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Traffic deaths topped 40,000 last year as NHTSA looks to reduce distracted driving

More than 40,000 people were killed last year in traffic crashes, according to preliminary data released Monday, remaining above pre-pandemic levels but slightly down from their peak in 2021.

The new data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration adds to concerns that little is being done to address one of the most common causes of preventable deaths. Traffic deaths spiked in 2020 and again in 2021 and have since declined slightly. Still,they are up 25% since 2013, and the Governors Highway Safety Association found that pedestrian deaths reached a 40-year high in the United States in 2022.

The NHTSA said that “distracted driving,” an issue that has grown in urgency with the ubiquity of smartphones, resulted in 3,308 deaths and 289,310 injuries in 2022, and 3,522 deaths in 2021.

The agency released the data to coincide with the launch of an April campaign to spread awareness about distracted driving called “Put the Phone Away or Pay,” which hopes to scare people away from texting and driving, but which some advocates call an ineffective waste of resources. 

“Put the Phone Away or Pay means paying for tickets or points on your license, but it also means paying the ultimate price in the event of a deadly crash,” NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman said.

“We want folks to understand the consequences of looking at your phone while driving,” she said. 

Shulman said the campaign consists of new nationwide advertisements warning what can happen if people drive distracted, coupled with heightened law enforcement for distracted driving.

In a live event for the campaign’s launch Monday, she said distracted driving crashes had an economic cost of $98 billion in 2019 alone. 

The NHTSA plans to spend $5 million in national media advertisements for the campaign, according to a press release . 

Some road safety advocates aren’t convinced that these campaigns do anything to make  roads significantly safer, thinking instead they are more of a way for the NHTSA to shirk its own regulatory responsibilities while appeasing motorists. 

“These public education campaigns are simply a way to pin the responsibility on individual Americans and skip past the responsibility the NHTSA itself has and automakers have,” David Zipper, senior fellow at the MIT Mobility Initiative, told NBC News. 

Andrew Gross, spokesperson for AAA, said that while the group supports driver awareness campaigns, their efficacy is tough to measure. 

“If someone sees this messaging and it gets them to put their phone down, then it’s effective, but that’s very hard to measure,” he said, adding that other factors such as speed and impairment have more to do with traffic deaths than distraction. 

Seth LaJeunesse, senior research associate at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill’s Highway Safety Research Center, said he thinks these awareness campaigns have virtually no effect. 

“In isolation especially, they don’t have much of an effect at all,” he said, adding that most drivers don’t think these advertisements apply to them.

LaJeunesse said that communities need to be designed in such a way that driving — which he sees as inherently dangerous — isn’t as necessary. 

“We need to get away from focusing on what individuals can do to drive better, and focus instead on what we can do collectively to make the changes necessary to live in a safer environment.” 

Mike Gagliardi is a researcher with the NBC News Network Desk.

2 teens hurt, more than 30 shots fired in Cobbs Creek shooting, police say

Pennsauken's summer kick-off ended early due to ‘safety of our residents,' officials say, chet walker, a 7-time all-star forward who helped the 76ers win the 1967 nba title, has died, street festivals, free music: your guide to weekend events, road closures in philly, fatal pedestrian crash on route 30 shuts down absecon boulevard for hours.

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The Morning

Vehicle crashes, surging.

Traffic deaths are surging during the pandemic.

By David Leonhardt

The United States is enduring its most severe increase in traffic deaths since the 1940s.

It is a sharp change from the recent norm, too. Deaths from vehicle crashes have generally been falling since the late 1960s, thanks to vehicle improvements, lower speed limits and declines in drunken driving, among other factors. By 2019, the annual death rate from crashes was near its lowest level since cars became a mass item in the 1920s.

But then came the Covid-19 pandemic.

Crashes — and deaths — began surging in the summer of 2020, surprising traffic experts who had hoped that relatively empty roads would cause accidents to decline. Instead, an increase in aggressive driving more than made up for the decline in driving. And crashes continued to increase when people returned to the roads, later in the pandemic.

Per capita vehicle deaths rose 17.5 percent from the summer of 2019 to last summer, according to a Times analysis of federal data. It is the largest two-year increase since just after World War II.

U.S. traffic deaths per capita

Annual percent change ending in September of each year

This grim trend is another way that two years of isolation and disruption have damaged life, as this story — by my colleague Simon Romero, who’s a national correspondent — explains. People are frustrated and angry, and those feelings are fueling increases in violent crime, customer abuse of workers, student misbehavior in school and vehicle crashes.

‘Erratic behavior’

In his story, Simon profiles one of the victims, a 7-year-old boy in Albuquerque named Pronoy Bhattacharya. Like Pronoy, many other victims of vehicles crashes are young and healthy and would have had decades of life ahead of them if only they had not been at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Pronoy was killed as he crossed the street with his family in December, after visiting a holiday lights display. The driver had run a red light.

“We’re seeing erratic behavior in the way people are acting and their patience levels,” Albuquerque’s police chief, Harold Medina, told Simon. “Everybody’s been pushed. This is one of the most stressful times in memory.”

Art Markman, a cognitive scientist at the University of Texas at Austin, said that the emotions partly reflected “two years of having to stop ourselves from doing things that we’d like to do.” He added: “When you get angry in the car, it generates energy — and how do you dissipate that energy? Well, one way is to put your foot down a little bit more on the accelerator.”

Rising drug abuse during the pandemic seems to play an important role, as well. The U.S. Department of Transportation has reported that “the proportion of drivers testing positive for opioids nearly doubled after mid-March 2020, compared to the previous 6 months, while marijuana prevalence increased by about 50 percent.” (Mid-March 2020 is when major Covid mitigations began.)

Other factors besides the pandemic also affect traffic deaths, of course. But those other factors tend to change slowly — and often counteract each other. Improving technology and safety features reduce traffic deaths, while the growing size of vehicles and the rise of distracted driving lead to more deaths. The only plausible explanation for most of the recent surge is the pandemic.

Rising inequality

Vehicle crashes might seem like an equal-opportunity public health problem, spanning racial and economic groups. Americans use the same highways, after all, and everybody is vulnerable to serious accidents. But they are not equally vulnerable.

Traffic fatalities are much more common in low-income neighborhoods and among Native and Black Americans, government data shows . Fatalities are less common among Asian Americans. (The evidence about Latinos is mixed.) There are multiple reasons, including socioeconomic differences in vehicle quality, road conditions, substance abuse and availability of crosswalks.

These patterns mean that the rise in vehicle crashes over the past two years has widened racial and class disparities in health. In 2020, overall U.S. traffic deaths rose 7.2 percent. Among Black Americans, the increase was 23 percent .

One factor: Essential workers, who could not stay home and work remotely, are disproportionately Black, Destiny Thomas, an urban planner, told ABC News.

Another factor: Pedestrians are disproportionately Black, Norman Garrick of the University of Connecticut noted. “This is not by choice,” Garrick told NBC News. “In many cases, Black folks cannot afford motor vehicles.” As Simon’s story notes, recent increases in pedestrian deaths have been especially sharp.

The increasing inequality of traffic deaths is also part of a larger Covid pattern in the U.S.: Much of the burden from the pandemic’s disruptions has fallen on historically disadvantaged groups. (Deaths from Covid itself have also been somewhat higher among people of color.)

Learning losses have been largest for Black and Latino children, as well as children who attend high-poverty schools. Drug overdoses have soared, and they are heavily concentrated among working-class and poor Americans.

As I’ve written before, there are few easy answers on Covid. Continuing the behavior restrictions and disruptions of the past two years does have potential benefits: It can reduce the spread of the virus. But those same restrictions and disruptions have large downsides.

Many workplaces remain closed. Schools aren’t operating close to normally ( as my colleague Erica Green has described ). Millions of adults and children must wear masks all day long. These changes have created widespread frustration and anxiety — and the burdens of them do not fall equally across society.

Dr. David Spiegel, who runs Stanford Medical School’s Center on Stress and Health, has a clarifying way of describing the problem. People are coping with what he calls “social disengagement” — a lack of contact with other people that in normal times provides pleasure, support and comfort. Instead, Spiegel said , “There’s the feeling that the rules are suspended and all bets are off.”

Programming note: We heard that yesterday’s newsletter — about ways to protect people vulnerable to Covid — went into some readers’ spam folders. You can read it here .

THE LATEST NEWS

Ukraine-russia.

Russia said it would pull back some troops from around Ukraine, a potential sign of de-escalation. Other military drills are continuing.

Yesterday, Russia’s top diplomat said more talks could resolve the country’s standoff with the West.

The Times’s Michael Schwirtz traveled along the Dnieper River to find out what it means to be Ukrainian right now.

And this video shows the scale of Russia’s military buildup .

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada gave himself sweeping powers to respond to pandemic protests. ( Some Canadians are baffled by the chaos.)

New York City fired 1,430 employees — less than 1 percent of its work force — for not complying with its vaccine mandate .

Sweden recommended that people 80 and over receive a second booster shot .

The Olympics

Olympic officials will withhold medals in events where Kamila Valieva, the Russian skater who failed a drug test, places in the top three.

Eileen Gu, competing for China, won silver in freeski slopestyle . The Swiss Mathilde Gremaud won gold.

Corinne Suter of Switzerland won the women’s downhill , with Mikaela Shiffrin of the U.S. finishing 18th.

Other Big Stories

The southwestern U.S. has been in a drought since 2000. It’s the region’s driest period in at least 1,200 years .

Donald Trump’s longtime accounting firm cut ties with his family business and retracted years of financial statements.

A judge plans to dismiss Sarah Palin’s lawsuit against The Times, saying her case failed to meet the legal standard of libel.

Nicaragua took control of five private universities, another sign that its president is inching toward an autocracy .

The killing of Christina Yuna Lee in her Manhattan apartment is part of an unsettling trend : a seemingly unprovoked attack in which the person charged is a homeless man.

A stroke blurred Frank Bruni’s vision. It also helped him see other people’s struggles more clearly .

Lobster, once despised, is now a delicacy. The same could happen with insects , this video argues.

Efforts to ban books are frightening. But they have a thrilling subtext: Books are still powerful , The Washington Post’s Kate Cohen writes.

MORNING READS

Travel: The theme for 2022 is “ go big .”

Fake heiress: Anna Sorokin (you may remember her as Anna Delvey) is back in the spotlight .

Ask an ethicist: A couple wonders about firing their unvaccinated babysitter .

“Zen mayor”: A Times reporter meditated with Eric Adams .

Advice from Wirecutter: A good stool can anchor your home.

Lives Lived: Rabbi Simcha Krauss led a rabbinical court that helped Orthodox women obtain Jewish divorces from recalcitrant husbands. He died at 84 .

ARTS AND IDEAS

Cellular meat, anyone.

What does lab-grown sautéed chicken breast taste like?

The Times’s Kim Severson visited Upside Foods in the Bay Area, which is growing chicken from animal stem cells. The meat, she writes, “had less chew but much more flavor than a typical grocery-store breast.”

Supporters say cell-based meat — which is different from the plant-based meat sold by Beyond Meat, Impossible Burger and other companies — could lessen the environmental impact of industrial meat production and reduce animal suffering. Meat giants, government agencies and investors like Bill Gates see cell-based meat as a way to expand alternative meat. Critics caution that the environmental benefits are unproven, and that the scientific process to create the meat could introduce allergens.

Either way, engineered chicken is a long way from hitting the grocery store: Only a few hundred people in the world have purchased cellular meat, all of them in Singapore, the first nation to approve it.

PLAY, WATCH, EAT

What to cook.

A glossy brown sugar meringue crowns this blood orange pie .

What to Watch

High school is hard enough without a zombie outbreak: “All of Us Are Dead” is Netflix’s latest global hit.

World Through a Lens

A nomadic community in northern India has for centuries raised yaks and goats in scenic high plains.

The hosts commented on Valentine’s Day .

Now Time to Play

The pangrams from yesterday’s Spelling Bee were valentine and ventilate . Here is today’s puzzle — or you can play online .

Here’s today’s Mini Crossword , and a clue: Rapper Shakur (five letters).

If you’re in the mood to play more, find all our games here .

Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — David

P.S. Maya King is joining The Times from Politico to cover politics in the Southeast.

Here’s today’s front page .

“ The Daily ” is about Ukraine. On “ The Ezra Klein Show ,” Janet Lansbury discusses relationships.

Claire Moses, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Tom Wright-Piersanti, Ashley Wu and Sanam Yar contributed to The Morning. You can reach the team at [email protected] .

Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox .

David Leonhardt writes The Morning, The Times’s flagship daily newsletter. He has previously been an Op-Ed columnist, Washington bureau chief, co-host of “The Argument” podcast, founding editor of The Upshot section and a staff writer for The Times Magazine. In 2011, he received the Pulitzer Prize for commentary. More about David Leonhardt

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Breaking news, traffic nightmare to hit nassau county as security threats loom over india-pakistan cricket world cup match.

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Long Island residents and beach revelers looking to hit the shore Sunday should expect major delays as several major roads in Nassau County will be shut down for the Cricket World Cup on Sunday.

Indian and Pakistan are facing off at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday at Eisenhower Park — the biggest match of the ICC Cricket T20 Men’s World Cup in the US.

The cricket stadium is near the Hempstead Turnpike, and traffic is expected to be disrupted all day due to several nearby roadways closing for the match.

The high-profile match, one of the most intense rivalries anywhere in sports, will also have heightened security, which will further snark traffic.

An NYPD bulletin noted that the tournament and its related events in the Big Apple could be viewed by extremists as an opportunity for violence.

“Recent pro-ISIS propaganda which specifically referenced the upcoming India-Pakistan match at this major event … raises concerns and reinforces the need for heightened vigilance” among security partners, the bulletin said.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said the World Cup received an ISIS-K-linked threat in April as well as more specific threats related to the India versus Pakistan match.

Cricket World Cup matches between India and Pakistan are among the most viewed sporting events in the world. The last time the two teams faced off in T20 cricket — a shortened version of the game — was in 2022.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said New York State Police have been directed to increase enforcement presence and security for the tournament.

Nassau County police have issued a traffic advisory , warning residents of several road closures taking place during the tournament.

Park Boulevard (Eisenhower Park) will be closed in both directions from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The park will also be closed to the public during the tournament.

Merrick Avenue from the Hempstead Turnpike to Charles Lindbergh Boulevard will be closed between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., police said. During that time, only local traffic will be allowed from Stewart Avenue Southbound to Charles Lindbergh Boulevard.

The Eastbound side of Charles Lindbergh Boulevard will be closed from Earle Ovington Boulevard from 4:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., while the Westbound side will remain open all day from the Meadowbrook State Parkway ramp, police said.

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James Doolittle Boulevard will be closed at Charles Lindbergh Boulevard from the Marriott main entrance from 4:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Hempstead Turnpike and Earle Ovington Boulevard will remain open in both directions.

Officials are encouraging attendees to park at the Nassau Coliseum and take a shuttle bus to the tournament.

According to the International Cricket Council, the 11-week World Cup competition will take place at venues in various countries, including eight matches scheduled at the 34,000-seat Long Island stadium.

Matches will be held at the stadium through June 12.

With Post wires

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The Ultimate Tuscan Road Trip, New Riviera Maya Residences And More Travel News

Plus, five stunning hotel pools and the world’s first “endless cruise.”

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First Look At the Ritz-Carlton Residences Riviera Maya

I n a post-pandemic world, the leading hotel companies have expanded their branded residences portfolios with homes in some of the most coveted destinations. Later this year, Ritz-Carlton’s newest residential project, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Riviera Maya , will begin construction on the first phase of a development on Mexico’s Caribbean coast. The community, which is expected to open in 2026, will feature 127 furnished residences (with prices starting from $1.8 million), and will also include a 300-room hotel with a spa and Kids Club.

Endless Cruise Sets Sail for First 15 Years

The Love Boat notwithstanding, most cruise enthusiasts expect to live on land again at some point. But on May 30, the Villa Vie set sail from Belfast, Northern Ireland, for marathon voyage that could last up to 15 years. Marketing itself as the world's ' first endless cruise ', the vessel’s inaugural itinerary will visit 425 destinations over three and a half years—all in a warm climate. Passengers can book trips for 35 to 120 days, or they can rent a cabin for one or three years. For those who want to go the distance, beginning at $99,000, passengers can buy an inside cabin for the life of the voyage. (Outdoor cabins cost $149,000 and those who want a balcony will pay $249,000.) And should some ambitious folks want to sail beyond the 15-year life of the Villa Vie, for $299,000 they can transfer to a cabin on a newly refurbished ship.

This is the published version of Forbes’ Passport newsletter, which offers a first-class guide to luxury travel. Click here to get it delivered to your inbox every Friday.

The ultimate tuscan road trip for wine lovers.

Pisa may be renowned for its leaning tower, but it’s also the gateway to one of Italy’s newest DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) wine appellations. For those who want to take a road trip through the region, many Tuscan wineries have charming, rustic estates where visitors can spend the night after a day of wine tastings. Here are 10 vineyards in Pisa that welcome guests .

Want to visit a country that has a strong tourism economy ? According to a new report by the World Economic Forum, the United States has the strongest economy for tourism based on several factors, including airports and ports, natural and cultural resources, safety and security, price competitiveness and an openness to tourism. Spain ranks second in 2024 and Japan rounds out the top three.

5 Gorgeous Hotel Pools Worth Traveling For

If having a pool day—or week—is a vacation priority, here are five of the most beautiful hotel swimming pools worth the trip alone. From a dramatic rock-lined pool in Saudi Arabia to one overlooking rapids in Uganda, these splashy settings are all Instagram-worthy.

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NTSB says an air traffic controller’s faulty assumption led to a close call between planes in Texas

FILE - The National Transportation Safety Board logo and signage are seen at a news conference at NTSB headquarters in Washington, Dec. 18, 2017. Investigators said Thursday, June 6, 2024, that an incoming FedEx cargo plane came within less than 200 feet of hitting a Southwest Airlines jet last year in Austin, Texas, after both were cleared to use the same runway. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

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An air traffic’s controller’s faulty assumption that a Southwest Airlines jetliner would take off from a Texas airport before a landing FedEx plane reached the runway caused the planes to come within less than 200 feet of colliding in thick fog last year, federal investigators said Thursday.

The National Transportation Safety Board said the Southwest pilots contributed to the close call in Austin on Feb. 4, 2023, by not telling the controller they needed time on the runway before beginning their takeoff roll.

The air traffic controller had cleared both planes to use the same runway. A potential disaster was avoided at the last moment, when the FedEx pilots glimpsed the silhouette of the Southwest jet —carrying 128 passengers and crew members— and climbed out of harm’s way.

“This incident could have been catastrophic if not for the heroic actions of the FedEx crew,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said during the hearing.

Board member Michael Graham called the incident a failure of aviation safety.

“We had two aircraft within 200 feet of each other, and that should not happen,” Graham said. He noted the lack of airport ground radar or technology to warn pilots of the potential for collision, and said the air traffic controller and Southwest crew showed poor judgment and decision-making.

“If it was not for FedEx crew’s last minute go-around, we might be having a different discussion today,” Graham said.

In a statement of probable cause that it adopted unanimously, the five-member board also faulted the Federal Aviation Administration for not requiring the Austin airport to have technology that would have helped air traffic controller Damian Campbell track the planes. He told investigators he could not see the Southwest jet as it taxied to the runway.

The board also said a lack of recent training by Austin controllers on operating in poor visibility contributed to the close call.

The FedEx plane was making its final approach to land at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport when it nearly hit the top of the Southwest Boeing 737 , which was roaring down the runway for takeoff in thick fog.

Campbell told investigators that he had expected the Southwest jet to take off more quickly . In hindsight, the controller said, he could have made the Southwest crew wait until the FedEx Boeing 767 landed.

NTSB investigators said controllers in Austin had not recently trained for nor worked in low-visibility conditions. “As a result,” investigator Brian Soper said, Campbell “was not adequately prepared to handling the traffic” that morning.

Investigators pointed out that the Austin airport lacked radar-based ground-tracking technology — in use at 43 other U.S. airports — that would have helped the controller track the planes. The FAA has announced plans to make GPS-based tracking technology available to more airports, including Austin.

Investigators also noted that the Southwest pilots were still 550 feet short of the runway when they said they were ready to take off. When they reached the runway, they held longer to run up the engines. The pilots should have told the controller they needed more time, said investigator Warren Abrams, a former airline captain.

FedEx co-pilot Robert Bradeen Jr. was in the audience Thursday and received an ovation. FedEx captain Hugo Carvajal III, who was not at the hearing, previously told investigators he was irritated and perplexed when he heard the controller clearing the Southwest jet to take off from the same runway that he was approaching.

The incident was among several close calls last year that prompted the FAA to call a “safety summit” of aviation industry participants.

FAA officials have maintained that U.S. aviation has never been safer . However, a panel of independent experts concluded last year that the safety margin is shrinking and the FAA needs better staffing and technology to manage the nation’s airspace.

“Alarming as they are, events like (the one in Austin) are rare. Commercial aviation is by far our safest mode of transportation,” Homendy said. “But the somber truth is that it only takes one” mistake that “can lead to tragedy, shatter our stellar safety record, and destroy public confidence in our aviation system.”

According to FAA figures, last year there were 23 of the most serious “runway incursions” — close calls involving one or more planes on the ground — compared to 16 in 2022.

“We are trending in the wrong direction,” said Homendy, a frequent critic of the FAA.

The FAA countered that the rate of serious runway incidents has dropped 59% so far in 2024 compared with 2023. The agency said it has improved tracking technology at several airports, including Austin, where the tower now has a tool called “approach runway verification” and modernized simulators for training.

The FAA said it would review the NTSB’s recommendations.

“Our top priority is the safety of the flying public,” the agency said, “and the FAA and the aviation community continue to pursue the goal of zero serious close calls.”

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State Aid for Local Transportation

E-Scene June 2024

Minnesota Local Roads Traffic Safety Regional Workshops

By: Girma Feyissa, State Aid Traffic Safety Engineer

Workshop overview

MnDOT State Aid and MnDOT Office of Traffic Engineering are developing a series of free traffic safety workshops to be delivered in-person . A total of 24 workshops will be held across the state in summer/fall 2024 and winter 2024.

The goal of this project is to provide cities, counties, and other local road agencies in Minnesota with updated tools to focus on reducing fatal and serious injury crashes on their roadway system.

Workshop takeaways

• Understand crash types
• Select countermeasures (rural, urban, Vulnerable Road Users (VRU))
• Discuss funding opportunities - state and federal
• Communicating about traffic safety effectively

Target audience

City, county, MnDOT, and other transportation agency staff involved in traffic safety work with focus on infrastructure strategies.

The workshop agenda was developed after several visioning meetings and input from city and county transportation partners. The full-day, free workshop will be led by Howard Preston and Richard Storm as well as MnDOT State Aid, MnDOT Traffic Engineering, and other HDR staff with expertise in traffic safety, strategic communication, and education. The day will consist of presentations, discussions, and a brief activity to provide insights on traffic safety elements in your region. Learn more and get involved .

Agenda highlights

• History of traffic safety in Minnesota
• Regional crash data review
• Big book of ideas - countermeasures for rural and urban roads
• Communicating about traffic safety
• Funding opportunities

Registration

Register for the workshop and attend at location convenient for you.

For more information

Contact Girma Feyissa at [email protected] or 651-366-3818, or Derek Leuer at [email protected] .

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When driving on the wrong side of the road is the right way to speed up traffic

HAYMARKET, Va. — When you first approach this bridge over Interstate 66 in northern Virginia, it may feel like you're driving on the wrong side of the road.

Because, in a way, you are.

"There were a lot of people who looked at me like I was a little nuts," says traffic engineer Gilbert Chlewicki, the designer who inspired this unconventional interchange. "Like, why are you putting me on the other side of the road?"

Traffic engineer Gilbert Chlewicki, the inventor the double diamond interchange, at an intersection in Haymarket, Va. Joel Rose/NPR hide caption

Traffic engineer Gilbert Chlewicki, the inventor the double diamond interchange, at an intersection in Haymarket, Va.

Chlewicki agreed to meet at this intersection 35 miles west of Washington, D.C. to explain the workings of the diverging diamond interchange , as it's known. He was easy to spot, wearing a neon yellow vest for safety.

As you enter the interchange, the right and left sides of the road cross over each other at a stop light. You are, in fact, driving on the left side of the road at this point. From there, left turns become a lot easier, because there's no oncoming traffic in the way. Instead of waiting for a signal, you get a free left turn.

"When we do the cross-over to the left side of the road, that's when the left turns happen, so the left is very easy," says Chlewicki.

That means diverging diamond interchanges can be both more efficient and safer than conventional intersections with left turn lanes. There are now more than 200 of them across the U.S., in more than 30 states. But at first, it wasn't easy to convince other traffic engineers.

"Anything different is a hard sell," Chlewicki said. "Safety was the big question."

Left turns are a big problem everywhere. They have a lot of what traffic engineers call "conflict points," with pedestrians as well as other cars. Whitney Shefte for NPR hide caption

Left turns are a big problem everywhere. They have a lot of what traffic engineers call "conflict points," with pedestrians as well as other cars.

Making left turns safer and more efficient

The first state to install a diverging diamond interchange was Missouri, way back in 2009 .

"Part of the thought was, okay, we put it in there, we see how this works," said Stacy Reese, a district engineer with the Missouri Department of Transportation. "We were willing to take that risk."

The state put the first diverging diamond at a notoriously traffic-clogged intersection in Springfield where it could often take as long as 20 minutes to make a left turn.

When MODOT opened the new intersection, those backups cleared up almost immediately. Reese said. And that wasn't the only benefit: It was also safer than the traditional intersection it replaced.

"We did see the crashes reduced somewhere in that 40 to 50% range, pretty much instantaneously," she said.

Left turns are a big problem everywhere. They have a lot of what traffic engineers call "conflict points," with pedestrians as well as other cars. The diverging diamond design eliminates some of those conflicts, lowering the risk of side impact or T-bone crashes, which tend to be especially deadly.

In Stafford, Va., as you enter the interchange, the right and left sides of the road cross over each other at a stop light. You are, in fact, driving on the left side of the road at this point. From there, left turns become a lot easier, because there's no oncoming traffic in the way. Instead of waiting for a signal, you get a free left turn. Whitney Shefte for NPR hide caption

In Stafford, Va., as you enter the interchange, the right and left sides of the road cross over each other at a stop light. You are, in fact, driving on the left side of the road at this point. From there, left turns become a lot easier, because there's no oncoming traffic in the way. Instead of waiting for a signal, you get a free left turn.

Drivers have strong feelings

Still, some drivers say the unconventional interchange makes them nervous.

"I hate it," said Logan Wilcox, who drives a school bus in a community near the double diamond interchange in northern Virginia.

"I feel like someone that's not familiar with it is gonna be coming through, and they're gonna struggle with it," Wilcox said. "It makes me really concerned that someone's gonna hit me at any point with my bus full of children."

But other drivers at a local gas station like the design.

"It's fantastic. Less aggravation, less accidents. Love it," said Greg Peterson of The Plains, Va. "Best money they ever spent doing that."

"For this type of intersection, it works really well because the traffic flows," agrees Cynthia Dodson of Marshall, Virginia.

A lifelong passion for road design

Reactions like those are gratifying for inventor Gilbert Chlewicki. In a sense, he's been preparing for this career for most of his life.

"I was drawing roads as a little kid," Chlewicki said. "I would draw lanes wide enough from my Hot Wheels, and I would just use a map to kind of guide me on what I wanted to draw."

Chlewicki had the idea for the diverging diamond interchange when he was in graduate school at the University of Maryland. He presented the first major paper on it at a conference in 2003.

There had been some similar road designs before — including, notably, a highway interchange in Versailles, France that Chlewicki visited a few months after his initial insight. But he coined the name diverging diamond, and then pushed to make it a reality across the U.S.

This diverging diamond interchange is in Virginia. The first state to install a diverging diamond interchange was Missouri, way back in 2009. Whitney Shefte for NPR hide caption

This diverging diamond interchange is in Virginia. The first state to install a diverging diamond interchange was Missouri, way back in 2009.

The design caught the attention of engineers at the Federal Highway Administration, who threw their support behind it.

Twenty years later, Chlewicki's idea has crossed over into the mainstream. And while two decades may seem like a long time, he doesn't see it that way.

"Honestly, for government and for complex things like interchanges, this went super fast," he said.

Chlewicki is now employed by the Virginia Department of Transportation. He's experimenting with some new "mutations" of the diverging diamond, as he puts it, combining them with roundabouts and other innovative traffic design — still playing with model cars and paper.

Correction May 30, 2024

A caption in an earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the location of the interchange depicted in the images. The intersection is in Stafford, Virginia, not Haymarket. Another caption incorrectly identified the location of the first diverging diamond intersection in the U.S., which was in Springfield, Missouri, not Virginia.

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Former Giants RB Saquon Barkley’s Father Arrested During New York Traffic Stop

Michael lee | 7 hours ago.

• New York Giants

Alibay Barkley, the father of former Giants running back Saquon Barkley, was arrested on Wednesday on charges of carrying a firearm during a traffic stop in the Bronx, New York.

6abc Action News in Philadelphia reported that 55-year-old Barley, whose son spent the first six years of his NFL career with the Giants before signing with the Philadelphia Eagles this off-season in free agency, was driving a Corvette when he was stopped at the corner of East 140th Street and Third Avenue.

The New York Post reported the stop was made because the Corvette that Barkley was driving had  covered license plates .

When police went to speak with Barkley, they found the pink gun to be loaded . A further investigation also revealed that the Corvette Barkley was driving was unregistered.

He told police that the gun belonged to his wife and that they kept it for safety, given their son’s high-profile status and frequent visits to the Bronx, where they still have family and friends. Barkley explained that his son purchased the car.

According to WABC-TV in New York who cited the police report on the arrest, the elder Barkley doesn’t possess a license to carry a firearm in New York.

Alibay Barkley, who resides in Pennsylvania, posted the $5,000 bail. He has a June 11 court date in which he'll face charges of criminal possession of a weapon and possession of ammunition, among others.

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MICHAEL LEE

Michael Lee is an aspiring sports writer currently studying journalism and communications.

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15 men brought to military enlistment office after mass brawl in Moscow Oblast

Local security forces brought 15 men to a military enlistment office after a mass brawl at a warehouse of the Russian Wildberries company in Elektrostal, Moscow Oblast on Feb. 8, Russian Telegram channel Shot reported .

29 people were also taken to police stations. Among the arrested were citizens of Kyrgyzstan.

A mass brawl involving over 100 employees and security personnel broke out at the Wildberries warehouse in Elektrostal on Dec. 8.

Read also: Moscow recruits ‘construction brigades’ from Russian students, Ukraine says

We’re bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron !

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine

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Moscow Oblast, Russia

The capital city of Moskovskaya oblast: Moscow .

Moscow Oblast - Overview

Moscow Oblast is a federal subject of Russia located in the Central Federal District. Moscow, the capital city of the country, is the administrative center of Moscow Oblast. At the same time, Moscow is not part of this region, it is a separate federal subject of Russia, a city of federal importance.

The population of Moscow Oblast is about 7,769,000 (2022), the area - 44,379 sq. km.

Moskovskaya oblast flag

Moskovskaya oblast coat of arms.

Moskovskaya oblast map, Russia

Moskovskaya oblast latest news and posts from our blog:.

23 June, 2022 / Natural Spring Gremyachiy Klyuch in Moscow Oblast .

23 March, 2022 / Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces .

31 January, 2022 / Vasilyevsky (Shcherbatovsky) Castle in Moscow Oblast .

1 August, 2021 / Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery near Moscow .

4 August, 2020 / Sights of Moscow Oblast - the heart of Russia .

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History of Moscow Oblast

The territory of the Moscow region was inhabited more than 20 thousand years ago. In the first millennium AD, this land was inhabited mostly by the Finno-Ugric peoples (Meryane and Meshchera). In the 9th-10th centuries, the Slavs began active development of the region. The population was engaged in hunting, fisheries, agriculture, and cattle breeding.

In the middle of the 12th century, the territory of the present Moscow region became part of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, the first towns were founded (Volokolamsk in 1135, Moscow in 1147, Zvenigorod in 1152, Dmitrov in 1154). In the first half of the 13th century, the Vladimir-Suzdal principality was conquered by the Mongols.

In the 14th-16th centuries, Moscow principality became the center of unification of Russian lands. The history of the Moscow region is inextricably linked to military events of the Time of Troubles - the siege of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery by the troops of False Dmitry II, the first and second militias.

More historical facts…

In 1708, by decree of Peter the Great, Moskovskaya gubernia (province) was established. It included most of the territory of present Moscow oblast. In 1712, St. Petersburg became the capital of the Russian Empire and the significance of the Moscow region as the country’s economic center began to decrease.

In 1812, the Battle of Borodino took place near Moscow. It was the biggest battle of the Russian-French War of 1812. In the second half of the 19th century, especially after the peasant reform of 1861, the Moscow province experienced economic growth. In 1851, the first railway connected Moscow and St. Petersburg; in 1862 - Nizhny Novgorod.

The population of the Moscow region increased significantly (in 1847 - 1.13 million people, in 1905 - 2.65 million). On the eve of the First World War, Moscow was a city with a population of more than one million people.

In November, 1917, the Soviet power was established in the region. In 1918, the country’s capital was moved from St. Petersburg to Moscow that contributed to economic recovery of the province. In the 1920s-1930s, a lot of churches located near Moscow were closed, a large number of cultural monuments were destroyed. On January 14, 1929, Moscow Oblast was formed.

In 1941-1942, one of the most important battles of the Second World War took place on the territory of the region - the Battle for Moscow. In the postwar years, the growth of economic potential of the region continued; several science cities were founded (Dubna, Troitsk, Pushchino, Chernogolovka).

In the 1990s, the economy of Moscow Oblast experienced a deep crisis. Since the 1990s, due to the motorization of the population and commuting, road traffic situation in the Moscow region significantly deteriorated. Traffic jams have become commonplace.

Pictures of Moscow Oblast

Moscow Oblast scenery

Author: Mikhail Grizly

At the airport in the Moscow region

Author: Evgeny Davydov

Nature of Moscow Oblast

Author: Alexander Khmelkov

Moscow Oblast - Features

Moscow Oblast is located in the central part of the East European Plain, in the basin of the rivers of Volga, Oka, Klyazma, Moskva. The region stretches from north to south for 310 km, from west to east - 340 km. It was named after the city of Moscow, which however is not part of the region. Part of the administrative authorities of the region is located in Krasnogorsk.

On the territory of the Moscow region, there are 77 cities and towns, 19 of them have a population of more than 100 thousand people. The largest cities are Balashikha (518,300), Podolsk (309,600), Mytishchi (262,700), Khimky (256,300), Korolyov (225,300), Lubertsy (209,600), Krasnogorsk (174,900), Elektrostal (149,000), Odintsovo (138,900), Kolomna (136,800), Domodedovo (136,100).

The climate is temperate continental. Summers are warm, winters are moderately cold. The average temperature in January is minus 10 degrees Celsius, in July - plus 19 degrees Celsius.

One of the most important features of the local economy is its proximity to Moscow. Some of the cities (Odintsovo, Krasnogorsk, Mytishchi) have become in fact the “sleeping districts” of Moscow. The region is in second place in terms of industrial production among the regions of Russia (after Moscow).

The leading industries are food processing, engineering, chemical, metallurgy, construction. Moscow oblast has one of the largest in Russia scientific and technological complexes. Handicrafts are well developed (Gzhel ceramics, Zhostov trays, Fedoskino lacquered miniatures, toy-making).

Moscow railway hub is the largest in Russia (11 radial directions, 2,700 km of railways, the density of railways is the highest in Russia). There are two large international airports - Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo. Vnukovo airport is used for the flights within the country.

Attractions of Moscow Oblast

Moscow Oblast has more than 6,400 objects of cultural heritage:

• famous estate complexes,
• ancient towns with architectural monuments (Vereya, Volokolamsk, Dmitrov, Zaraysk, Zvenigorod, Istra, Kolomna, Sergiev Posad, Serpukhov),
• churches and monasteries-museums (the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, Joseph-Volokolamsk monastery, Pokrovsky Khotkov monastery, Savvino Storozhevsky monastery, Nikolo Ugresha monastery).

The most famous estate complexes:

• Arkhangelskoye - a large museum with a rich collection of Western European and Russian art of the 17th-19th centuries,
• Abramtsevo - a literary and artistic center,
• Melikhovo - an estate owned by A.P. Chekhov at the end of the 19th century,
• Zakharovo and Bolshiye Vyazyomy included in the History and Literature Museum-Reserve of Alexander Pushkin,
• House-Museum of the composer P.I. Tchaikovsky in Klin,
• Muranovo that belonged to the poet F.I. Tyutchev,
• Shakhmatovo - the estate of the poet Alexander Blok.

The architectural ensemble of the Trinity Sergius Lavra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The largest museum of the Moscow region is located in Serpukhov - Serpukhov Historical and Art Museum.

The places of traditional arts and crafts are the basis of the souvenir industry of Russia:

• Fedoskino - lacquer miniature painting,
• Bogorodskoe - traditional manufacture of wooden toys,
• Gzhel - unique tradition of creating ceramics,
• Zhostovo - painted metal crafts,
• Pavlovsky Posad - fabrics with traditional printed pattern.

Some of these settlements have museums dedicated to traditional crafts (for example, a toy museum in Bogorodskoe), as well as centers of learning arts and crafts.

Moskovskaya oblast of Russia photos

Landscapes of moscow oblast.

Nature of the Moscow region

Country road in the Moscow region

Moscow Oblast landscape

Author: Mikhail Kurtsev

Moscow Oblast views

Author: Asedach Alexander

Country life in Moscow Oblast

Author: Andrey Zakharov

Church in Moscow Oblast

Author: Groshev Dmitrii

Churches of Moscow Oblast

Church in the Moscow region

Cathedral in Moscow Oblast

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