road safety – News Stories About road safety - Page 3

Aug 15, 2008 8:54 AM CDT

Motorcycle Deaths Rise 6.6%

Overall traffic deaths down but motorbike deaths up for 10th year in a row

(Newser) - The number of motorcyclist deaths rose in 2007 for the 10th year in a row, the New York Times reports, jumping 6.6% even as the overall number of vehicle deaths continued to drop. Motorcycle deaths now account for one in eight traffic fatalities, totaling 5,154 last year—a...

Road Deaths Drop as Gas Price Soars

Jul 12, 2008 7:30 AM CDT

Road Deaths Drop as Gas Price Soars

Study estimates $4 gas will prevent 1,000 deaths a month

(Newser) - The record-breaking gas prices putting the squeeze on American drivers may be a lifesaver for some, reports the AP. Experts crunched 20 years of data and discovered that auto deaths fell 2.3% for every 10% hike in gas prices. When gas went up, people drove slower and bought safer...

Trucking Goes High Tech

May 22, 2008 3:18 PM CDT

Trucking Goes High Tech

Tracking improves efficiency, safety—and kept final Harry Potter book from escaping

(Newser) - Trucking companies are adopting technologies that track vehicles, monitor trucks’ condition and drivers’ actions, and even act automatically to stop accidents, reports ComputerWorld. The systems help companies meet regulations and contract obligations. Take the company that delivered the final Harry Potter book nationwide within a three-hour window and achieved its...

Icy Roads?
Beet Juice Just the Right Tonic

Mar 14, 2008 6:46 PM CDT

Icy Roads? Beet Juice Just the Right Tonic

New mixture cuts salt, works colder, but side effects still unknown

(Newser) - Road workers in the Chicago area are shaking up their winter ice-busting cocktail with an odd new mixer: beet juice. Sanitation officials are pleased with the combination, which reduces the necessary rock salt (harmful to plants and water supplies) by up to 30% and is effective at temperatures far lower...

Cell Talkers Clogging Up Highways

Jan 2, 2008 6:35 PM CST

Cell Talkers Clogging Up Highways

Even those with hands-free devices slow driving conditions, study says

(Newser) - In addition to being distracted and erratic, drivers using cell phones also slow traffic, a study confirms. Using a simulator with virtual traffic scenes, researchers discovered that drivers using mobile phones—even ones with hands-free devices—go more slowly on highways and pass sluggish drivers less frequently. "That SOB...