The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released its traffic fatality data for 2012. Though the overall number of deaths remains historically low, the percentage of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities continues to rise.
"The official 2012 death toll is out for our nation’s poorly-designed, auto-centric transportation system," reports Tanya Snyder. "According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, traffic injuries on the nation’s roadways claimed the lives of 33,561 people. . . .That’s a 3.3 percent increase — a difference of more than a thousand lives."
Though the rise in vehicular deaths came after several years of declines, fatalities among pedestrians and bicyclists continued their recent upward trend.
"Pedestrian and bicyclist deaths rose faster than the overall rate — 6.4 and 6.5 percent, respectively," notes Snyder. "This is a long-term trend: Walking and biking are becoming more dangerous relative to driving. Occupants of passenger vehicles make up 65 percent of fatalities now, down from 75 percent in 2003, while 'non-occupants' (i.e. pedestrians and cyclists) make up 17 percent, up from 13 percent. Motorcyclists now account for 15 percent of casualties, up from 9 percent."
FULL STORY: It’s Official: 33,561 People Killed in Traffic on American Streets Last Year
NHTSA Could Expand Safety Requirements to Include Pedestrians
In a radical shift from prior policy that singled out passenger safety, new cars could be required to include more features that protect people outside the vehicle.
New Study Ties Distracted Driving to Increase in Pedestrian and Cyclist Deaths
Though vehicular deaths have been declining across the U.S., pedestrian and cyclist deaths have risen. While intuition might say our ubiquitous cell phones are to blame, hard data has been scarce. A new study seems to support this conclusion.
Proposed Bill Would Direct Funds to Road Safety
The Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act was spurred by the death of a U.S. diplomat who was killed on her bicycle.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”
Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.
Platform Pilsner: Vancouver Transit Agency Releases... a Beer?
TransLink will receive a portion of every sale of the four-pack.
Toronto Weighs Cheaper Transit, Parking Hikes for Major Events
Special event rates would take effect during large festivals, sports games and concerts to ‘discourage driving, manage congestion and free up space for transit.”
Berlin to Consider Car-Free Zone Larger Than Manhattan
The area bound by the 22-mile Ringbahn would still allow 12 uses of a private automobile per year per person, and several other exemptions.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)