Safe System

2022 SafeTREC Traffic Safety Fact Sheet: Distracted Driving

Katherine L. Chen
Bor-Wen Tsai
Garrett Fortin
Jill F. Cooper
2022
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines distracted driving as activities that divert attention away from safe driving. This may include talking on the phone, texting, eating or drinking, manipulating audio systems, etc. According to the National Safety Council, cell phones remain a top distraction because of the length of time they are used by drivers on a daily basis.

The United States Department of Transportation uses the Safe System Approach to work towards zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries. The Safe System Approach recognizes that people...

2022 SafeTREC Traffic Safety Fact Sheet: Alcohol-Impaired Driving

Katherine L. Chen
Bor-Wen Tsai
Garrett Fortin
Jill F. Cooper
2022
While alcohol-impaired driving fatalities have fallen significantly in the last three decades, NHTSA reports that alcohol-impaired driving still comprises a large percentage of traffic injuries and fatalities. On average in 2020, someone died from an alcohol-impaired driving crash every 45 minutes. There was an increase in the number of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities and rate per 100 million Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) in the United States between 2019 and 2020.

The United States Department of Transportation uses the Safe System Approach to work towards zero roadway...

2022 SafeTREC Traffic Safety Fact Sheet: Bicycle Safety

Katherine L. Chen
Bor-Wen Tsai
Garrett Fortin
Jill F. Cooper
2022
Bicycling is becoming more popular across the country, for commuting, exercise, and leisure. However, in the event of a traffic crash between a motor vehicle and a bicyclist, the bicyclist is the more vulnerable party and more likely to be injured or killed. In 2020, there were 938 bicyclists killed in a traffic crash in the United States. American Indian/Alaska Native persons had the highest per capita rate of bicyclists deaths, followed by Black and Hispanic persons; the differential was smaller than for other categories of traffic deaths by race.

In citing concern about the...

2022 SafeTREC Traffic Safety Fact Sheet: Aging Road Users

Katherine L. Chen
Bor-Wen Tsai
Garrett Fortin
Jill F. Cooper
2022
The older adult population in the United States aged 65 and older is expected to almost double between 2016 and 2060, from 49 million to 95 million. In 2020, there were 6,549 people aged 65 and older killed in traffic crashes in the United States; this accounted for 16.9 percent of all traffic fatalities. Older drivers 65 and older involved in fatal crashes decreased by 9.8 percent between 2019 and 2020.

As drivers age, physical and mental changes including reduced visual acuity, increased fragility, restricted movement, and cognitive impairment may directly and indirectly result in...

2022 SafeTREC Traffic Safety Fact Sheet: Emergency Medical Services

Katherine L. Chen
Bor-Wen Tsai
Garrett Fortin
Jill F. Cooper
2022
There are many contributing factors in motor vehicle crashes. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) play a critical role post-crash to reduce fatalities and serious injuries. Recent studies show that an effective emergency trauma care system can improve survival from serious injuries by as much as 25 percent and county-level coordinated systems of trauma care can reduce crash fatalities rates as much as 50 percent.

The United States Department of Transportation uses the Safe System Approach to bring traffic deaths and serious injuries to zero. The Safe System Approach recognizes human...

Custom Boundary Instructions for Street Story now available in Spanish!

September 30, 2022
Submitted by Jarah Crowner

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New Publication - Highway Crashes in California During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Insights and Considerations

August 8, 2022
Submitted by Lisa Peterson
New publication provides insights on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on road safety in California

SafeTREC Co-Director Offer Grembek, former Postdoctoral Researcher Praveen Vayalamkuzhi, and Applications Program Manager SangHyouk Oum have co-authored a book chapter, "Highway Crashes in California During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Insights and Considerations" as part of the new publication "Pandemic in the Metropolis:...

SafeTREC Co-Director Offer Grembek presents at North Carolina Vision Zero Leadership Team Institute

July 7, 2022
Submitted by Lisa Peterson

On Monday, June 27, 2022 UNC-Chapel Hill and North Carolina Vision Zero held the 2nd Annual NC Vision Zero Leadership Team Institute. The event included a presentation with SafeTREC Co-Director Offer Grembek, "Safer Speeds: Considerations for Speed Limits and Management." safer roads, vehicles, speeds

In this presentation...

7/25: Community Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Training in El Cerrito/Richmond Annex, Bay to Hills

July 7, 2022
Submitted by Lisa Peterson

Community Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Training Workshop flyer for El Cerrito/Richmond Annex on July 25, 2022

Join us to promote safe walking, biking and rolling in El Cerrito/Richmond Annex, Bay to Hills!

Join program partners UC Berkeley SafeTREC and California Walks on Monday, July 25th, from 6pm-8pm for a Community Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Training...

Course Announcement: Fall 2022 Public Health Injury Prevention and Control

July 6, 2022
Submitted by Lisa Peterson

Photo collage showing emergency responders at a car crash, a gun with ammunition, and a crashed bicycle and bicycle helmet in a crosswalk

Download Course PDF COURSE OVERVIEW

Injury is the leading cause of death for ages 1-44, and the leading cause of years of potential life lost up to age 65,...