Skip to main content

Report spotlights safety challenges in era of new technology

According to new report from the US Governors Highway Safety Association, as autonomous vehicles (AV) are merged into traditionally-driven traffic, the most pressing safety challenge for states will be preparing human drivers. This presents a myriad of safety challenges for states, which are responsible for educating the public, licensing drivers, and establishing and enforcing traffic laws. The report, Autonomous Vehicles Meet Human Drivers: Traffic Safety Issues for States, examines these issues and re
February 3, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
According to new report from the US 4948 Governors Highway Safety Association, as autonomous vehicles (AV) are merged into traditionally-driven traffic, the most pressing safety challenge for states will be preparing human drivers. This presents a myriad of safety challenges for states, which are responsible for educating the public, licensing drivers, and establishing and enforcing traffic laws.

The report, Autonomous Vehicles Meet Human Drivers: Traffic Safety Issues for States, examines these issues and recommends how states can prepare for AVs and put traffic safety at the forefront of all policy decisions.

The report provides an overview of the current autonomous vehicle landscape and outlines suggested priorities for state Departments of Motor Vehicles and State Highway Safety Offices as AVs become more widespread.

The report also provides a comprehensive list of resources for additional information and encourages national organisations to help states by developing model laws and public education materials, documenting likely traffic safety scenarios, and establishing a centralized AV clearing house for new information.

Report author, Dr James Hedlund, a former senior official with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, says, “The research and media attention given to autonomous vehicles often overlooks the safety implications that a mix of driver-operated and autonomous vehicles will bring. Unfortunately, ignoring the driver side of the equation may negate many of the expected safety benefits.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Joint IBTTA and ITS conference focuses on environmental issues
    March 12, 2012
    In St Louis on 4-6 October, the IBTTA and ITS America will be co-sponsoring their first joint event, which is intended to address the burgeoning environmental issues affecting road transport infrastructures. Here, Steve Snider and Larry Yermack, the two chief meeting organisers, talk about the event and its aims
  • UK’s Loughborough University attempts to smooth Europe’s path to C/AVs
    December 10, 2018
    Loughborough University in the UK is leading a three-year initiative which aims to assess the impact of introducing connected and autonomous vehicles (C/AVs) in Europe. The £5.7m project, called Levitate, is funded by the European Union and will help European cities to plan for the effect C/AVs will have on infrastructure and society. Levitate began this month and will consider how AVs might improve safety, congestion and the environment, while looking at key policy decisions which would maximise thei
  • Vaisala: Weather data is vital for connected vehicles
    August 26, 2016
    Vaisala’s Dr Kevin Petty explains why the weather will continue to play a big part in road safety and traffic management in the smart cities of the future. The world is becoming increasingly connected. Thanks to advances in information and communications technology, the cities we live in are becoming ‘smart’, with everything from education to law enforcement managed by integrated tech solutions in a bid to improve quality of life.
  • CBO report on federal highway spending ‘a breath of fresh air’ says IBTTA
    February 17, 2016
    The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) applauds a new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report, Approaches to Making Federal Highway Spending More Productive, which examines the economic advantages of tolling as one means of funding the nation’s highway system.