(914) 220-1086Recent research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that drivers using partial automation systems are often overly reliant on them, even treating them like full autopilot features. According to a report by Reuters, the industry group’s survey found specifically that users of Tesla Autopilot, General Motors Super Cruise, and Nissan/Infiniti ProPILOT Assist “said […]
Traffic Accidents
Reports: No Charges Yet Against Truck Driver in Deadly Brooklyn Crash
The driver of a tractor-trailer truck hit and killed a 25-year-old cyclist in Brooklyn last week. According to a report by Streetsblog, the incident occurred on Parkside Avenue near Parade Place, close to Prospect Park, on Wednesday, October 12th around 7am. Both the driver and the cyclist were traveling eastbound on Parkside Avenue when the […]
October is National Pedestrian Safety Month
The US Department of Transportation has declared October “National Pedestrian Safety Month,” according to a news release by the agency. The move comes amidst an epidemic of traffic violence that killed 6,516 pedestrians in 2020, according to the DOT, or 18 per day on average. “National Pedestrian Safety Month,” the announcement states, “celebrates the right […]
AAA: Automatic Braking Struggles to Stop Dangerous Crashes
New research by the American Automobile Association (AAA) suggests that automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems struggle to prevent crashes when cars are driving at normal speeds. According to a report by The Verge, which notes that new cars are required to include AEB systems as of September 2022, AAA tested four vehicles with the technology: […]
NHTSA Pledges To Take Action On “Frontover” Crashes
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration recently responded to a request by Congress to take actions to investigate and prevent “frontover” car accidents, in which vehicles with large blind spots strike and run over children. In an August 25, 2022 letter, NHTSA Administrator Steven Cliff told US Senator Richard Blumenthal that the agency “is committed […]
Report: SUV With 168 Violations Hits, Kills Bronx Woman
A New York City woman died last week after the driver of an SUV jumped the curb and struck her, impaling her on a metal fence. According to media reports, the 59-year-old Bronx resident, Paulina Nrecaj, was taken to a local hospital, where she died after surgery. “She was a good, sweet woman,” her daughter […]
Report: NYC to Address McGuinness Boulevard Safety Issues
New York City transportation authorities will implement short-term safety adjustments in advance of the large-scale redesign of a dangerous stretch of North Brooklyn roadway. According to a report by Streetsblog, the Department of Transportation has said it will implement painted median-tip extensions and daylighting measures on McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint, while banning left at certain […]
Report: Truck Hits, Kills Cyclist in East New York Crash
A 43-year-old cyclist lost his life after being hit by the 52-year-old driver of a tractor-trailer truck in the Brooklyn neighborhood of East New York last week. According to ABC News, the cyclist was riding on Pennsylvania Avenue when the tractor-trailer driver turned onto Linden Boulevard, hitting him. The driver was not arrested at the […]
New Analysis Asks Whether New York Can Mandate Car Safety Tech
When New York State Senator Brad Hoylman introduced a bill in August that would mandate the use of speed governors and other advanced safety systems in vehicles registered in the state, some questioned whether New York actually had jurisdiction over the use of car safety technology. An analysis published by Streetsblog last week carefully examined […]
New York Lawmakers Propose New Drunk Driving Penalties
Newly proposed legislation in both New York’s Assembly and Legislature would require people convicted of drunk driving incidents that resulted in the death of a custodial parent to make child support payments until the victim’s child (or their children) reach 18 years old. According to a recent report by Streetsblog, New York State Senator Andrew […]
Report: Brooklyn Residents Call For Safer McGuinness Boulevard Redesign
The New York City Department of Transportation’s preliminary redesign plan for McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint, has received criticism from local residents and elected officials. The large, busy Brooklyn road has seen 1,548 reported car crashes in the last nine years, resulting in injuries to 40 cyclists, 59 pedestrians, and 236 drivers, according to a recent […]
Analysis: What Can the US Learn About Traffic Safety from Canada?
A recent analysis by Bloomberg examined why traffic fatalities have declined in Canada as they’ve risen dramatically in the United States. The differences between the two nations, which are “comparably young and similarly configured,” are dramatic: in 2020, 118 Americans for every million died in car crashes, while only 46 for every million died in […]
Survey: Construction Zone Car Crashes on the Rise
A new survey by HCSS Software Solutions and Associated General Contractors found that vehicle crashes continue to pose a threat to highway construction workers, as work zones likewise pose a threat to vehicle drivers and passengers. The survey found specifically that a whopping 64% of highway contractors “report that motor vehicles had crashed into their […]
Data: Vehicle-into-Building Crashes May Injure 16,000 Annually
As many as 100 vehicles crash into buildings every day in America, according to an audit by risk management company CHC Global of data gathered by the Storefront Safety Council. That number reflects an upward revision of the Council’s previous estimate that vehicles crash into buildings 60 times per day; it also reflects a total […]
NHTSA Updates Child Safety Test Requirements for T-Bone Crashes
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a division of the Department of Transportation, issued a final rule last week that “updates testing requirements for child safety seats to improve the protection of children during side-impact crashes,” according to a press release. The rule is designed to keep young children from sustaining serious injuries in motor […]
Research Uncovers Racial Disparities in Car Crash Deaths
A new study by researchers at Boston University and Harvard University, reported on by Streetsblog, found that Black and Hispanic Americans experience “systematically” higher fatality rates per 100 million miles traveled on US roads. Drawing on data provided by the 2017 National Household Travel Survey and the U.S. Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the study looked at miles traveled […]
NYC Lawmakers Pledge to Make School Zone Streets Safer
Responding to a recent Streetsblog report on the deadly streets surrounding New York City’s school zones, Mayor Eric Adams recently said that his administration will “do more” to reduce the traffic violence in those areas, found to be dramatically higher than averages elsewhere in the city, particularly in the morning and afternoon hours when students come to […]
NHTSA Widens Tesla Autopilot Probe
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a division of the Department of Transportation, has expanded its investigation into electric automaker Tesla’s “Autopilot” automated driving software. Initially launched last year, the probe will now encompass approximately 830,000 Tesla cars, according to Reuters, which notes that the probe is a “required step” prior to any potential recall. The […]
Investigation: New York City’s Streets Are Especially Dangerous Near Schools
An expansive and illuminating new investigation by Streetsblog found that streets surrounding New York City public schools are disproportionately dangerous compared to other streets in the city. The massive analysis is well worth reading on its own, but some highlights are recapped below. To conduct its analysis, Streetsblog gathered data on “nearly one million crashes” in the […]
Analysis: What Will It Take to Solve Traffic Violence in the US?
Newly released estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a division of the US Department of Transportation, reveal that almost 43,000 people lost their lives to motor vehicle crashes in 2021, a 10.5% increase since 2020 and an 18% increase since 2019. An analysis by CNBC examines why the traffic violence crisis is “a tough problem […]
Data: Almost 43,000 Car Crash Deaths in 2021
Figures released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a division of the US Department of Transportation, show that almost 43,000 people died of traffic violence in 2021. The NHTSA’s estimates suggest that 42,915 lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes last year, up 10.5% from 38,824 in 2020. This makes 2021 the deadliest year for the […]
Are Dusk and Dawn Car Accidents Accurately Counted?
These measures include street lighting, reflective strips on signs, and larger and more visible signage. According to Evari, Federal Highway Administration data show that more street lighting can significantly mitigate nighttime collisions at rural and urban intersections and on highways, helping prevent injuries among both pedestrians and motorists. As a report by Streetsblog notes, 76% of pedestrian […]
Reports: NYC Suffers Eight Car Crash Deaths in Four Days
The epidemic of traffic violence in New York City continued last week, with at least eight deaths from traffic accidents in four days, according to a report by Spectrum News NY. Advocacy group Transportation Alternatives, which tracks traffic violence in the city, said data shows a “13% increase year over year in traffic fatalities,” with city […]
Do Bicycle “Stop-to-Yield” Laws Reduce Injuries?
A new resource published by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, a division of the Department of Transportation, highlights the benefits of bicycle “stop-as-yield” laws, which allow cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs: first stopping, then proceeding through the intersection when safe. According to the NHTSA, these laws are correlated with decreased crashes […]
NHTSA Taking Steps to Make Cars Safer for Pedestrians
A recent column in America Walks argues that the US Department of Transportation should take regulatory steps to ensure that large vehicles associated with higher pedestrian deaths implement technology designed to keep pedestrians safe. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a division of the NHTSA, has initiated a rule-making process that would rate passenger vehicles for pedestrian […]
