Halloween ’07 (Photo credit: Clover_1)

Happy Halloween!

As you (or the kids in your household) venture out trick or treating tonight, I want to remind you of a few things regarding safety. Today’s press release from insurance giant StateFarmshowed how dangerous

trick or treating can be for younger children.  StateFarm says that its research with Bert Sperling’s BestPlaces,  analyzed four million records in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) Database revealed the following

• Halloween Was Deadliest Day of the Year for Child Pedestrian Accidents
  One hundred and fifteen child pedestrian fatalities occurred on Halloween over the 21 years of our analysis. That is an average of 5.5 fatalities each year on October 31, which is more than double the average number of 2.6 fatalities for other days.
• The “Deadliest Hour”
  Nearly one-fourth (26 out of 115) of accidents occurred from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Over 60% of the accidents occurred in the 4-hour period from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.
• Middle of the Block Most Hazardous
  Over 70% of the accidents occurred away from an intersection or crosswalk.
• Ages Most at Risk on Halloween
  Most of the fatalities occurred with children ages 12-15 (32% of all child fatalities), followed by children ages 5-8 (23%).
• Drivers Who Posed the Greatest Risk
  Young drivers ages 15-25 accounted for nearly one-third of all fatal accidents involving child pedestrians on Halloween.
• Drivers Who Posed the Lowest Risk
  Drivers ages 36-40 and 61-65 were involved in the fewest child pedestrian fatalities on Halloween. Together, these age groups accounted for nine child pedestrian fatalities (8%) in the 21 years of the study.
• Fatalities Declining
  Each of the last six years of the study (2005 – 2010) has seen Halloween child fatalities below the 21 year average of 5.5.

• Also,  California  Department of Public Health today said that on Halloween between 4PM- 10PM, more than 2 times as many kids die in pedestrian/vehicle incidents than during the same time on other days during the rest of  year.  Scary, right?

One more thing you may want to know is this: Last Halloween, more than 24,700 drivers received a red light violation, according to the Safer Roads Report 2012: Trends in Red-Light Running. So, tonight when you venture out with (or without) your kids, be careful.  Dress to be SEEN and do not become a statistic!

Related articles

• Child Pedestrian Injury and Fatality Statistics are Scary on Halloween Night
• Statistics show Halloween has the highest rate of pedestrian fatalities
• Impaired Driving – The Scariest Part of Halloween
• Halloween most dangerous day of the year for child pedestrians
• ‘The real danger on Halloween’: Kids hit by cars
• Halloween is deadliest night for child pedestrians, Safe Kids West Michigan says
• Tennessee Highway Patrol announces Halloween Enforcement
• Walk This Way Halloween Safety Twitter Party

(via Nationwide)

To put it in simple terms, we blow up a lot of money sitting in traffic day in and day out.  Traffic congestion not only takes a toll on your mental & physical well being, but it also brings home a lot of economic pain. It is nice to see someone layout all this important statistics in an easy to understand, colorful visual.

So, how do we fix this mess? A good start would be to move towards transit-oriented development and provide good, cost-effective transit connectivity to the suburbs.. And add some bike lanes; etc, etc.  The solutions are plenty but we have to start somewhere before we go bankrupt.. soon!

Provided by Nationwide Insurance

(via Young Professionals in Transportation)

Image Courtesy: WIKIPEDIA

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) is one of the leading transportation agencies in the nation.  ConnDOT offers a variety of transportation-related career opportunities for entry level civil engineers in their Office’s of Engineering and Construction, including traffic engineering, transportation design, and construction. Advancement opportunities also exist in our Bureaus of Policy & Planning and Bureau of Aviation & Ports.

ConnDOT is recruiting new hires to work in the Transportation Engineering field.  Entry at the Transportation Engineer Trainee level requires a 4-Year Engineering Degree from an accredited school and a ConnDOT interview. These positions have:   

• Starting Salary: $56,208
• 40 Hour Work Week
• Excellent Benefits Package
• On-the-job Training
• Advancement Opportunities

More information can be found on their Human Resources webpage.

via YPT Boston

On Sept. 10-12  the Northwestern University Transportation Center will again offer its Infrastructure Pricing Executive Program – this year focusing on Highway Infrastructure Pricing.

Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in this highly relevant and timely program aimed at transportation professionals who manage private and public fee paying facilities; engineers and project managers who oversee maintenance and new construction; and consultants and advisors to infrastructure providers and those who finance infrastructure projects.

Topics to be covered will include dynamic and congestion pricing, demand forecasting, private/public partnerships, infrastructure investments decision-making based on projected revenues, network demand prediction tools and more.

20% Discount for Government and Academic Registrations; Early Bird rate available until Aug. 17^th.

Please contact Ms. Diana Marek if you have any questions.

For more information and to Register see:  Pricing Highway Infrastructure Executive Program

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has an exceptional opportunity for a proven professional as the Division Administrator for Operations and Security. This position offers the challenges and rewards of building, directing and overseeing the statewide operations and Security Division within VDOT. 

The selected individual will manage policy, process, program direction and support to regions and other VDOT Divisions such as Statewide Incident Management, Regional Smart Traffic Operations, Emergency Operations, Operations Management Systems, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and real-time Traveler Information & Services. You will evaluate division functional program areas and staffing needs, recommend and implement desired changes. Provide strategic leadership and oversight to the activities of the Operations and Security Division and ensure alignment with overall agency goals and performance measures. Responsible for overall leadership in the program areas of Intelligent Transportation Systems, operability of Smart Traffic Centers, and various file operations and services in conjunction with the regions and critical infrastructure and Homeland Security implementation and data integration for traveler information, Incident Management, and Safety Service Patrol.

For complete details to apply, click on this link .

Related articles

• Job Alert: Program Director, Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office @ USDOT – Washington, DC(transportgooru.com)

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Nature of Position:

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO ) Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The successful candidate will assist senior AASHTO engineering staff in the work it provides for the Board of Directors (i.e., the Secretaries of Transportation from the State DOTs), the Standing Committee on Highways (i.e., the Chief Engineers), and its subcommittees, which include design, construction, bridges, traffic engineering, operations, maintenance, materials, and others. The following are some of the potential activities of the successful candidate:

• assisting in the development and update of AASHTO’s technical standards, such as the Green Book, Roadside Design Guide, and Bicycle Guide;

• assisting in organizing national meetings and conferences by providing assistance to AASHTO committee officers;

• participating in AASHTO committee meetings around the country;

• assisting in the development of national policy on transportation operations and project delivery; and

• providing other assistance as required.

The incumbent may also work with a variety of technical committees in the production of engineering and operations-related professional publications, and will respond to technical inquiries on AASHTO publications and policies.

Education: A Bachelor of Science degree in engineering is required.

Skill Requirement: A broad understanding of the technical aspects of one or more aspects of transportation engineering and a sound comprehension of the administrative, legislative, and regulatory process at the federal and state levels. Excellent written and oral communication skills are also desired. The incumbent must be able to travel.

Relevant Experience: Approximately 8 to 15 years of professional experience in transportation is required, preferably in a State DOT. It is desirable that some of the previous experience be at a policy planning or management level in a state, local, or federal transportation agency.

Relationships: The incumbent will have contact with AASHTO committee members through meeting attendance, correspondence, and telephone contacts and will assist other AASHTO staff members as required by the Program Director.

Position Responsibilities: The incumbent will provide input as requested relative to association policy formulation. From a technical perspective, the incumbent is expected to work with the various AASHTO technical committees on standards, training, and research. This individual may be called on to participate in various planning efforts, and is responsible for developing certain elements of the association’s annual and spring conferences. Depending on the specific duties assigned, the individual may be expected to assist with publication activities.

The incumbent will be expected to draft, write, or edit transportation policy statements or resolutions related to assigned duties, or other areas of interest to the association. However, such positions may not be established without approval by higher authorities.

Since this is a competitive position among interested state departments of transportation, recruitment time is unknown, but is estimated to be three months from the date of advertisement.

Expenses: The position will include a monthly living stipend reimbursable to a maximum of $2,200 per month, plus a public transit subsidy of up to $120 per month. AASHTO will pay a one-time round-trip transportation ticket to/from Washington, DC. Appropriate business expenses related to AASHTO work and travel assignments will be reimbursed.

Competition: A panel of AASHTO managers and engineering staff will evaluate applicants. Send resume and letter of endorsement from State DOT director to AASHTO, Attention: Human Resource Manager, 444 N. Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20001. Resumes and letters of endorsement may also be submitted by e-mail to cbeauvais@aashto.org or by fax to 202-624-8471. EOE/M/F/D.

Related articles

• How State DOTs Got Congress to Grant Their Wish List(dc.streetsblog.org)

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• AASHTO Adds Designs to Bikeway Guide, But Not Protected Bike Lanes(dc.streetsblog.org)

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The Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) seeks two Highway Safety Specialists (Instructor) to join the Highway Safety Division at the Transportation Safety Institute (TSI). RITA coordinates the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) research programs and is charged with advancing rigorous analysis and the deployment of cross-cutting technologies to improve our Nation’s transportation system. TSI provides premier worldwide training, products and/or services for people in the public and private sectors through innovative, state-of-the-art methods and technologies that contribute to the protection of life, property, and the environment. The TSI training center is located in Oklahoma City, OK at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC), a Federal Aviation Administration training and materials facility. Visit www.tsi.dot.gov to learn more. The position is located in Oklahoma City, OK.

As a Highway Safety Specialist (Instructor), you will be a principal specialist in highway traffic safety in the Highway Safety Division. You will conduct, administer, and evaluate courses and seminars in all facets of highway/traffic safety. The Division provides a variety of transportation safety related courses to Federal, State and private industry audiences.

The ideal candidate is a mid-career or experienced professional with expert knowledge in the areas of highway/traffic safety, and knowledge and skill in developing, delivering, and evaluating training programs related to highway/traffic safety programs and projects to Federal, State and Local government staff as well as industry personnel. In addition, the ideal candidate has knowledge and skill in the application of regulatory programs, managerial capabilities, and classroom teaching.

This announcement is open to the general public and under merit promotion for current or former Federal employees and people eligible under special hiring authorities. Please note that merit promotion announcements are the vehicle through which Federal employees generally apply for Federal positions.

Application deadline: Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Merit Promotion Announcement (RITA.TSI-2012-0009): http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/320945200

Public Announcement (RITA.TSI-2012-0010): http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/320949000

If you or someone you know has the experience and proven results, I encourage you or them to apply. We are looking for a diverse pool of qualified candidates. Please contact Eric Falzone at eric.falzone@dot.gov or 617-494-2418 if you have any questions.

(via Mashable)

This awesome infograph below from Mashable.com illustrates the dangers associated with the texting while driving .. To think about nearly ~1.3 million crashes that happened in 2011 had a cellphone involved makes me shudder..

Related articles

• Texting and Driving: A Crash Course [INFOGRAPHIC](mashable.com)

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• Texting and driving test throws teens into a tizzy(intomobile.com)

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• How Driving And Texting Can Cost You Your Life [Infographic](thetechnologycafe.com)

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