Research

Event data recorders, or as most people might know them, black boxes, have been a fixture of airplanes for years due to their ability to give investigators an accurate representation of the events that led to a crash.  A couple years ago, Congress looked into the possibility of passing a law that would mandate these… read more

Even as traffic fatalities decline, there is still some cause for worry among safety advocates.  Distracted driving continues to be a problem, and fatal accident rates have not decreased equally among all methods of transport.  New figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration actually show a disconcerting uptick in the number of motorcycle, bicycle,… read more

The Food and Drug Administration plays a vital role in ensuring the safety of consumers all across the country.  It’s the agency’s responsibility to approve only those medical devices that would provide ample benefits whilst mitigating unnecessary risks, and they also keep track of food that might be contaminated in order to prevent an outbreak… read more

We’ve seen them at parties and we’ve likely played inside of one ourselves at some point in time:  bounce houses.  Typically rolled out at children’s birthday parties and similar events, these items might look like a lot of fun, but a new study details how dangerous they can be to those who use them, a… read more

The ninth annual Design Challenge was hosted at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and it provides a unique glimpse into what the future of automotive technology may hold.  The big takeaway from this year was the number of people who believe that the future of traffic law enforcement will hinge on autonomous vehicles, basically drones… read more

A study has come up with some disturbing findings about the bacteria that could be found in pork items, but its validity has been called into question by the USDA and the National Pork Producers Council.  By looking at nearly 200 pork samples in six states, Consumer Reports was able to determine that 68% of… read more

Motorcycle laws are not created equal across the United States.  Mandatory helmet laws are not applicable in every state, and rates of motorcycle fatalities vary in every locale.  However, a new report sheds a light on what can be done to improve safety across the country. The report released by the Government Accountability Office suggests… read more

The California Office of Traffic Safety has released their yearly Traffic Safety Survey, and the results are telling.  A whopping 80% of respondents cited texting or talking on a cellphone as being the top distraction on our state’s roads, consistent with the prevailing opinion of more than half of all citizens that those two habits… read more

A recent study attempted to ascertain just how prevalent distracted driving is by tasking students across California with keeping tabs on those drivers who engage in some type of distracting behavior. The study, known as Roadwatch, was the result of a partnership between the California Friday Night Live Partnership and the Allstate Foundation.  To compile… read more

Ohio State has unveiled a driving simulator that seeks to measure a driver’s responses to certain situations.  Researchers hope that the $1.3 million simulation will allow them to determine what types of things compromise a driver’s reaction time and driving ability.  The system will allow researchers to examine the apparent impact of phones, radios, navigation… read more

A new report in the New York Times details some of the myriad safety issues uncovered at drug manufacturing plants by the Food and Drug Administration in recent years. The article was facilitated following the recent outbreak of meningitis tied to a fungal contamination of injectable steroids found at a compounding pharmacy.  As the author… read more

Various safety organizations in the city of San Francisco have partnered to release an interactive map of the city detailing those areas where pedestrian safety is most severely compromised.  Thoroughfares highlighted in red on the map are considered to be the most dangerous for pedestrians, while an X indicates a collision and a skull and… read more