Latest news with #trafficsafety
BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
Uninsured vehicles seized in South West police operation
A joint road policing operation involving three forces from across the South West has seized more than 10 uninsured vehicles through number plate recognition. Officers from Devon and Cornwall, Avon and Somerset, and Hampshire Police forces took part in the operation on Friday, to coincide with the busiest day of travel into region. Thirteen uninsured vehicles were seized and people were also stopped for other crimes including speeding, mobile phone offences and fuel James Gallienne, from Devon and Cornwall Police, said the operation was important as "at least one person every day" is seriously injured by an uninsured or hit and run driver." He added: "Operations like this aim to educate about and enforce the law in order to reduce the number of uninsured drivers on the road and reduce collisions."Devon and Cornwall remain safe places to live and visit and we will continue to be proactive in keeping our road network safe." 'Linked criminal activities' The three police forces worked alongside the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) using Automatic Number Plate Recognition to monitor interchanges on the A30, A38 and A380 to identify uninsured vehicles."Every 20 minutes, someone is falling victim to an uninsured or hit-and-run driver, with one person so seriously injured that they require life-long care," the MIB said. "Removing uninsured vehicles from the road helps protect all road users from potential harm."Additionally, uninsured drivers are frequently linked to other criminal activities, including drug or drink driving, excessive speeding, and organised crime such as drug running."Roads policing inspector Matt Boiles, from Avon and Somerset Police, added: "We typically see a significant rise in traffic volumes at the start of the summer holidays as people travel to and through our region. "By targeting uninsured vehicles, we're aiming to reduce risk to all road users during one of the busiest times of year."The MIB said many of the drivers of the seized vehicles were knowingly uninsured but urged all drivers to check their insurance status
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Why the speed limit on stretch of I-74 near Peoria has changed
Drivers traveling on Interstate 74 near Peoria will notice that the speed limit now remains 55 mph for about a mile longer. A speed limit interchange, one which dictates a change from 55 mph to 70 mph, on I-74 near the Pinecrest Drive interchange, has been moved one mile east, thus meaning there is a longer distance of interstate where the speed limit is 55 mph on I-74 between Peoria and Morton. The Illinois Department of Transportation told the Journal Star said this change was made because crash data showed a "disproportionate" number of accidents taking place due to wet pavement along the curve traveling westbound. The speed limit sign signaling a shift to 70 mph had previously been located on the curve. It is now about a mile farther east near the Pinecrest interchange. "By moving the 55 MPH speed limit one mile east, motorists will have more time to slow down prior to the curve. We are also evaluating additional potential improvements to reduce crashes in this area," IDOT said in a statement. More: Amphitheater once proposed for Washington could find home on Peoria riverfront This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Why the speed limit on I-74 near Peoria has changed Solve the daily Crossword
CTV News
5 days ago
- CTV News
‘Reckless and stupid': Impaired driving spike in Hamilton leads to six deaths in two months
Two people are dead after a fatal collision in Hamilton on Sunday June 1, 2025 (CP24 photo). Hamilton police say there has been a 'significant' spike in impaired driving across the city in the past two months that has led to the deaths of six people. New statistics released Friday indicate that impaired driving incidents increased by 25 per cent in May of 2025 compared to the same month last year. Police describe June's number as 'even more alarming,' citing a 53 per cent rise from the same month in 2024. Overall, they say impaired driving in Hamilton is up 11 per cent year-to-date. 'Impaired driving is on the rise in Hamilton. This means more people are making reckless, stupid, life-altering decisions, not just for themselves, but for everyone else on the road,' Hamilton police chief Frank Bergen said in a video posted to social media on Friday. 'This is a dangerous and deeply troubling trend, and it's got to stop.' Since the beginning of June, there have been three fatal collisions in the city that police say were directly linked to alcohol impairment. Six people died as a result, including a 10-year-old child. Also on Friday, police said they arrested and charged a 32-year-old Hamilton man in the deaths of two people in an overnight crash on Stoney Creek Mountain. The three-vehicle crash happened shortly after midnight on June 1 in the area of Upper Centennial Parkway between Mud Street East and Green Mountain Road. Crash Two people are dead after a fatal collision in Hamilton on Sunday June 1, 2025 (CP24 photo). Police said a 2014 Ford F-150 and 2014 Chevrolet Silverado were both driving southbound on Upper Centennial when the F-150 collided with the Silverado. The F-150 then crossed into the northbound lanes and hit a 2015 Kia Sorento head-on, police said. Both the driver and passenger of the Sorento were pronounced dead on the scene. On July 24, police arrested Nemanja Trivanovic. He is charged with multiple offences under the Criminal Code and Highway Traffic Act including two counts each of dangerous operation causing death, impaired operation causing death, and over 80 causing death, as well as stunt driving, speeding (140 km/h in a 70 km/h zone), defective brakes, and operating an unsafe motor vehicle. None of the charges have been tested in court. Police say they will be increasing their presence around Hamilton this summer, both on the road and on the water.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
More speed cameras cut down, vandalized in Toronto
A new study shows speed cameras are having an impact in Toronto, with researchers finding a 45 per cent decrease in overall speeding after cameras went up.
CNA
5 days ago
- Automotive
- CNA
US closes probe into Waymo self-driving collisions, unexpected behavior
WASHINGTON :The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Friday it has closed a 14-month investigation into a series of minor collisions and unexpected behavior from Alphabet's Waymo self-driving vehicles without taking further action. The U.S. auto safety regulator in May 2024 opened an investigation after 22 reports about Waymo robotaxis exhibiting driving behavior that potentially violated traffic safety laws, or demonstrating other "unexpected behavior," including 17 collisions. NHTSA cited two recalls issued by Waymo and the agency's analysis of available data in closing the investigation, including a 2024 recall to address a collision with a utility pole. The agency also cited Waymo's May recall of more than 1,200 vehicles that updated software to improve detection and avoidance of roadway barriers, such as chains strung across the path of travel, gates, and other gate-like roadway barriers. "At Waymo we are committed to prioritizing safety and we're pleased that NHTSA has concluded their investigation and closed our case," a spokesperson said Friday. NHTSA's probe covered potential traffic safety law violations by Waymo vehicles and unexpected responses to traffic control devices and issues when entering construction zones. The agency said last year that several incidents "involved collisions with clearly visible objects that a competent driver would be expected to avoid." Waymo has over 1,500 vehicles on the road across San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin, Texas, and is running more than 250,000 fully autonomous paid rides a week. It hopes to add service in New York, Miami and Washington, D.C. and launched service with Uber last month in Atlanta. Self-driving vehicle companies, including Waymo and General Motors have come under increased regulatory scrutiny following a 2023 incident where a pedestrian was seriously injured by a Cruise vehicle. GM cut Cruise's funding and folded it into its broader operations.
