Road Safety

Two white traffic enforcement cameras above a road in Ottawa, Canada with a colorful multistory building in background

Study: Traffic Cameras Reduce Speeding, Crashes

Analysis of the automated enforcement program in Ottawa, Canada shows a significant drop in speeding near traffic cameras.

April 5, 2023 - CBC News

25 mph speed limit sign partially obscured by red and orange fall leaves

Study: Seattle’s Lower Speed Limits Reduced Crash Injuries

A change in the city’s speed limits has been shown to reduce the likelihood of injuries during collisions.

March 30, 2023 - Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Two people riding bikes with helmets on paved park trail

‘Arrested Mobility’: How Transportation-Related Laws Impact Black Americans

A far-reaching new study highlights the disproportionate effect of biking and walking laws on the mobility of Black Americans.

March 29, 2023 - Streetsblog USA

Interior of Tesla car with driver holding hands off wheel in 'full self-driving' mode

Buttigieg: Tesla ‘Autopilot’ Marketing ‘A Concern’

The USDOT secretary says marketing doesn’t fall under his department’s investigative authority, but expressed disapproval of language that implies autonomous operation.

March 20, 2023 - Bloomberg

Row of cars in parking lot

How Oversized SUVs Are Killing Us and the Environment

A video from Not Just Bikes describes the impacts of increasingly large vehicles on road safety, public health, and the environment.

March 9, 2023 - Jalopnik

"No right turn on red 7am to 7pm" sign on black post

Banning Right Turns on Red Can Improve Road Safety

Taking a second look at the widespread, but dangerous, practice.

March 9, 2023 - Pew Stateline

Street-level view of sharrow symbol on asphalt with parked car in background

Calls to Stop Relying on Sharrows Grow Louder

The painted symbols can not only fail to protect bike riders, but can actually make riding conditions less safe.

March 8, 2023 - Momentum Magazine

Paved two-way bike trail with yellow center line, green paint, and Chicago buildings inbackground

Chicago Advances Smart Streets, Complete Streets Ordinances

Two proposed laws would enhance road safety for bicyclists and pedestrians and improve the city’s multimodal infrastructure.

March 8, 2023 - Block Club Chicago

Dark blue Tesla with crumpled front bumper on rainy highway with red fire truck in background

Majority of American Drivers ‘Afraid’ of ‘Self-Driving’ Cars

Responses to a AAA survey indicate a rising fear of automated vehicles in the wake of high-profile crashes and federal investigations.

March 3, 2023 - AAA

Rainbow painted crosswalk next to green painted bike lane on Seattle, Washington street

Seattle Vision Zero Review Largely Misses the Point

The city released what it called a comprehensive review of its Vision Zero initiatives, but one critic argues the report doesn’t address some key opportunities for improving road safety.

March 1, 2023 - The Urbanist

Pedestrians and cyclists in busy city crosswalk with blurred motion

Report: Pedestrian Deaths Rose Again in Early 2022

New data shows continued growth in pedestrian road deaths in most U.S. states.

March 1, 2023 - Governors Highway Safety Association

Close-up of multiple black and red Tesla cars parked in a lot

Recall Affects Over 360,000 Tesla Cars with ‘Full Self-Driving’ Software

Federal regulators are asking the carmaker to update the software on vehicles equipped with FSD due to its poor safety record.

February 17, 2023 - The Verge

Close-up of license plate on blue car covered in mud, license plate is unreadable.

Unreadable License Plates Led to Lost Revenue, Safety Concerns

In New York City, the rate of unreadable license plates caught on speed cameras rose in 2022, prompting concerns from safety advocates about scofflaw drivers.

February 16, 2023 - StreetsBlog NYC

Pick-up truck on small town street with yellow "Oversize Load" sign

California to Consider Weight-Based Registration Fees for Larger Vehicles

A proposal in the state legislature would assess the relationship between vehicle size and road deaths and injuries and could pave the way for higher registration fees for heavy vehicles.

February 12, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

"Bike Lane Closed" and "Utility Work Ahead" signs on Chicago bike lane

Chicago Bike Lane Enforcement Proposal Draws Criticism for not Addressing Structural Flaws

A new ordinance would use automated enforcement to ticket drivers who block bike lanes, but some bike advocates say the city is avoiding the harder work of improving its bike infrastructure.

February 9, 2023 - Block Club Chicago

Traffic Safety Advocates

Federal Initiative Calls for Action on Roadway Safety

Close to 50 governmental and nongovernmental organizations signed on to a pledge to take concrete action to reduce traffic deaths around the country.

February 5, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Crosswalk with pedestrians in front of four-story red brick buildings in New Haven, Connecticut

Opinion: Connecticut Vision Zero Bill A Step in the Right Direction

The proposed legislation could energize efforts to eliminate fatal crashes and fix the structural flaws that make roads inherently more dangerous.

February 3, 2023 - CT News Junkie

Overhead view of crosswalk with pedestrian median

Safe Streets Grants Announced

The federal Safe Streets and Roads for All program funds planning and implementation for road safety projects aimed at reducing traffic deaths and building safe infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users.

February 2, 2023 - U.S. Department Of Transportation

Pedestrians in zebra crosswalk with green bike lane in downtown Seattle, Washington with three-story brick building in background

Washington Focuses Road Safety Efforts on Individuals, Neglecting Design

Legislative efforts to reduce traffic deaths could move the needle toward Vision Zero, but state leaders failed to commit infrastructure funds to making structural improvements.

February 1, 2023 - The Urbanist

Stoplight with green light and "no right turn on red" pictograph on overhead signal

Traffic Safety Bills Proposed in Washington’s State Legislature

As traffic fatalities continue to climb in Washington and around the country, three proposed state bills would prohibit some right turns on red, reduce the BAC limit for DUI arrests, and require more young drivers to take driver’s education courses.

January 31, 2023 - KATU.com

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.

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