The Road Safety Ink: November Edition
In our November Edition of The Road Safety Ink, we shift our focus on US safety program data highlighting the high speeds and red-light running that can increase during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Join us for a webinar where we delve into the pressing issues of school bus safety and learn more about the safe mobility solutions that are shaping streets for the safer across the nation.
The Big Story
We recently released data from our U.S. traffic safety systems showing the most red-light violations during the holiday weekend occurred on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, while the most speeding violations occurred on Thanksgiving Day.
Examining driving data across nearly 200 communities, Verra Mobility found almost 50,000 red-light violations and 200,000 speed violations occurred during the 2022 Thanksgiving weekend – Wednesday through Sunday – which was estimated to be the deadliest Thanksgiving since 2007 according to the National Safety Council.
We have a great opportunity coming up to learn more about the issues surrounding school bus safety. We are hosting a webinar with STN where we will discuss the illegal passing of school buses and the safety programs schools can implement to help prevent it.
Our special guest speakers will be discussing topics that include national trends and statistics, the role of stop-arm safety programs, how the technology works, the roles and responsibilities of a program, and the benefits of partnering with a turnkey provider.
In the News
The COVID-19 pandemic caused many Americans’ transportation habits to change, especially at the start of the lockdown. To compare mobility preferences and perceptions pre- and post-pandemic, Verra Mobility surveyed 2,000 Americans aged 25 and older.
Among the most surprising results, the survey found that 54% of Americans feel the average driver is worse now compared to before the pandemic and 40% feel less safe on the roads.
Highlighting Safer Communities:
The Colorado Springs Police Department has finished installing red-light cameras across Colorado Springs throughout notably dangerous city intersections, a means to combat traffic violations and promote public safety.
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School zones in Norfolk are about to get a little bit safer as the city actively installs school zone speed cameras in the hopes of slowing down drivers.
Richard Bowling Elementary School, Booker T. Washington High School, Norview High School, and Larchmont Elementary School will be the first to get the cameras installed in their school zones.
Stevenson said they hope these cameras will keep students safe in light of past tragedies.
“Several of these are six lane roadways that have students crossing them every day,” he said. “Booker T. Washington had a severe injury to a student. Bowling Elementary had a student that was involved in a fatality.”
Stevenson assured Norfolk city council members that these cameras would not replace other safety measures like crossing guards but will supplement them.
“It’s been shown to help reduce the speeds of vehicles going through the school zone, so it aids the crossing guard in crossing students across the road,” he said.
Yonkers is joining municipalities across the state and the nation cracking down on bus-arm scofflaws. Most of the Yonkers fleet has cameras. The rest will be outfitted come January.
The program is called Yonkers Safe Stop, and it holds the promise of changing driver behavior, one ticket at a time, making city streets safer.
In the first 20 days of the warning period, 1,789 notices were sent.
News Across the Nation
Discover how our Smart and Safe Mobility solutions can help your community build safer cities, roadways, school zones, and work zones. www.verramobility.com/government