With one third the number of cars on the road as U.S., China has at least twice the fatality rate. Most vehicles are designed in the West, and driven a similar amount. Road conditions as well as driver and pedestrian error are blamed for crashes.
The day before China's first high speed rail crash on July 23 killing 39 (apparently decreased from original report of 43), an intercity bus in Henan Province caught fire killing 41, yet received little attention from international media. China's real safety problem lies not on its rails but on its roads according to this NYT report.
It's the leading cause of mortality in China for those under the age of 45, according to public health experts. "And the highway death rate could rise more, given that vehicle sales have soared tenfold in the past decade, with tens of millions of drivers, many of them poorly trained, taking to the roads for the first time."
Unlike carefully reported traffic deaths in the U.S., "only a small fraction of all traffic deaths in China show up in official figures because of widespread underreporting by the local police."
Thanks to Mark Boshnack
FULL STORY: Road Safety Problems Pose Dire Threat in China
January Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month
How a tidal wave of potential changes at the federal level could throw many programs planners depend on into chaos, a roundup of last year’s zoning stories, and the continuing ripple effects of a landmark Supreme Court case.
‘Safe Land Use:’ A Key to Road Safety
How approaching transportation planning through a public health lens can reduce traffic deaths.
Opinion: To End Traffic Deaths, Cities Must Put Safety Over Speed
Eliminating road deaths requires an overhaul of U.S. infrastructure and regulations to prioritize the safety of people in cars, on foot, and on bikes.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)