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Safety and Human Factors

A car lies on its side with crushed roof and side, and another car with a smashed front end is T-boned into it while police officers stand around the intersection crash.

Can We Finally Address the Safety Crisis on U.S. Highways?

In the United States, motor vehicle death rates are about five times higher than in Australia, Canada, Japan, and some ...

By Joseph L. Schofer and David O. Willauer

A raised median barrier separates a bike lane from the road as cyclists ride beside traffic near a large cable stayed bridge.

FHWA Proven Safety Countermeasures: Exploring Implementation by State Transportation Agencies

An NCHRP synthesis examines how state departments of transportation are implementing safety measures that FHWA deems effective in reducing crashes ...
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A line of bright traffic cones, each holding a single white rose with a long stem and standing behind a white hard hat, stretch into the distance along a windowed wall.

Employer-Based Driver Safety Programs

A TRB research project used behavioral change theories to identify key components of effective employer-based driver safety programs and develop ...

By Eva M. Shipp and Emily Martin

A person uses a white cane to locate a yellow tactile path beside a train platform edge.

Travel by Touch: Tactile Wayfinding for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

A TCRP Research Report examines how tactile walking surface indicators can help people who are blind or visually impaired navigate ...
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A large liquified natural gas (L N G) carrier named Marvel Crane is guided by tugboats as it moves near a port facility in Louisiana.

Time for Reform: The U.S. Coast Guard’s Certificate of Compliance Program for Liquefied Gas Carriers

Responding to a request from Congress, a consensus study committee finds that the U.S. Coast Guard’s Certificate of Compliance Program ...

By Katie Turnbull and Mark Hutchins

In a demonstration of Utah D O T's Connecting the West Program, a man walks through a crosswalk with pedestrian sensors on the traffic signal while a pickup truck safely turns into the intersection behind him.

Connecting the West: Three State DOTs Team Up for Safety Innovations

Through the Connecting the West Program, Utah DOT is leading a three-state effort to build a network of smart transportation ...
A woman wears virtual reality goggles with a cable connected to equipment outside the frame and has a galvanic skin response sensor attached to her lower arm and a sensor on her palm. Her hand holds a small device linked to the sensor. Behind her is a large screen that shows a simulated two-way city street with many cars and buildings. The woman faces slightly to the side and appears to engage with the virtual scene.

Using Virtual Reality to Boost Pedestrian Safety

Canadian researchers are using virtual reality to improve traffic safety by studying the behavior of pedestrians as they cross a ...
A flatbed truck with a container and people sitting on it is on the side of a rutted unpaved rural road with loose soil near small huts and dense trees.

International Challenges for Low-Volume Roads Management

This theme issue on international low-volume roads looks at road use, technological innovations in their construction, maintenance and safety considerations, ...
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A person wearing a helmet drives an e-bike while another passenger in a red dress sits sideways on the back seat as they ride along a city street in China.

E-Bikes Are Changing Travel Habits

A study finds that E-bikes shift daily travel habits and have benefits that include reducing congestion. ...
A New York City street has colorful painted pavement with stone barriers and planters used for hardened daylighting as pedestrians cross the area.

Creative Countermeasures: Safety Enhancements Slated for New York City’s High-Crash Intersections

New York City will use “hardened daylighting” to redesign high-crash intersections with planters and other barriers. ...
A person stands on a dusty unpaved low-volume road holding a tool while thick dust clouds rise, with fields and trees visible in the background.

A Question of Safety: Upgrading Low-Volume Roads in Developing Countries

Incorporating safety measures such as traffic-calming features, separation barriers, and public transit stops can enhance safety and accessibility of rural ...
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A bus driver wearing a cap and glasses sits at the wheel inside the driver’s cabin, steering through a city street visible through the front window.

Mental Health, Wellness, and Resilience for Transit System Workers

A Transit Cooperative Research Program research report offers resources that can help transit agencies identify and mitigate adverse workplace conditions. ...
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