Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication Systems Should be Mandated in All New Cars

In the US in 2011, 32,367 people died in motor vehicle crashes and over 2 million people were injured. This means, on average, an American dies in a car crash every 12 minutes. Furthermore, car crashes are the leading cause of death among 5 to 34-year-olds. The cost of car crashes in the US are estimated to be over $165 million each year. Vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems provide an effective way to massively reduce vehicle collisions and make roads safer for all users. Additionally, the same technology can be used to alleviate congestion. Federal regulations should be put in place mandating that vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems come standard on all new vehicles.

National Op-Ed - Create a Solid Foundation for Infrastructure in the 21st Century

The “Partnership to Build America Act” introduced by Congressman John Delaney finances the creation of transportation, energy, communication, water, and education infrastructure through the “American Infrastructure Fund” (AIF). The fund is seeded with repatriated corporate earnings and has a focus on fostering public-private partnerships. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports the bill, cautioning that “the nation’s deteriorating infrastructure will cost American families $3,100 annually in lost income and suppress the growth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by $3.1 trillion by 2020.” This is why it is essential for congress to find new, innovative ways to pay for infrastructure in America.  The AIF is just such a policy tool.

Op-Ed: National Hand-held Cell Phone Ban

Distracted Driving Overview

Distracted driving is the traffic safety issue of the 21^st century and the biggest distraction goes to: cell phones.

Op-Ed: Saving the Cycle Rickshaw

Growing up in India, I’ve used about nine different modes of transportation to get to school every day. My favorite was the Cycle Rickshaw (or the pedicab), as the operator (the rickshaw cyclist?) would sometimes let my friends and I take turns driving it back home. With the advent and subsequent monopoly of motorized and faster modes of travel on Indian roads, the Cycle Rickshaw population is dwindling. Increasingly, they are being banned from cities due to their poor integration with motorized traffic and deteriorating public image. In this post, I’ll talk about the problems faced by this mode, why they are a critical component for the Indian city, and some innovative grassroots initiatives focused on bringing back the Cycle Rickshaw.

Cycle Rickshaws on a busy road

Bicycle Planning: Separation or Integration

One of the more divisive issues in bicycle planning today is whether cyclists should be integrated with the rest of traffic or separated from it. There are aspects of the helmet debate and the L.A. case study that can be seen in this topic as well (perceived vs actual safety, locus of responsibility, should we focus on ridership or infrastructure). Let's run through some of the core arguments for each side and take a look at where we stand.