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

  • New Zealand seeks comprehensive CBA framework
    October 5, 2016
    New report highlights how assessing the financial benefit of deploying ITS is an involved and evolving calculation Following a global search, five key action areas have emerged from the New Zealand Transport Agency’s recent scoping of a more comprehensive cost–benefit analysis framework for evaluating planned ITS deployments. A report commissioned from engineering consultancy Aecom New Zealand sets out the groundwork for more closely-defined assessments that will convincingly support public-sector policy ma
  • A global standard for enforcement systems – is it necessary?
    May 30, 2013
    Jason Barnes speaks to leading figures from the automated enforcement sector about whether a truly international standard for automated enforcement systems is necessary or can ever be achieved. Recent reports of further press controversy in the US over automated enforcement (see ‘Focusing on accuracy?’, ITS International raise again the issue of standards and what constitutes ‘good enough’ in terms of system accuracy and overall solution effectiveness. Comparatively, automated enforcement has always expe
  • Transport problems need ''strong action from policymakers”
    June 7, 2012
    Taking advantage of the attendance of the heads of ITS Asia-Pacific, ITS America, Ertico – ITS Europe, and ITS Malaysia as the host nation of the recent 12th ITS Asia-Pacific Forum in Kuala Lumpur in April, ITS International initiated a round table discussion on the big ITS issues confronting the individual regions. For such a diverse collection of advanced and emerging nations spanning the globe, in terms of the advancement of ITS, a common single issue emerges above all others
  • Stocchi takes on transatlantic tolling tasks
    March 20, 2017
    We talk to Emanuela Stocchi, the first overseas-based female president of IBTTA and well placed to view tolling on both sides of the Atlantic. As incoming president of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA), Emanuela Stocchi aims to bolster the ‘international, mobility and connections’ elements of the US-based tolling organisation.