Posts
Florida puts wrong-way drivers in its sights with new vehicle detection systems
The numbers aren’t good, and like the drivers themselves, they’re heading in the wrong direction. According to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), there were 64 wrong way driving (WWD) fatalities in Florida in 2013. The following year, there were 70. The year after that: 96. In fact, Florida consistently ranks as one of the […]
New grants help states fund speed management initiatives
When it comes to transportation safety improvements, price can often be a deterrent to getting projects approved. Although federal governments in both Canada and the United States have promised dramatic increases to infrastructure spending, states and municipalities continue to struggle to properly fund projects that would benefit their communities. Fortunately, federal dollars aren’t the only […]Giving Back: Carmanah Donates to Victoria Coats for Kids
There are a ton of great organizations in our community doing important work, and every year we like to show our support by making a donation on behalf of our employees. This year, we chose to give to the Victoria Coats for Kids Association, a long-standing registered non-profit that gives winter coats and other cold-weather […]
A cure for distraction: How cities and companies are thinking outside the box to curb distracted driving
It’s been nearly 20 years since the state of New York instituted the first ban on holding a cellphone while driving. Currently, the only state that doesn’t have a statewide law restricting the use of hand-held devices while driving is Montana, though many cities and counties there have enacted their own bans. And yet, at […]
Build complete streets with the pedestrian generator checklist
Around the world, a shift is underway. Cities are moving away from car-centric policy and design toward a more inclusive approach that enables safe access for all road users, including cyclists, transit riders and pedestrians. This approach is often referred to as Complete Streets. Despite growing support and implementation at the federal, state and municipal […]
Nevada aims to reduce wrong-way driving with new detection and warning system
Nevada has a serious problem with wrong-way driving. Numbers from the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) show there were 409 wrong-way driver (WWD) collisions which resulted in 75 deaths between 2005 and 2015, the vast majority of which were caused by impaired drivers. In the past month alone, the state has recorded four wrong-way crashes—all of […]
Wrong-Way Driving: Facts and Effective Countermeasures
For drivers, there’s no scenario quite as terrifying as driving 70 mph down a highway and suddenly realizing a car or truck is headed straight toward you, driving the wrong direction, in your lane. While wrong-way driving crashes account for only about 3% of vehicle crashes in the U.S., they are more often than not […]
An Overview of Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon Cost and Effectiveness
Summary of RRFB cost and effectiveness An FHWA study shows RRFBs are proven to reduce crashes involving pedestrians by up to 47% (3). An FHWA study shows RRFBs consistently deliver impressive driver yielding rates of up to 96% (12). RRFB Crash Modification Factor: 0.53 for vehicle-pedestrian crashes in urban and suburban areas (11). The cost […]Carmanah Community Cleanup 2019: a Success!
This August, eighteen of us got together to clean up garbage along the E&N Rail Trail, a paved pedestrian/bike path that runs beside a suspended rail line near our Victoria office. After a few hours, we had collected a large haul of litter and returnables comprising cigarette butts, food wrappers, drink containers, and other goodies. […]