Traffic Safety

Friday Funny: Crass Bumper Sticker Finally Coughs Up its Traffic Data
You know the bumper sticker. It's the one that begins with the words "How's My Driving?" and ends with a 1-800 number.

Icelandic Town Hopes to Slow Traffic with 3-D Illusion
The small town of Isafjordur, Iceland is hoping an optical illusion painted onto a street will work to slow down drivers.

Where's the Concern About Spiking Traffic Fatalities?
Traffic fatalities are increasing faster than any time since the 1960s, but it's hard to notice much concern from the United States.

In the War on Cars, Only Drivers Kill
A Toronto Star columnist frames a recent spate of pedestrian fatalities in stark terms.

Report: In-Car Technology Creates New Distractions for Drivers
Apparently, car companies thought giving drivers the option to voice command a bunch of smart phone apps would make driving safer.

Denver Commits to Vision Zero
There have been 100 traffic-related deaths on Denver’s streets since 2016, according to the Denver Post, but the city has decided that there will be no more traffic-related deaths by the year 2030.
The Calm Streets Project Launches in St. Louis
The Calm Streets project, intended to improve traffic safety, walkability, and economic development opportunities in St. Louis, picked up new momentum in the form of grant funding.

On the Rise of the Diverging Diamond Interchange
Its design can appear baffling at first, but the DDI presents drivers with far fewer opportunities to collide with each other than traditional four-way intersections.

Should There Be a Minimum Age to Ride the Bus Unsupervised?
In a controversy that recalls the ongoing debate about "free range children," B.C.'s Ministry of Children and Family Development is telling one family that their kids aren't old enough to ride the bus alone.

Op-Ed: What Oregon's DOT Gets Wrong on Roadway Safety
Faced with an uptick in roadway fatalities, Oregon is looking at how to increase safety. But it's concentrating on highways while arterials actually account for the region's most severe crashes.

Ford Coins a New Term to Protect Cars from Pedestrians: 'Petextrians'
The Ford Motor Company picks a side in the traffic safety debate.

Louisville's Infamous Spaghetti Junction to Get Safety Review
Three tractor trailers overturned in less than a month while navigating Spaghetti Junction in Louisville—the maze of twisting ramps and interchanges that sparked viral notoriety at the end of 2016.
Car Crash Reporting Guidelines Prepare for Self-Driving Vehicles
The Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria's latest edition has new instructions for reporting the emerging sector of autonomous vehicles.

How to Promote Traffic Safety? Use Tailored Strategies in Downtown Areas
Chia-Yuan Yu and Minjie Xu guest blog about a recent article in the Journal of Planning Education and Research.

Editorial: Ambitious Plans Don't Work Without Political Leadership
The Los Angeles Times critiques the political culture in Los Angeles. In this case, it's the failure of a road diet project that provoked the criticism, but these lessons apply to the city's bicycle plans and homeless housing plans, too.

Friday Funny: Sarcastic Responses to Honolulu's 'Distracted Walking' Ban
The Onion's always-sardonic "American Voices" feature allows some totally fake people to respond to Honolulu's recent decision to make it illegal to text while crossing the street on foot.

Neighborhood Commission Wants a Car-Free Street in D.C.
A popular neighborhood in Washington, D.C. is looking for ways to make its main drag more pedestrian friendly.
Los Angeles Can't Stick to its Road Diet
A high-profile controversy over a decision by the city of Los Angeles to remove a vehicle lane in either direction has finally come to an end. The vehicle lanes will be restored.

Federal Safety Watchdog Takes a Position on Speeding Drivers
Streetsblog USA breaks the news of a major policy departure for the National Transportation Safety Board: speeding kills, and every level of government must do more to counter the problem.

Chicago Settles Red Light Camera Lawsuit for $37.5 Million
Opponents of red light cameras have achieved a major victory against the Rahm Administration in Chicago.
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