NHTSA offers helpful statistics about drowsy driving, as well as tips for avoiding it. While it is difficult to identify exactly how […]
Report: Car Crash Deaths Rose in 2021
This month the Governors Highway Safety Association released its annual Spotlight on Highway Safety report on pedestrian traffic fatalities by state, using preliminary data gathered from State Highway Safety Offices. According to the report, traffic fatalities continued rising through the first six months of 2021, with the GHSA projecting that 3,441 pedestrians lost their lives in traffic […]
New York Bill Would Put New Requirement on Student Drivers
A new bill recently introduced in the New York state legislature would place higher standards on student drivers. Senate Bill 8677, introduced by Senator Andrew Gounardes, would require student drivers to take at least six hours of training under a “certified instructor” before they could be issued a license. According to a report by Streetsblog, […]
NYC Mayor Renews Call For Home Rule over Traffic Enforcement
In a news conference last week, New York City Mayor Eric Adams called for New York’s state government to pass a suite of legislation designed to mitigate rising traffic violence in the city. Joined by city officials, lawmakers from all levels of government, and transit safety activists, he renewed demands for state legislators to give […]
NHTSA Launches Automated Safety Tech Media Campaign
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a federal agency that writes and enforces motor vehicle safety standards, has announced a new media campaign to educate drivers about “the safety benefits of advanced driver-assistance technologies in newer vehicles.” According to a press release issued by the agency, the yearlong campaign will involve $1.25 million in spending […]
