11 Common Christmas Holiday Injuries & Accidents (and how to avoid them)
Each year, the holiday season brings excitement about seeing family, eating delicious meals, and even opening a few presents. For some, the season marks a series of events complete... Read More
The 10 Most Dangerous Roadways in California
While car, truck, and motorcycle accidents can happen anywhere, there are some roads that are significantly more dangerous than others. Read More
Should Bay Area carpool lanes be enforced 24/7?
Carpool lanes are an essential part of the Bay Area’s transportation infrastructure, designed to encourage carpooling, reduce traffic congestion, and improve air quality. As the population continues to grow... Read More
California Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements
When an accident occurs in California, whether an automobile accident or an accident such as a slip and fall on someone else’s property, the way that injuries are almost... Read More
Smartphone Use While Driving: The Next Frontier in California Punitive Damages Law?
It is hard to think of any public safety issue that has received more attention over the last few years than the use of smartphones while driving... Read More
A driver’s guide to auto insurance claims in California
You don’t necessarily know what will happen if you get into a collision and need help from your insurance provider... Read More
Bakersfield Moves Forward with Horrific Centennial Corridor Project
The City of Bakersfield and Caltrans has continued down a failed 1950s path toward social, economic, and environmental ruin. Read More
Introducing the Hack Your Auto Insurance series
The series will discuss insurance topics that every driver ought to know in clear and simple terms, using up-to-date information. Read More
San Jose bicycling is more dangerous than we thought
The latest annual report on motor vehicle collisions from the California Highway Patrol has a ton of information about what’s happening on California roads and highways, with extensive datasets... Read More
The I-80 Smart Corridor’s dumb approach to San Pablo Avenue
If you’ve recently traveled along I-80 in the East Bay, you may have noticed new electronic signage and metering lights. Caltrans is currently putting the finishing touches on the... Read More
Mandatory helmet law gutted. Now what?
Good news out of Sacramento: S.B. 192, Senator Liu’s disastrous law mandating helmets and reflective gear for bicyclists, was gutted thanks to strong backlash from bicycle advocates across the... Read More
Stanislaus County plans to expand freeways in the name of safety and air quality
For decades, California regions built freeways to enable the growth of new suburbs farther and farther afield. In response to the negative environmental effects of suburban sprawl, California enacted... Read More
Bakersfield plans to bulldoze a neighborhood and build a freeway
During the height of California’s highway boom from the 1950s through the 1970s, Caltrans bulldozed through hundreds of neighborhoods to construct freeways. The economic and environmental toll on these... Read More
Oaklavia highlights need for better bicycle infrastructure around Lake Merritt
Oakland recently hosted Oaklavia, an open streets event that invites people to walk, bike, dance, play, and socialize in the streets. It’s a terrific, if underappreciated event... Read More
Governor Brown vetoes SB 1151, a bipartisan school zone safety bill
Last Friday, Governor Brown vetoed SB 1151, a bill that would have increased traffic fines in school zones and used these funds for active transportation investments. The bill had... Read More
‘Three Feet for Safety Act’ now in effect
By now you’ve probably already heard that the Three Feet for Safety Act went into effect on Tuesday. The bill, which was finally signed by Governor Brown last year,... Read More
Pedestrians dying at disproportionate rates in America’s poorer neighborhoods
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: street safety is about equity. Streets designed for speeding cars are inherently designed dangerously, leaving people who do not drive... Read More
Could Strava be good tool for planning and policymaking?
A key challenge in planning, funding, and implementing bicycle and pedestrian projects is the lack of good data to guide policymaking. As Janie Nham notes on the NRDC Switchboard,... Read More
The legal liability of a social host in California
It happens more than it should. Someone (here we will call her Ms. H.) invites some friends, maybe a lot of friends and maybe their friends as well, to... Read More
Oakland’s Telegraph Avenue Complete Streets Plan: Building a Safer Street
Telegraph Avenue is one of Oakland’s key transportation corridors, linking Downtown Oakland with Downtown Berkeley. It serves thousands of transit riders, drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians every day, and also... Read More
What is a Cycle Track?
Recently we discussed the ongoing battle between California cities and Caltrans over street design, most notably cycle tracks. As it turns out, Caltrans just announced its official endorsement of... Read More
Cities battle Caltrans over street design
As cities across California seek to build safer, healthier, greener “complete streets,” many have come into conflict with Caltrans over what constitutes an acceptable (and legally defensible) design. This... Read More
California Spousal Privilege and Related Concerns
Assume the following factual scenario: a serious car accident occurs, injuring the plaintiff. Just after the accident, the insured defendant called her husband and discussed, in detail, the now... Read More
Cyclist faces felony vehicular manslaughter charge after killing 71-year-old pedestrian
Although the widely reported accident took place almost a year ago, the San Francisco cyclist who collided with 71-year-old Sutchi Hui on March 29, 2012 has recently been order... Read More
Motorcycle lane-splitting in California to remain unrestricted for the foreseeable future
A California Senate bill proposing restrictions on motorcycle lane splitting was placed on hold this week pending a safety study currently being conducted by UC-Berkeley. The bill, which would... 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
California Train Accident Ruling Disappoints Metrolink Victims
In September 2008, a train accident near Chatsworth California killed 25 passengers and injured more than 135. Since commuter Metrolink was so clearly at fault for this accident, observers... Read More
Fatal San Francisco Big Rig Accident Raises Octavia Blvd Safety Questions
Yesterday morning, a big rig truck collided with a UCSF shuttle van, killing 52 year-old Dr. Kevin Mack and injuring three other passengers. The accident occurred on Octavia Boulevard,... Read More
California Bike Passing Law Masters Major Milestone
As the number of cyclists throughout California continues to rise each year, the state has consistently taken incremental steps toward improving bicycle safety on city streets and highways. This... Read More
San Jose Traffic Sensors Could Improve Bike & Motorcycle Safety
We’ve all had moments where it feels like the traffic light will never change to green. Many intersections have sensors underneath the concrete that alert the traffic light when... Read More
California Judges Debate Social Media Use
Social media is a great way to stay connected with friends and family members. But as a professional development tool, the purpose of social media platforms like Facebook and... Read More
California Teen Drivers Face Daunting Summer Safety Statistics
We’re constantly reminded that teen drivers are the demographic most likely to cause car accidents. Scientific studies on teen brain development show that the brain doesn’t even reach full... Read More
California Teen Driver Summer Safety Statistics & Resources
Teen drivers throughout the country are faced with countless dangers on city streets and highways. Teens are the demographic most likely to cause car a accident, technology poses the... Read More
San Francisco Pedestrian Accident Injury Highlights Urgent Need For Street Safety
Early this morning, Wednesday May 25, a pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle on the corner of Pierce Street and Lombard Street in San Francisco’s Marina District.... Read More
California Motorcycle Events Stress Safe Summer Rides
Summer is a great season for motorcyclists. Having more daylight hours and better road conditions assures that motorcyclists can take long drives up the California coastline or through the... Read More
Infrastructure Spending Could Reduce California Car Accident Costs
California is broke, and with budgets stretched thin across the board, it’s difficult to make an effective argument for increasing spending, even if the result is increased safety on... Read More
5 Great California Bicycle Safety Plans
There's no doubt that National Bike Month has been a resounding success here in California. The extended May cycle-centric holiday has lead to major safety campaigns statewide. But the... Read More
Bike to Work Day Events in San Francisco, East Bay, San Jose & Contra Costa County
May is National Bike Month, which means that bicycle advocates and lawmakers throughout California are boosting efforts to increase bike ridership and improve bicycle safety. Thursday May 12 marks... Read More
San Francisco Pedestrian Accident Death Proves Need for Masonic Avenue Safety Plan
Last Friday, 61 year-old James Hudson was killed by a drunk driver while crossing San Francisco’s Masonic Avenue, one of the city’s busiest and most dangerous arteries. The suspect,... Read More
California Bike to Work Day Benefits San Francisco’s Market Street
San Francisco is getting serious about reducing bicycle accidents. The upsurge in bicycle and pedestrian fatalities in past months has lead the city’s Municipal Transportation Authority to improve safety... Read More
National Bike Month Supporters Get Serious on Sacramento Bicycle Accidents
Both here in California and nationwide, residents and lawmakers are boosting bicycle safety awareness during May, National Bike Month. Many of these initiatives take aim at helping children learn... Read More
Reducing California Pedestrian Accidents Saves Lives (And Money!)
For some reason, the fact that nearly 650 people are killed in pedestrian accidents each year in California alone, has not prompted state lawmakers to get serious about cutting... Read More
California Distracted Driving Editorial Misses the Point: Just Put Down the Phone
No one ever said the law was simple. That’s a tense subject for Silicon Valley Mercury News columnist Gary Richards, who penned an editorial yesterday on California’s “confusing” distracted... Read More
Distracted Driving Highlights Major Problems with San Francisco Muni Bus Accidents
What would you do if your bus driver was texting while driving? If you’re anything like San Francisco resident Shawn Higgins, who saw a bus driver texting on the... Read More
Texas & North Dakota Join California to Reduce Distracted Driving Car Accidents
Since it’s Distracted Driving Awareness Month, we’ve been writing a lot about efforts to curb distracted driving here in California. Statewide, 225 local police agencies have teamed up with... Read More
California Distracted Driving Awareness Month Stresses Enforcement
Though 2010 marked the first annual Distracted Driving Awareness Month, California did not participate in an official capacity. So this year, California is making an impact with a statewide... Read More
San Francisco MTA Continues Plan to Reduce California Bicycle Accidents
So far, 2011 has been a great year for San Francisco pedestrian safety and bicycle safety. Facing troubling pedestrian and bicycle accident statistics, city lawmakers have enacted programs that... Read More
California Boosts Driver Safety Laws For Distracted Driving Awareness Month
For years, the California Highway Patrol has done a fantastic job keeping our roads safe from dangerous drivers and reducing vehicle injuries and fatalities. That job has grown more... Read More
PG&E Fined “Chump Change” Following San Bruno Pipeline Explosion
The California Public Utilities Commission fined PG&E $6 million last week for September’s devastating pipeline explosion, which many consumer advocates and San Bruno representatives call a major win for... Read More
Better Late than Never to Reduce San Francisco Pedestrian Accidents
Safety advocates throughout San Francisco have been pleased over the past few weeks with the city’s apparent goal to boost programs that would reduce pedestrian accidents in the coming... Read More
Task Force Plan Intends to Tackle San Francisco Pedestrian Accidents
As pedestrians in San Francisco and throughout the country become more active, some increase in pedestrian accidents is inevitable. Especially when it comes to senior citizens, children, and people... Read More
California DePuy Hip Implant Lawsuits May Come to San Francisco
Since DePuy Orthopedics announced a recall of one of its popular hip implant models last August, lawsuits have piled up against the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary. Most recently, it... Read More
San Francisco & Los Angeles Launch Plans to Reduce California Bicycle Accidents
As bicycle use continues to grow more popular, commuters remain vulnerable to bicycle accidents due primarily to the fact that city infrastructure for safe bicycle use lags far behind.... Read More
What’s Happening at the PG&E San Bruno Pipeline Explosion Hearing?
The pipeline explosion sent waves of concern throughout the San Francisco Bay Area when it unexpectedly destroyed a San Bruno neighborhood, killing 8 people and injuring more than 50... Read More
Are California Traffic Tickets Too Easy on Dangerous Drivers?
Most penalties for dangerous driving tickets are designed to prevent the perilous behavior from reoccurring. If you’re fined for driving 80 miles per hour in a 60 mph zone,... Read More
Motorcyclists and Pedestrians are Most Vulnerable on California Streets
Whether you’re driving a passenger car, a motorcycle, or simply walking on the sidewalk, individuals don’t have much control over whether they will be involved in a deadly car... Read More
Safety Record of Older Drivers Scrutinized After Freeway Accident
Have you ever turned the wrong way on a one-way street? How about entered the freeway going the wrong direction? That’s what happened to 83 year-old Clarence Kinney yesterday,... Read More
San Francisco Bicycle Accidents Rising Faster than Ridership
When the New York Times announced that it would devote a print section and webpage entirely to the Bay Area, residents were ready to step into the national limelight.... Read More
Cyclists Included in Proposed California Distracted Driving Law
Since Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood made reducing distracted driving one of his top priorities, the dangerous practice has been the subject of heated debate among safety advocates, policy... Read More
New Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Against PG&E for Pipeline Explosion
Jessica Morales was watching Thursday Night Football at her boyfriend’s house in San Bruno when a pipeline explosion resulted in the deaths of Jessica and seven other San Bruno... Read More
San Francisco Easy on Drivers Responsible for Preventable Bus Accidents
As I’ve said before, getting hit by a bus has to be one of the worst nightmares imaginable. Clearly, much of the responsibility lies with pedestrians to be careful... Read More
California Tops 2010 Pedestrian Accident Fatalities
As part of its ongoing campaign to assess pedestrian safety, the Governors Highway Safety Association has released preliminary data from each state regarding pedestrian fatalities in 2010. Based on... Read More
Report: PG&E Pressure Tests Could Lead to Future Pipeline Explosions
Since 2003, California-based energy company Pacific Gas & Electric has spiked pressure on gas pipelines nearly a dozen times, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. PG&E claims the practice is... Read More
Holiday Drivers Increase Risk of Car Accidents
Due to the increased likelihood of drunk driving and adverse road conditions, winter holidays always carry an extra risk of car accidents. This year, warns the auto advocate AAA,... Read More
Fatal California Distracted Driving Accident Carries Major Penalty
Distracted driving is not just dangerous and thoughtless. It’s also a major crime when associated with the most terrifying circumstances. On September 15, 20-year-old Ani Voskanian caused an accident... Read More
Pleasant Hill California Launches Plan to Reduce Pedestrian & Bicycle Accidents
Pleasant Hill, a town of about 33,000 located between Walnut Creek and Concord in California's Contra Costa County, is moving forward with a comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian plan designed... Read More
California Ranked Safest State for Teen Drivers
In it's forthcoming November issue, US News and World Report has ranked California as the best state for teen drivers, placing second only behind the District of Colombia. California... Read More
Teen Driving Laws and Recession are Saving Lives
To round out National Teen Driver Safety Week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released an optimistic study showing that car accident deaths caused by teenagers has dropped... Read More
During National Teen Driver Safety Week, California Agencies Boost Bicycle Safety
As National Teen Driver Safety Week, this has been an opportunity for teenagers, parents, and government officials to discuss important facts related to distracted driving, graduated licensing laws, and... Read More
California Should Adopt Multi-Tiered Strategy to Reduce Bicycle Accidents
Each year, more than 130 cyclists are killed on city streets in California alone, and nearly 700 are killed nationwide. Of these bicycle deaths, nine of ten were at... Read More
California Should Match Recognition for Bike Accident Memorials
In mid-August, German tourist Nils Yannick Linke was struck and killed by a drunk driver at the intersection of Masonic and Turk streets in San Francisco. Soon after, a... Read More
PG&E Pipeline Explosion in San Bruno Leads to 8th Death
When news outlets reported four dead in the days after this month's tragic PG&E pipeline explosion in San Bruno, observers here in California and nationwide hoped the number wouldn't... Read More
Recent Bike Accidents Show Need for Stronger Laws Protecting Cyclists
As more Americans take to the streets on bicycles in order to reduce their carbon footprints, unclog the streets, and get some additional exercise, traffic laws often prove insufficient... Read More
California Distracted Driving Rate Jumps Before Annual Summit
As elected leaders, transportation officials, and safety advocates converge in Washington DC today for the second annual distracted driving summit, the level of impact existing anti-distraction laws have had... Read More
California Senate Holds Adults Responsible for Alcohol-Related Wrongful Deaths
We wrote in May that California lawmakers were considering a bill that would end a liability loophole for adults responsible for teen drinking. Currently, California is one of only... Read More
California Hospitals Crack Down on Medical Malpractice “Never Events”
That old Operation game has come to life, to the detriment of an abnormally high number of patients at California hospitals. In the past two years, doctors have left... Read More
California Targets Liability Loophole for Alcohol-Related Wrongful Death Suits
Many ethical issues related to alcohol consumption are notoriously shaded in gray. Ideally, it would be up to the consumer to set his or her own limits to avoid... Read More
Ignition-Interlock Devices Approved for Trial
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed two bills Sunday that will require or encourage convicted drunk drivers to install ignition-interlock devices in their vehicles. The devices allow a car to be... Read More