STUDY: SUVs, pickups less deadly to cars than a decade ago
It used to be David versus Goliath – and Goliath would win. But times have changed. Collisions between cars and SUVs have become more evenly matched, thanks to better engineering and better safety features.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released a report showing that SUVs and pickups pose far less of a risk to cars and minivans today than they did a decade ago.
The study found that fatal collisions involving SUVs and pickups that weigh between 3,000 and 3,499 pounds dropped by nearly two thirds between 2000-01 and 2008-09. The death rate became no different, in fact, than those between colliding cars and minivans of the same weight.
The institute credits between crash-protection systems in cars and minivans – such as enhanced air bags and stronger designs – and a redesign of SUVs and pickups to more closely align their front ends with cars.
“By working together, the automakers got life-saving changes done quickly,” said Joe Nolan, the institute’s chief administrative officer and co-author of the study. “The new designs have made a big difference on the road.”
That said, vehicle weight remains a key factor in fatal crashes. When two vehicles of different weights are involved in a collision, the heavier one will fare better.
The full report is available here, through the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Rural roads the deadliest, study shows
The roads connecting the nation’s smallest communities to metropolitan America are among the most dangerous, according a new study by TRIP, a national transportation research group.
Along those remote routes – where traffic is often limited to two lanes, where shoulders are sometimes nonexistent and where hazards such as sharp curves and rough pavement are more common – fatality rates are three times higher than on all other roads.
While urban roads recorded 0.76 deaths per 100 million miles traveled in 2009, rural roads had a considerably higher rate of 2.31 fatalities, according to the TRIP analysis.
The most dangerous rural roads were found in South Carolina, Florida and Rhode Island, where researchers found death rates of 4.7, 3.47 and 2.99, respectively.
But the highest number of back-roads deaths were found in Texas, California and North Carolina. Those states reported 1,490, 1,164 and 907 rural fatalities.
Among the study’s key findings were these:
- Although rural roads accounted for only 25 percent of miles traveled in 2009, those routes produced 51 percent of all fatalities. In sum, the nation had 33,808 crash-related deaths that year and 17,075 of them were on rural roads.
- While death rates have generally declined on America’s roads during the past decade (2000-2009), the drop has been less dramatic along rural routes. Deadly crashes along urban roads decreased 28 percent during that period. That compares with a 13 percent dip on rural roads.
The complete study is available here:
Bumper stickers: An indicator of road rage?
Beware of cars with bumper stickers. That’s the conclusion of Colorado State University social psychologist William Szlemko, who found that cars with bumper stickers, window decals and personalized license plates are much more likely to engage in road rage than those without “territorial markers.”
It didn’t matter what the message said, those drivers were more inclined to act on their anger, rather than drive safely, when faced with provocations such as being stuck in traffic, according to a 2008 behavioral analysis of 500 drivers.
“Territoriality is hard-wired into our ancestors from tens of thousands of years ago,” Paul Bell, a co-author of the study at Colorado State, was quoted as saying in the Washington Post. “Animals are territorial because it had survival value. If you could keep others away from your hunting groups, you had more game to spear … it becomes part of the biology.”
Among the study’s key findings were these:
- The more markers a car has, the more aggressively the driver will behave when provoked.
- The specific message of the stickers – be it “Baby on Board” or “Keep that Bumper to Yourself” – made no difference in how aggressively the driver behaved.
- Drivers who don’t personalize their cars get angry, too, but they are less likely to act on their anger. Instead, they fume, call the other driver names and move on.
Red light cameras: Automated enforcement makes intersections safer
The Texas Transportation Institute found that crashes dropped an average of 11 percent in the Lone Star State when red light enforcement cameras – which watch for traffic violations – were installed at 275 intersections.
The study represents the most extensive evaluation of red light cameras thus far and concludes that “automated traffic enforcement systems are effective countermeasures” when it comes to making America’s intersections safer.
Based on an analysis of more than 11,000 crash records – taken three years before and three years after the red light cameras were installed – the institute released the following findings:
- Red light cameras resulted in an overall reduction of 633 crashes, representing an 11 percent decline statewide.
- Right-angle or T-bone crashes – considered the most severe type of collision at intersections – dropped 32 percent.
- Red light-related crashes dipped 25 percent.
- Crashes decreased at intersections on all types of roadways, including business/primary roads, farm-to-market roads, interstate access roads, state highways and U.S. highways.
Guess what mom and dad: Grandparents are safer drivers
Kids are safer traveling with grandma and grandpa in the car than with mom and dad, a groundbreaking study published in the journal Pediatrics finds.
Despite the stereotypes that accompany older drivers, researchers found that children are 50 percent less likely to be injured in a crash while riding with grandparents than they are with parents.
The findings stem from an analysis of State Farm insurance claims between 2003 and 2007 and from interviews with drivers.
What makes the study particularly surprising is that previous studies have concluded that car crashes are more common among drivers 65 years old and older. Researchers speculate that grandparents are more nervous when traveling with “precious cargo” and, consequently, exercise more cautious driving habits.
The results weren’t altogether favorable for seniors, however. The study showed that grandparents, although more apt to drive safely, are less likely for follow the recommendations for using child seats than mom and dad.
Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey: Driver Education and Graduated Driver Licensing
The Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey (MVOSS) is a national telephone survey administered by NHTSA on a periodic basis to obtain data on attitudes, knowledge, and self-reported behavior primarily in areas of occupant protection.
Evaluation of State Motorcycle Safety Programs
Prepared By: Justin Baer, Kaylin Ayotte, and Stephanie Baldi
The rise in motorcycle injuries and fatalities over the past decade has placed greater emphasis on the role that state motorcycle safety programs may play in making roadways safer for riders.
From programs targeted at motorcyclists to comprehensive training for law enforcement and court personnel, state programs are tasked with implementing and monitoring a range of safety policies and procedures. This report describes the current efforts States are undertaking to promote motorcycle safety, drawing on a survey received from State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) and State Motorcycle Safety Administrators (SMSAs) in 45 states.
The results presented in this report provide a picture of recent accomplishments made by states related to motorcycle safety. The data presented is based on state-level, self-reported information.
The Benefits of Pavement Markings: A Renewed Perspective Based on Recent and Ongoing Research
One of the most important aspects of a safe and efficient roadway is the uniform application of pavement markings to delineate the roadway path and specific traffic lanes. Pavement markings can communicate information to road users like no other traffic control device. They provide continuous information to road users related to the roadway alignment, vehicle positioning, and other important driving-related tasks.
It is estimated that in the United States alone, approximately $2 billion is spent annually on pavement markings. Despite these annual expenditures, there is a general void in terms of a consolidated effort that attempts to quantify proven benefits of pavement markings.
Over the years, many research projects have focused on specific elements of pavement markings. This paper was developed to bring together many of the recent and ongoing research efforts to demonstrate a renewed perspective regarding the benefits of pavement markings and, where information is available, describe the benefits of various aspects of pavement markings. This paper presents areas where conclusive findings are available, and describes areas where findings are available but show inconsistent and sometimes-conflicting results.
Nighttime Visibility
About half of traffic fatalities occur at night, although only about one quarter of travel occurs after dark. Although intoxication and fatigue contribute to the high rate of nighttime crashes, nighttime driving is inherently hazardous because of decreased driver visibility.
Adequately maintained retroreflective signs and pavement markings improve highway safety and prevent roadway departure crashes by bouncing light from vehicle headlights back toward the vehicle and the driver’s eyes, making the signs and markings appear brighter and easier to see and read.
Because the retroreflective properties of traffic control devices deteriorate over time, highway agencies need to actively manage the maintenance of signs and pavement markings in order to ensure that they are clearly visible at night.
Pavement Marking Retroreflectivity Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (PDF)
On April 22, 2010, a standard for maintaining minimum retroreflectivity of longitudinal pavement markings was published as a notice of proposed rulemaking in the federal register.