Making the bike a family vehicle
Behold, the bicycle minivan. Last week the Bay Citizen featured an article on how some San Francisco parents are opting to make the bike a family vehicle. The article... Read More
Even minor separation between roads and bike lanes increases rider safety
A recent experiment conducted by Brooklyn Spoke blog author Doug Gordon has confirmed what many people already suspected; simply having a barrier between the road and bike lane can... Read More
New ‘Invisible Bike Helmet’ tries to target fashion forward cyclists
There are plenty of excuses people give for why they don’t wear a helmet. Reasons ranging from the understandable complaint that they’re bulky and hard to carry around to... Read More
Should SF Police set up distracted driving stings?
Texting and driving is against the law, but enforcing distracted driving laws is easier said than done. Last week in Fargo, North Dakota, police setup a sting operation designed... Read More
Concerns from motorists surround San Jose’s bike friendly plans
The seemingly unending war between motorists and cyclists had a bit more fuel thrown on the fire this week thanks to some vocal San Jose residents objecting to plans... Read More
Poor condition of Bay Area roads often contribute to deadly accidents
Reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that between 2001 and 2010 nearly 70 people were killed in Bay Area car crashes resulting from problems with... Read More
San Francisco ponders mileage based tax for drivers
In a move that’s sure to raise privacy concerns and spark paranoia among Bay Area residents, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission is exploring the idea of implementing a mileage based... Read More
Modesto-area cyclist killed in Fountaingrove collision, fifth Sonoma bike fatality in past ten weeks
In addition to having one of the highest traffic fatality rates of any Bay Area county, Sonoma County has also been the site of several recent cycling tragedies. Following... Read More
Metropolitan Transportation Commission votes down “Free Muni for Youth” campaign
Remember when we said the bright spot in the new San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) budget was a pilot program that would provide low-income children with free transit... Read More
California relaxes texting while driving laws, other states may not follow suit
Beginning next year, texting while driving will be legal in California…as long as you keep your hands off the phone. On Friday, July 13th, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a... Read More
Why Pedestrian Safety Matters: A Look at the Numbers that Shape San Francisco’s Streets
Much has already been written about the cuts to pedestrian related projects in the new Federal Transportation Bill. Fortunately, there are still people out there actively campaigning for pedestrian... Read More
First comprehensive nationwide insurance plan designed specifically for cyclists
Thanks to a partnership between Better World Club and Portland’s Gales Creek Insurance Services, cyclists now have the opportunity to purchase the first nationwide comprehensive accident and liability insurance... Read More
New SideCar app helps facilitate ride shares
SideCar, a new San Francisco-based company, is helping encourage ride shares with a new app that matches drivers with nearby passengers in need of a ride. The app works... Read More
What Strava’s pending lawsuit could mean for the company and its users
Strava is currently being sued by the family of a 41-year-old engineer from Oakland, CA who died two years ago while trying to better a ‘King of the Mountains’... Read More
Cyclists allowed to bring bikes on the BART all day on Fridays during August
Starting next week, a new pilot program will allow riders to bring bikes on the BART all day on Friday’s during the month of August. The normal blackout times... Read More
Transportation spending bill worries bike advocates
Congress is looking at a transportation spending bill this week, but bike advocates are worried that senators who are “anxious for a deal” will toss out a provision that... Read More
LumaHelm Interactive Helmet would allow riders to signal intent to surrounding vehicles
When it comes to cycling, using the proper hand signals is an essential element of making sure you’re riding safely. Now, a new helmet created by Exertion Games Lab... Read More
World Naked Bike Ride aims to promote greener communities and safer streets for cyclists
This past weekend marked the ninth annual World Naked Bike Ride, a clothing optional event designed to protest against oil dependency and promote cycling advocacy. In San Francisco, nearly... Read More
New Jersey judge rules text message sender not responsible for recipient’s crash
In a case that garnered national attention, a New Jersey judge recently ruled that the sender of a text message cannot be held responsible for accidents caused as a... Read More
Transportation secretary encouraging feds to pressure states to crack down on distracted driving
Today U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced a “Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving.” His new initiative pressures 11 states that currently do not have distracted driving laws to adopt... Read More
Moreno Valley launching a pedestrian safety campaign
Yesterday Moreno Valley, California police passed out flyers promoting pedestrian safety in Riverside County. According to the Press-Enterprise, a pedestrian is injured or killed in California every hour, and... Read More
California Senate unanimously approves bill in support of self-driving cars
By a margin of 37-0, the California State Senate voted to approve a bill that will allow self-driving vehicles on California streets and highways. The bill (SB1298) was designed... Read More
Michigan high school seniors punished for organizing group bike ride to school
Instead of a traditional senior prank, students at Kenowa Hills High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan organized a bike parade as a fun, healthy way to celebrate their last... Read More
Statewide ‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign ramps up in California
There’s no good excuse for not wearing a seatbelt, but in case you needed yet another reason to buckle up, California Highway Patrol has begun taking a “zero tolerance”... Read More
New studies reveal cell phone use while driving is on the rise
According to an observational survey recently released by The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), the number of drivers using cell phones while in transit jumped from 7.3 percent... Read More
‘Right hook’ bike fatality in Portland offers reminder for cyclists and drivers to exercise caution
The recent and tragic death of a Portland bicyclist is serving as a stark reminder that “right hook” accidents are far too common. The woman, Kathryn Leah Rickson, was... Read More
Driving simulator cautions teens about the dangers of texting and driving
Despite nearly all teen drivers saying they think it’s dangerous to text and drive, 43 percent continue to do it anyway. So, in an attempt to show teens the... Read More
Napa and Sonoma lead Bay Area counties in traffic fatality rate
According to new federal statistics, Napa and Sonoma have the highest traffic fatality rates of any Bay Area counties. However, due to the massive amount of tourism and the... Read More
City of Vancouver finds ‘jaywalking’ rarely the cause of pedestrian accidents
A new study using accident data from Insurance Corp. of B.C. and the Vancouver Police Department determined that nearly 75 percent of all pedestrian accidents occur at intersections, with... Read More
Bright green bike lanes help increase driver awareness of cyclists, boost biker safety
With bright green bike lanes spreading across the Bay Area, the hope is that even the most oblivious drivers should start to take notice. The freshly painted bike lanes... Read More
Senate Transportation & Housing Committee unanimously approves 3-foot passing bill
Senate Bill 1464, which would require drivers to give bicyclists at least 3 feet of space when passing from behind, was approved by the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee... Read More
Toronto mayor unabashedly anti-cyclist, has bike lanes removed
In fifteen years Toronto has gone from being dubbed the best cycling city in North America to the bike collision capital of Canada. Not helping matters is the current... Read More
What to Do After Chitty Chitty Meets ‘Bang, Bang’
The combined shock, fear, anger, and—heaven forbid—physical trauma associated with an auto accident are, by themselves, a lot to come to terms with at one time. Even without the... Read More
San Diego police say in cyclist-vehicle accidents, stiffest charges are traffic violations
Recently we talked about how in New York City, there’s a discrepancy between the number of cyclist deaths in the city and arrests issued. The city doesn’t quite know... Read More
Portland continues to invest in biking amid ongoing budget constraints
Portland, Oregon has been a bit of a punchline city in recent years, especially due to the popularity of IFC’s quirky TV show Portlandia, in which Fred Armisen... Read More
Cause Marketing Case Study: Walk to Work Day
Friday, April 6th was the 8th Annual Walk to Work Day and GJEL partnered with pedestrian activist group Walk SF to promote the event and bring attention to pedestrian... Read More
New SFMTA Budget Approved: Pay Parking on Sundays, Free Transit for Low-Income Youth
The days of free parking on Sundays are numbered. The new two year budget approved on Tuesday by San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency officials will extend parking meter hours... Read More
235 People Participate in Walk to Work Day Contest, GJEL Donates $2000 to Walk SF
On Friday, April 6th, GJEL partnered with the pedestrian safety advocacy group Walk SF to encourage Bay Area residents to take part in Walk to Work Day and share... Read More
Pair of celebs set poor example when it comes to distracted driving
Celebrities Amanda Bynes and Lisa Lampanelli both made headlines over the past couple days with reports surfacing they’d each been guilty of distracted driving. While Celebrity Apprentice and frequent... Read More
Tax Day driving may be riskier than normal, traffic deaths six percent higher
With Tax Day fast approaching, it might pay to take a few deep breaths, squeeze a stress ball, or do whatever else calms your nerves before hopping in a... Read More
21 cyclists died in car crashes in NYC last year but only 2 arrests were made
Data shows that in New York City, when a driver kills someone with his car, whether it’s a motorist, pedestrian, or cyclist, 40% of the time no traffic ticket... Read More
Finding the line between bike law enforcement and education
It’s hard to find an online forum discussing bike lanes—or even cyclists in general—without inadvertently stumbling across another “us versus them” debate about motorists being irritated with bikers who... Read More
Colorado high school students compete to promote seat belt usage
A handful of Colorado high schools are competing against each other in an effort to see who can have the biggest impact on boosting seat belt usage. The inter-school... Read More
Public Bikes recalls 4,100 bicycles due to potentially faulty pedals
The San Francisco based company Bike Works has issued a voluntary recall of 4,100 bikes for “safety reasons” citing several customer reports that pedals had either cracked or broken.... Read More
30% of teen drivers involved in car accidents suffer some type of head injury
Researchers from State Farm and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia studied injury data from over 55,000 teenage drivers and their passengers who had been in car accidents and discovered... Read More
Safety experts disagree on whether voice controls are really an improvement
Despite proposing guidelines for in-car technology back in February, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration doesn’t plan to address voice controls until at least 2014. However, in the meantime,... Read More
GJEL is Partnering with Walk SF for Walk to Work Day on Friday, April 6th
Walk to Work Day is this Friday, and GJEL is excited to partner with Walk SF to encourage people all across the city to conduct their daily commute on... Read More
Teenage girls twice as likely as teen boys to engage in distracted driving
A new study released earlier this week by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that teenage girls are twice as likely as teen boys to use cell phones... Read More
Debate rages over whether interlock devices should be required for first time DUI offenders
As we mentioned a few weeks back, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is pushing for legislation that would force states to require interlock devices for all drunk driving... Read More
San Francisco scooter share program may hit roadblock with the DMV
A new San Francisco startup offering a subscription based scooter sharing service is running into difficulties with California’s licensing laws. The company, Scoot Networks, was introduced earlier this month,... Read More
San Rafael police determine 90-year-old driver not at fault for pedestrian fatality
After striking a pedestrian earlier this year, San Rafael police determined that 90-year-old Monsie Wagner was not at fault in the incident. According to toxicology tests, the victim, 49-year-old... Read More
Spring is in the Air: Be Wary of Yard Care Hazards
The weather is getting warmer and spring is just around the corner. This is the time of year when we all dust off our yard care tools and do... Read More
New York uses poetry to promote pedestrian safety
New York is taking a unique approach to raising awareness for pedestrian safety. As part of an art installation, poetry designed to subtly raise pedestrian awareness have been posted... Read More
Should school buses have seat belts? Crash in Indianapolis renews debate
Following a school bus accident in which a young child was killed in Indianapolis, people alarmed by the incident took to CNN’s website to renew the debate on whether... Read More
Volvo designs external vehicle airbags to help increase pedestrian safety
Volvo has always been at the forefront of safety technology, having developed a slew of features that other major car manufacturers have since copied (the three-point safety belt, safety... Read More
When cycling, a helmet is good but common sense is even better
This video of a cyclist careening down a grassy hillside into oncoming traffic has gone viral thanks to its head-smacking “Well what did you think was going to happen... Read More
91-year-old San Jose motorist will not face criminal charges for accident that killed two nursing home residents
Last week, after a lengthy investigation, prosecutors determined that 91-year-old Leona Morante Fernandez would not face criminal charges for a June 25th accident in which she drove her car... Read More
Distracted Driving: Not Just a Teen Problem
Modern life is increasingly full of diversions, and some have even crept into the drivers’ seat—phone calls, text messages, on-board video displays, fast food—all can cause accidents by distracting... Read More
“Google Glasses” could be both a blessing and a curse for drivers and pedestrians
The latest technological rumor circling search engine giant Google is that they’re developing a pair of glasses that can stream real-time information to the wearer’s eyes. This type of... Read More
Lack of police action over pedestrian injury poses a major concern
An incident last week in which a man using a crosswalk was hospitalized after being hit by a shuttle bus only served to exacerbate feelings that when it comes... Read More
Headphone-related pedestrian deaths up 300 percent since 2004
The number of headphone-related pedestrian deaths rose from 16 cases in 2004 to 47 instances in 2011. Although the overall number is still fairly small, the increase in accidents... Read More
New cars walk the line between integrating technology and adding more distractions
Does integrating a 17-inch monitor into the dashboard of a car make the vehicle safer or just provide the driver one more giant distraction? Regardless of the answer, automobile... Read More
San Francisco combats transit inefficiency by having buses police transit lanes
Ensuring transit-only lanes are free of other vehicles is a costly endeavor. Even with just over 15 miles of transit-only lanes in the city of San Francisco, penalizing drivers... Read More
San Francisco’s new electric bikeshare program hopes to make cycling more accessible
When it comes to cycling in San Francisco, one of the biggest barriers is the hilly terrain. Now, a new pilot program is looking to eliminate that hurdle by... Read More
New SecuraFone app looks to reduce distracted driving among teens
Over the past week there has been significant press surrounding SecuraFone, a new distracted driving app designed to deny users access to their email or text messaging if the... Read More
Should cyclists get a head start at busy intersections?
With the number of cyclists in San Francisco continuing to increase, creating a safe environment for bike commuters poses a serious challenge. One option currently being explored in London... Read More
The number of San Francisco cyclists continues to rise
The Alliance for Biking and Walking released their 2012 benchmarking report, and with 10% of San Francisco’s commuters doing so on foot and another 2.8% opting to cycle, the... Read More
SFpark tries to curb distracted driving by making street parking easier
Finding street parking can be a massive headache. Drivers circle the block repeatedly; slowing to a near crawl whenever a space looks like it might be available, all while... Read More
Can insurance companies influence distracted drivers?
Much has been said about the best ways to curtail distracted driving as a result of cell-phone use. Most agree that some combination of public awareness and legal enforcement... Read More
Safety trends influencing personal injury lawyers
This guest post is from Francis Hajek, a partner at Wilson & Hajek and author of the firm’s blog. The National Highway Safety Traffic Safety Administration recently released automobile... Read More
Should police ticket San Francisco cyclists?
The proudly pro-bike blog Uptown Almanac put up an interesting post about the San Francisco Police Department “running a sting” on Market and Turk in downtown San Francisco. He... Read More
More taxis in San Francisco equals fewer cars, safer streets
When I had the chance to talk to Supervisor Scott Wiener, a steadfast advocates of transportation reform in San Francisco’s government, I was surprised that he listed increasing taxi... Read More
Seattle incidents highlight perils of wrong-way drivers
This guest post is from Herbert G. Farber, founder of The Farber Law Group located in Bellevue, Washington. In Seattle, we’ve recently been reminded that wrong way drivers are a rare,... Read More
Learning from Washington DC’s bike highway
Lots of talk right now about San Francisco Metro Transit Authority’s decision to move ahead with the proposed bikeway on Fell and Oak. This is great news, to make... Read More
Winter Holiday Charity Contest Case Study
For most companies, the end of the year is a time to give. Holiday season coincides with fiscal deadlines…encouraging tax-deductible giving to non-profits and charities. But just because a... Read More
San Francisco becomes a little more bike friendly
The Priceonomics blog has declared San Francisco the biggest market for bikes in America. The site used “number of bikes for sale” as an index of the likelihood that... Read More
PTSD affecting Iraq-Afghanistan veterans behind the wheel
Though the amount of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan is an ever-decreasing number, the effects of a decade of war will continue to haunt America. For veterans of Iraq... Read More
Cyborgs, cell phones and traffic safety
Technology is advancing at an accelerating rate. “Steps” in innovation that previously took years are now taking months. Each new iteration of the smart phone increases our connectivity with... Read More
Claycord residents discuss their most dangerous roads
CLAYCORD.com, a site dedicated to the East Bay hamlets from Clayton to Concord, hosted an interesting question on their Wednesday Water Cooler talk: “What is the most dangerous street... Read More
Word on the Streets: California Pedestrian Safety
This is our very first episode of “Word on the Streets” an interactive web video series hosted on the Vokle platform. Word on the Streets will spotlight major issues... Read More
Feds seek to broaden cell phone bans
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is seeking to broaden the ban on cell phone usage by drivers after a new study entitled “National Phone Survey on Distracted Driving... Read More
An interview with Impact Teen Drivers Director Kelly Browning
Impact Teen Drivers is everywhere. Preaching the importance of eliminating distracted driving online, in video and print, in the halls of power and in the halls of our local... Read More
Winter Charity Contest Week 1 Wrap Up
Our Winter Charitable Donation Contest (click link to vote!), which highlights five of the finest street safety advocacy organizations in California, is off to a great start! Next week... Read More
FDA commissioner: Manufacturers of Yaz, Yasmin birth control pills hid risks
Pharmaceutical giant Bayer has come under fire after an Illinois court made the accusations of former FDA commissioner David Kessler, MD, public. Kessler’s expert opinion, filed in a federal... Read More
Takeda could face thousands of lawsuits over Actos bladder cancer claims
A tide of negative news is rising against Takeda Pharmaceutical, makers of the diabetes medication Actos. The world’s best-selling diabetes medication is prescribed, along with diet and exercise, to... Read More
DUI arrests up over Thanksgiving weekend
The holiday season is a happy and relaxing time, but at times it can also be stressful and busy. Between Thanksgiving and New Years Eve, millions of Americans hit... Read More
Map of all US road accident casualties from 2001-2009
This incredible map was put together by The Guardian and ITO using data from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration. In the US, 369,629 passengers, drivers, pedestrians and... Read More
Would eliminating sidewalks and curbs make pedestrians safer?
Here’s a revolutionary idea: what if walking on the street was safer than walking on the sidewalk? That’s the hypothesis of a new movement that started in Europe and... Read More
Winter safety tips: Do snow tires matter?
Winter is just around the corner, which for many means icy, slick roads. Safety is paramount for drivers, but does that mean buying special snow tires for the winter... Read More
Tragic Oregon case reinforces importance of pedestrian vigilance at crosswalks
An excellent article in The Oregonian profiles the heartbreaking case of two young women who were killed at a crosswalk in Southeast Portland, and the disturbing difficulty that prosecutors... Read More
Concord Police Department receives anti-Drunk Driving grant
The success of highly visible and publicly announced DUI checkpoints has been successful enough in California for the Concord Police Department to receive a new traffic safety grant for... Read More
Update: Link Between Autism and SSRI Antidepressants Requires Further Research
Lawsuits against manufacturers of anti-depressants have been filed in all 50 states following a study that found children whose mothers took selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Paxil and... Read More
Contra Costa: Dirty DUI investigation uncovers crooked cops
At least 20 DUI and vice cases have been dismissed in Contra Costa county as a sordid and shocking tale of corruption involving three local police departments unravels. Christopher... Read More
Important bicycling safety measure now before the Governor of California
Just last week we wrote about an unfortunate accident involving a cyclist and a San Francisco Muni bus that left the cyclist with a badly crushed arm. The incident... Read More
Fatal San Francisco Muni Bus Accident Highlights Dangerous Left Turns
We've written a lot on this blog about the tragic result of San Francisco bus accidents. In the past, fatal Muni bus accidents have cost the city millions in... Read More
Oakland Crosswalk Update Could Improve Pedestrian Safety
Here in the Bay Area, we’re lucky to live in or near cities that are well known for their walkability. The website WalkScore, for example, recently ranked the country’s... Read More
San Francisco Hit-Run Accident Victim Ryan White’s Condition Improving
By now, you’ve likely heard the story about 9 year-old Ryan White, a Philadelphia tourist visiting San Francisco to see the Phillies play the Giants. After the game, White... Read More
Pleasanton Adopts Microwave Technology to Reduce California Bike Accidents
When it comes to cities that put a priority on bike safety, you can’t do much better than California’s Alameda County, the East Bay bicycle mecca that includes Berkeley.... Read More
Can Distracted Driving Reduce Car Accidents?
The short answer to the question above is a definitive “no.” With the rise of technology, distracted driving has become a serious problem on US roadways, contributing to nearly... Read More
List of Fatal San Francisco Pedestrian Accidents – 2011
The thought of being killed as a pedestrian in San Francisco is terrifying. Fatal pedestrian accidents happen far too often in the Bay Area, especially considering that San Francisco... Read More