In a sign of how serious the administration is taking traffic safety, DOT Secretary Ray LaHood called for a special meeting to deal with 'distracted driving', primarily the technological type - cell phones, both hand-held and hands-free, and texting.
Get used to it - the new term is distracted driving" - as opposed to driving while talking on a phone, texting, etc. Just as the federal government played a role in past safety efforts, be it driving while drinking or seatbelt usage, Secretary LaHood sees the need for a similar effort to combat the epidemic of driving while distracted.
"The Transportation Department will convene a meeting of safety experts and others concerned about the dangers of text-messaging and cell phone use while driving, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said (August 4).
Regulation of the roadways generally happens at the state level. But the federal government has exerted pressure on the states based on the threat of withholding federal highway funds, as Congress did in 1984 to press states to raise their minimum drinking ages to 21 years."
From NYT: Cabbies Stay on Their Phones Despite Ban :
"New York City cabbies have been banned from using cellphones for a decade - even the hands-free type, putting the city a step ahead of state law. But the stringent rules remain almost entirely unenforced, even amid research that shows drivers who talk on cellphones are four times as likely to cause a crash."
FULL STORY: U.S. Agency Plans Meeting on Distracted Driving
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
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