News and events >> SafeTREC headlines

Here are newspaper and magazine stories, news releases and other items relevant to traffic safety in California and the nation. This list was last revised on November 20, 2009 and covers the period dating back to November 7.

This edition's headline pick:

Cyclists' app aids traffic planners:

If you see bicyclists wobbling through the city streets with an iPhone in hand, don't assume they're playing Bejeweled or IMing their virtual pals while they pedal. They may be using Cycle Tracks, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority's new - and first - application for the Apple iPhone. Once bike riders install the app, they tap the "start recording" button, which begins tracking their trips and displaying them on a city map. When they're done pedaling, they hit the "save" button, and the details of their journeys are sent to the authority, as well as saved in the user's iPhone. The app uses GPS to track riders' routes.—San Francisco Chronicle

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November 20

Seat-belt enforcement to increase during Thanksgiving holiday period:
Officers throughout the Inland area will step up seat-belt enforcement during the Thanksgiving holiday period as part of the state-funded Click It or Ticket program. (Riverside Press-Enterprise)

Intervention Cuts Risky Drinking in DWI Offenders: A brief intervention designed to motivate change among repeat drunk drivers had uneven results, but showed some promise in curtailing their problem drinking, researchers found. (MedPage)

November 19

Study finds higher air pollution near Santa Monica Airport: UCLA researchers find ultrafine particle emissions are 10 times higher than normal 300 feet from the runway -- a range that includes many homes. The study calls for larger buffers at urban airports. (LA Times)

What the Insurance Institute rates as the least safe cars: While everyone was taking note of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's list of the safest cars yesterday, we became curious about the bottom of the list. Sure, it's one thing to make the list of recommendations, but quite another to advise what models to avoid.

November 18

Retrofit cuts diesel exhaust of train by 50%: Locomotive No. 2015, built in 2001, was retrofitted with high-tech power assemblies, water pumps and radiators designed to slash emissions by up to 50 percent. The project, unveiled at the Amtrak station in West Oakland on Tuesday morning, cost $826,000 and was paid for by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the Sacramento Metro Air Quality Management District and the EPA.

No more money, no extensions for Port of Oakland haulers: That was grim news for about 1,000 independent drivers who handle about a third of the trucks hauling cargo into and out of the port. They could be out of a job Jan. 1 because they cannot afford to replace their old rigs with expensive new ones or spend as much as $21,000 for a truck filter that is only good for four years.

Palo Alto police step up enforcement of seat belt laws: Palo Alto police are stepping up enforcement of seat belt laws now through Nov. 30, joining more than 175 other California law enforcement agencies in a nationwide campaign to get people to buckle up. (Mercury News)

High-profile advocates urge leaders to treat road safety as seriously as killer diseases: Former NATO chief George Robertson and movie actress Michelle Yeoh urged world leaders Wednesday to treat traffic accidents as though they were a killer disease. (LA Times)

November 17

Cyclists' app aids traffic planners: If you see bicyclists wobbling through the city streets with an iPhone in hand, don't assume they're playing Bejeweled or IMing their virtual pals while they pedal. They may be using Cycle Tracks, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority's new - and first - application for the Apple iPhone. Once bike riders install the app, they tap the "start recording" button, which begins tracking their trips and displaying them on a city map. When they're done pedaling, they hit the "save" button, and the details of their journeys are sent to the authority, as well as saved in the user's iPhone. The app uses GPS to track riders' routes.

Drunken driving, motorcycle deaths are on the decline: Tougher laws, more enforcement and extensive public awareness campaigns also get credit — especially laws that hit drivers hard in the wallet. But with fewer people driving in this tough recession, fewer are crashing.

Man killed by train in Oakland: Oakland police said the man was walking on railroad property near 50th Avenue and Coliseum Way around 8 a.m. when the passenger train hit him.

World's carbon emissions continue rise, despite recession: Despite a global economic slump, worldwide carbon dioxide pollution jumped 2% last year, most of the increase coming from China, according to a study published online Tuesday. (USA Today)

Deal in Albany on Drunk Driving Law: New York's Senate and Assembly leaders agreed Tuesday on toughening state law to make driving drunk with a child in the vehicle a felony. (New York Times)

Brigham cardiologist dies in accident in Florida: Dr. Kenneth Baughman, a Brigham and Women's Hospital cardiologist from Newton, died at age 63 after being struck by a car while jogging Monday morning in Florida, where he had traveled to attend a medical conference. (Boston Globe)

November 16

Nearly 200 drivers cited on Bay Bridge: CHP Officer Herman Quon said between 11:30 p.m. Friday and 4 a.m. Monday, 169 drivers were cited for speeding and nearly 30 for other violations on the S-curve. Officers also verbally warned numerous motorists as part of an effort to educate the public on the dangers of speeding on the bridge.

Alcohol may be factor in Oakland train death: The pedestrian, who has not been identified, was walking along the railroad tracks near 50th Avenue and Coliseum Way just before 8 a.m. when he was struck by a southbound Amtrak train.

Fremont drops roads rating from 'good' to 'fair': The City Council lowered street pavement condition standards from "good" to "fair" this month because it doesn't have enough money to properly maintain Fremont's 493 miles of roads.

S.F. streets among most dangerous for pedestrians: In fact, San Francisco and the wider Bay Area region have gained the dubious distinction of being No. 2 behind New York in pedestrian fatalities among the nation's 52 largest metropolitan areas, according to "Dangerous by Design: Solving the Epidemic of Preventable Pedestrian Deaths."

Eyebar failures call into question bridge construction: We've all seen the problems caused by a critical design flaw on the Bay Bridge -- days of closures because of a cracked eyebar. So what about other bridges of similar design? Federal law mandates inspections just every couple of years, however, based on what has happened on the Bay Bridge, is that sufficient? (ABC7)

Half of teens say they've used cellphone while driving: About half of teens ages 16 and 17 who have cellphones say they have talked on the phone while driving, and about a third of those teens have texted while behind the wheel. (USA Today)

Autonomous Cars Will Make Us Safer: Automakers have since 1939 been promising us autonomous cars that would take driving out of our hands and make traffic accidents a thing of the past. Seventy years later, we’re still waiting. (Wired)

November 14

New bridge bypass throws a curve at drivers: "People tend to go on autopilot when they're driving a road they're accustomed to," said Simon Washington, director of the safety transportation research and education center. "They're used to a straight bridge; now they have a curve. Speed is definitely an issue on curves." Caltrans has called in Washington to advise on whether the agency needs to take other measures.

Highway 101 bike path in San Rafael delayed: Initially scheduled to be completed toward the end of summer, Caltrans is now aiming for mid-February 2010.

New Technology Allows Enforcement of Anti-Texting Legislation: Drive Safely Corporation (DSC) is unveiling its unique Anti-Messaging Technology (AMT), which will enable the government to enforce proposed legislation that seeks to eradicate driving while texting. ..AMT, developed by Drive Safely Corp., utilizes Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) data to ascertain whether the user’s mobile phone is in a moving vehicle.

Pedestrians Beware: Drivers with hemianopia may be more likely to hit pedestrians than those who can see both halves of their visual field, road simulation tests affirmed.