Traffic Safety

Primary Image
A line of cars wait at the drive-thru window of a starbucks.

More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus

Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.

August 31, 2023 - The Denver Post

"Municipal speed camera in use" sign

More Evidence That Speed Cameras Slow Traffic Speeds

File under: not a cash grab.

August 29, 2023 - StreetsBlog NYC

Worker in yellow safety suit holding up orange SLOW sign on road

Reforms Are Coming to American Road Design

The federal manual governing road design is getting an update. Will it encourage real progress toward road safety?

August 16, 2023 - National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)

View from middle of street with streetcar rails and high-rise buildings on either side in San Francisco, Bay Bridge visible in background

San Francisco Will Lower Speed Limits on 23 Streets

A 2021 state law allows cities to reduce speed limits next to ‘business activity districts.’

August 3, 2023 - SF Gate

Police

When Traffic Enforcement Makes Roads More Dangerous

A new book makes the case that revenue-oriented traffic policing has far-reaching negative impacts and often fails to improve traffic safety.

August 1, 2023 - Streetsblog USA

Pedestrians crossing a busy crosswalk on New York City street with tall buildings in background

Study: Streets With High Foot Traffic Also See High Driving Speeds

A detailed study of where people walk reveals that driving speeds on many of the streets most used by pedestrians in U.S. cities are higher than recommended speeds, putting pedestrians at higher risk for serious injuries and death.

June 27, 2023 - Streetsblog USA

Traffic on Pennsylvania Avenue with U.S. Capitol dome in background

D.C. Road Safety Campaign Will Target Drivers With Dangerous Records

A pilot program will send letters and text messages directly to drivers with histories of speeding and reckless driving warning them of the increased risk for themselves and others.

June 27, 2023 - DCist

Close-up of the feet of pedestrians in a crosswalk

2022 Deadliest Year for Pedestrians in Four Decades

Pedestrian deaths reached a four-decade high last year, signaling the failure of Vision Zero policies in most U.S. cities.

June 23, 2023 - Streetsblog USA

Yellow Drive Safely on desert road

Beyond PSAs: Making Traffic Safety Outreach More Effective

Streetsblog surveyed readers about how road safety education can be made better.

June 20, 2023 - Streetsblog USA

White Waymo self-driving car with roof-mounted camera driving on San Francisco street with Exploratorium parking lot sign in background

San Francisco Officials Want to Put the Brakes on Self-Driving Taxis

Local officials say autonomous cars are not yet safe enough to be permanently deployed across the entire city.

June 15, 2023 - Governing

'No turn on red' sign attached to an overhead traffic light

Right on Red: A Deadly Policy

Created in the 1970s to help boost gas mileage (with little proof that it had the desired effect), turning right on red creates dangerous situations for pedestrians and cyclists.

June 15, 2023 - Fast Company

CLose-up of pedestrian call button on pole at intersection

Experts: Vision Zero Requires Far-Reaching Investment, Culture Shift

Road safety advocates say the 2021 infrastructure bill doesn’t fully commit to its stated goals to help cities eliminate pedestrian and cyclist deaths.

June 14, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

An aerial view of a park and the streets and high-rises of Downtown Omaha.

Downtown Omaha Planning for its Post-One-Way-Streets Era

The Omaha City Council has decided to reverse the transportation model adopted in the city in the 1950s, for the benefit of traffic safety and local retail activity.

June 9, 2023 - KETV

"Welcome to Texas" road sign with Texas flag and "Drive Friendly - the Texas way" slogan

Report: Austin’s State Roads Deadlier Than City Roads

Traffic fatalities and serious injuries grew on state-owned roads in the Texas capital, even as city-owned streets saw death rates plateau.

June 6, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Yellow school corssing sign with two human figures against blurry background

New York Cuts Almost 500 Open School Crossing Guard Jobs

The vacant positions were cut as part of an effort to trim the NYPD’s budget, but intersections near schools are already some of the city’s most dangerous for pedestrians.

May 29, 2023 - StreetsBlog NYC

Automated traffic enforcement camera mounted above roadway with blurred image of roadway and cars below

California Traffic Camera Bill Clears Committee

The bill, aimed at testing speed cameras in the state to improve traffic safety, will go to the full State Assembly for a vote.

May 25, 2023 - Streetsblog California

Child-sized pedestrian crash test dummy in front of car being tested

National Crash Testing Standards Could Start Including Pedestrian Safety

The NHTSA is proposing new guidance that would, after years of demands from safety advocates, include pedestrian safety assessments in crash test requirements.

May 24, 2023 - Jalopnik

Wide asphalt road with "North Route 1" sign

Virginia DOT To Reduce Speed Limit on Richmond Highway

The Alexandria-to-Mount Vernon corridor has one of the highest crash rates on the roadway.

May 18, 2023 - Greater Alexandria Patch

Worker in yellow safety suit holding up orange SLOW sign on road

How Cities are Spending Safe Streets Funds

New federal grant programs are injecting millions of dollars into road safety projects in an effort to stem the alarming growth of traffic deaths on U.S. roads.

May 10, 2023 - Governing

Close-up of pedestrian crossing button at a crosswalk in Los Angeles

Report: Racial Gap in Traffic Deaths Persists

Communities of color have significantly higher rates of traffic fatalities, according to federal research.

May 9, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.