Many local community groups have ideas for simple infrastructure upgrades that would improve street safety in their neighborhoods — but without official sign-off from departments of transportation, those ideas may never get a chance to be tested. Some DOTs have created official permitting processes for short-term “quick-build” demonstration projects, where these local groups can test their ideas for safer streets with temporary materials while adhering to official design standards.
Safety
Dedicated bus lanes improve safety
The U.S. DOT is funding bus projects across the country that promise many of the same benefits as rail, but at lower cost. With dedicated lanes and stations that are more like train stops than a typical American bus stop, bus rapid transit (BRT) aims to move large numbers of people through congested areas faster than rush hour traffic. This sometimes comes with tradeoffs, like the loss of regular traffic lanes, but it can also offer unanticipated safety benefits, like curbing excessive traffic speeds, according to new research.
Reducing lanes for cars doesn’t slow 911 response
Road diets, for example, converting 4 lanes into 3, provide many benefits including traffic calming and improved safety for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Agencies implementing road diets have seen a 29% average reduction in crashes. However, they often face pushback when planning these conversions, especially from those concerned about potential delays for emergency response. New research suggests these conversions don’t delay emergency response vehicles, meaning they could offer a more balanced approach to safety.
More attentive driving is a small win in tackling traffic deaths
New data shows distracted driving in the U.S. fell by 4.5% in 2023—its first decline since 2020. This offers some hope in addressing the nation’s awful traffic safety record, and it may have contributed to a 3.5% drop in traffic deaths that year. But distracted driving is just a small piece of the puzzle and should not keep transportation professionals from addressing the root causes of our safety crisis.
Pedestrian deaths often occur at “safe speeds”
Guest post by Chris McCahill, featured in Smart Growth America’s latest Dangerous by Design report. Read the full report here People in vehicles often die in high-speed crashes when speed limits are being ignored. Pedestrian …
Smaller infrastructure investments help pave the way to safer communities
Road safety is an urgent issue at all levels of government, especially for people walking and biking. Cyclist and pedestrian deaths have increased by. This infrastructure week, we are encouraging more states, cities, and other local governments to help reverse this trend by prioritizing critical safety investments on streets and highways across the country.
People on bikes are vulnerable and don’t need to be reminded
Late last month, the Texas DOT posted a message on X (formerly Twitter) urging cyclists to behave better. But this message garnered at least 250 frustrated responses. The echo chamber of X obviously is not a representative sample, but the backlash reflects real challenges that cyclists face every day. Unfortunately, people who bike—along with those who walk, take transit, or face other mobility issues—experience a world where most drivers do not follow the rules, which often puts them at a dangerous disadvantage.
Pedestrian deaths spike right after sunset
As pedestrian deaths continue to rise, it has become clear that most of these deaths happen at night. But a new study finds that the half hour after sunset is the most dangerous in the United States. This worrisome trend is exacerbated by the high-speed, multilane roads that predominate in the U.S. The solutions, in addition to improved visibility, are the same at night as they are during the day: policy, design, and behavior changes that encourage safer, slower driving.
Safer infrastructure can drive a surge in cycling
Acknowledging that highway investments drive up car use and traffic, transportation professionals and advocates have grown more interested in accounting for induced demand in transportation investments. But the laws of induced demand are not limited to highways. As several cities have shown, investing in bicycle infrastructure can increase bike use by 100% or more.
Speed cameras lower speeds and prevent crashes, new research confirms
The Safe System approach to preventing traffic deaths and serious injuries requires us to rethink every aspect of our transportation system, from road and vehicle design to our pervasive car culture. Many communities have found that automated traffic enforcement is one valuable step along the way. As more of these systems are deployed, researchers continue building knowledge about how they work and where they are most effective.