To reduce traffic deaths, public transit should be seen as a core part of safety infrastructure, not just an alternative mode of travel. Every day, thousands of car crashes occur in the U.S., resulting in injury or death, yet they receive far less attention than the much rarer crashes involving public transit. For city planners working to reduce roadway fatalities, understanding how these perceptions influence travel choices is critical.
Research
Driving trips are dropping, especially among young people
For years, people wondered whether travel would bounce back after the pandemic. The latest FHWA data, along with other new research, gives a clearer answer. Growth has slowed. In 2024, total vehicle miles traveled (VMT) finally inched past its 2019 peak, but by only 0.5%. On a per capita basis, Americans are still driving less, down 2.3% since 2019.
Emotional perceptions can be a tool for predicting street safety
How a street feels can matter just as much as how it’s physically built. A new study shows that emotional perceptions about whether a street seems inviting, secure, or rundown can help explain safety for people walking or biking—a reminder that planners should think beyond conventional design standards. Road designers should also consider the character and aesthetics of the spaces they create.
Complex urban streets encourage safer driving
Reducing excessive speeding is one of the most effective ways to improve road safety—especially where people are walking or biking. While lowering speed limits and adding traffic calming measures help, growing research highlights the value of self-explaining streets that give drivers constant cues to slow down.
Pedestrian deaths aren’t accidents, they’re policy failures
Pedestrian deaths are rising faster in the U.S. than in any other high-income country. A decade-long surge, up 50%, has made the U.S. the most dangerous place to walk among 27 peer nations. Many experts view these deaths not as random accidents but as preventable tragedies that reflect deeper policy failures in transportation, infrastructure, and public safety.
Cutting transit wait times is key for winning back ridehail users
Nearly all trips taken in some cities by ridehail services, such as Uber or Lyft, could be taken by transit, according to new research. That means the excess traffic those trips create could be prevented, with the right incentives. To encourage people to opt for transit instead of ridehail, transit agencies can pursue strategies to shorten walk and wait times associated with transit.
Too much driving is bad for society, new studies show
It turns out trying to expand the freedom of the open road has its limits—when taken too far, it can end up driving people apart.
New transit stations don’t have to mean gentrification or displacement
Major transit investments like new light rail lines or stations can transform neighborhoods and cities — in certain respects, that’s the point. The new infrastructure can make a city more vibrant and accessible to all, while encouraging the development of more walkable neighborhoods that make it easier to get around without a car, reduce emissions, and improve safety. But planners can take steps to ensure those benefits are shared among everyone, not just younger professionals or affluent newcomers.
The benefits of transit extend well beyond transit riders
Public transit is often viewed by planners and transportation officials as a key strategy for reducing car dependency, easing traffic congestion, and lowering emissions. Every person who opts for transit over driving helps reduce the total miles driven in private vehicles. According to a large national study, however, good transit has a ripple effect on land use and travel behavior. For every mile not driven by transit riders, transit accounts for another six to nine miles not driven among the larger population.
Rural town centers can provide transportation benefits similar to those of urban areas
People living in dispersed rural areas face some of the greatest transportation challenges, according to a new study. However, living in more concentrated rural villages helps alleviate those challenges. Ensuring people can get around without relying on a car—even in rural pockets—is key to meeting their needs more affordably.