Robert Wunderlich, P.E., ITE Fellow and Director of the Center for Transportation Safety at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, discusses the Safe System approach to reducing serious injuries and fatalities on roadways. He highlights the various aspects of the Safe System, including roadway design that reduces user error and lowers impact forces, and explains what […]
safety
TTI, Texas A&M Partner on Senior Driver Assistance Technologies Study
TTI Human Factors Program Manager and Senior Research Scientist Michael Manser recently concluded a study in which he partnered with Ranjana Mehta, associate professor in Texas A&M University’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and director of Texas A&M’s NeuroErgonomics Laboratory. The study examined how senior drivers prefer to learn about assistance technologies. Researchers discovered […]
Are You Currently “Home” Schooling? Add Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety to Your Child’s Schoolwork
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has closed schools statewide and left a lot of parents “home schooling” their children. If you have an elementary-age child, this is a great time to incorporate pedestrian and bicycle safety into their schoolwork. Teaching your children pedestrian and bicycle safety will help them be safer as they explore your neighborhood. […]
2020 National Work Zone Awareness Week
Safe Work Zones for All: Protect workers This week, April 20-24, is National Work Zone Awareness Week. This year’s theme is “Safe Work Zones for All: Protect workers. Protect road users.” Across the country, various agencies will work together to promote safe driving habits in work zones with an emphasis on reminding drivers that work […]
Now’s the Time to Teach Your Teen to Drive
The Silver Lining in the COVID-19 Cloud The entire world is practicing social distancing, and some of us are under shelter-in-place orders. You might find you have some extra time on your hands. If you’re a parent with a teen at home, you might find yourself even growing a bit antsy for something to do […]
Car Crashes Are Down. Working From Home Keeps Us Safe On the Road
By Gregory Winfree No one yet knows how many Americans will die this year from COVID-19. But here’s a pretty safe bet on the number who will die in car crashes: Likely not as many as last year. Call it an unintended benefit of widespread stay-at-home orders designed to fight the spread of the coronavirus. […]
A Good Time for a Walk? Sure, but Stay Safe
Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has temporarily altered life as we knew it — we’re all operating under more stress and often in tighter quarters. With some of our communities currently under shelter-in-place orders, many of us now work remotely, while others still must venture out to provide essential services. You might have already noticed that more […]
Wunderlich Briefs Texas Senate Panel on Traffic-Related Crash Trends, Causes
Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) Senior Research Engineer Robert Wunderlich shared road safety insights with state lawmakers on February 26 during a meeting of Texas’ Senate Transportation Committee. The panel heard Wunderlich’s testimony in the course of pursuing its goal to study crash causes and make recommendations to improve roadway safety. “Texas traffic crashes are […]
When You Ride Uber or Lyft With Your Kids, Do You Use Car Seats? You Should
We need consistent policies and laws regarding children and rideshare before somebody gets hurt. By Katie Womack Passengers under age 5 may constitute a tiny share of customers for Uber and Lyft, but those fragile riders deserve more attention as the industry grows. That’s because parents and rideshare drivers are both confused about when, where […]
Tips to Be a Safe Pedestrian in 2020 (and Beyond)
Learning how to be a safer pedestrian may not be at the top of your New Year’s resolution list, but with a rise in pedestrian deaths, it’s time to consider adding it. Only six days into the New Year and Bryan, Texas — home to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s (TTI’s) Headquarters — has already […]
Applying Advanced Tech Innovations to Transportation
AV-CV Strategy Guide Designed for Public Decision Makers The required public transportation project delivery process can be slow, methodical and risk averse. The technology industry, by contrast, moves quickly, often takes risks, and may treat failures as learning moments. It’s hard to imagine a greater potential for culture clash, but those are the players in […]
General Motors Funds Expansion of Landmark Teen Driving Safety Program to America’s Heartland
General Motors (GM) has awarded a generous grant to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s (TTI’s) Teens in the Driver Seat® (TDS) Program. These funds will support ongoing outreach efforts in Texas, where TDS was born, as well as Georgia, reaching some 230 high schools and 200,000 students. TDS will also be able to expand its […]
General Motors Funds Expansion of Landmark Teen Driving Safety Program to America’s Heartland
As part of National Teen Driving Safety Week, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s Teens in the Driver Seat® (TDS) Program is announcing that a generous grant from General Motors (GM) will help TDS reach even more teen drivers with its safety messaging next year. These funds will support ongoing outreach efforts in Texas, where TDS […]
Keep Kids Safe on the Road: 2019 Child Passenger Safety Week
This week, Sept. 15-21, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is sponsoring Child Passenger Safety Week. Whenever you’re on the road, make sure your kids are secured in the correct car seat for their weight, age, and size, and that the seat itself is properly installed and secured in your vehicle. | Read More
TTI Awarded Prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant to Study Health, Safety Impacts of CAVs
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has awarded the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) a grant to evaluate safety and health concerns related to implementing connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technologies. CAVs hold the promise to revolutionize our transportation system through improved mobility and safety while also reducing congestion and crash-related deaths and injuries. However […]
2019 Conference Focuses on Heroes of Child Passenger Safety Community
A small army of advocates was celebrated for the work they do in child passenger safety at the 3rd annual Texas Child Passenger Safety Conference, held in Austin July 29–31. Most of the 270 attendees were child passenger safety seat technicians (CPSTs) from across Texas. As part of the conference, they learned how tragedies can […]
Zero Deaths Directive Applauded by Experts at 2019 Traffic Safety Conference
On May 30, in a bold move to end traffic deaths, the Texas Transportation Commission directed the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to cut traffic fatalities in half by 2035 and end them entirely by 2050. These goals are a natural outcome of the current TxDOT #EndtheStreak campaign, which “encourages Texans to drive safely to […]
At a Glance — The Intersection of Health and Transportation
Photo (bottom, right) credit: Amani A/Shutterstock.com
What We’re Thinking: As Cars Get Better, Driving Gets Worse
By Russell Henk This article was originally published in Dallas News, April 11, 2019. Our cars keep getting better, but our driving seems to be getting worse. Auto design has evolved from safety belts and airbags that help us survive crashes to features like lane-departure warnings and automatic emergency braking that help us avoid them. […]
Zero Deaths Directive Applauded by Experts at 2019 Traffic Safety Conference
On May 30, in a bold move to end traffic deaths, the Texas Transportation Commission directed the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to cut traffic fatalities in half by 2035 and end them entirely by 2050. These goals are a natural outcome of the current TxDOT #EndtheStreak campaign, which “encourages Texans to drive safely to […]