auto crash

$8 Million Granted in Roadway Safety Efforts, Including ND’s Autonomous Crash Truck

March 15, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Commuters are already moving about before dawn on the streets of Washington DC United States Capital City

The state departments of transportation and local governments of 10 different states are receiving part of the Federal Highway Administration’s $8 million in grants for Accelerated Innovation Deployment or AID demonstration programs, as announced January 21st.

These grants will work to accelerate the implementation of new transportation technology, improve traffic management, speed up completion times for bridge projects, and improve overall roadway safety in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and North Dakota.

“These funds will help support our state and local partners across the country in their efforts to deliver more resilient roads, bridges, and highways for the traveling public,” said FHWA administrator, Nicole Nason.

One of these efforts is that of North Dakota, which received $241,687 for its autonomous crash attenuator truck.

A crash attenuator itself is a tool used to lessen crash impact, and is often installed at the end of a guardrail. An attenuator truck, or a “crash truck,” is typically positioned at the ends of work zones to help protect workers from collisions.

“[The attenuator] dampens or deflects that vehicle that’s coming into the work zone,” NDDOT engineer Travis Lutman said. “This is a big box, essentially, that is meant to deflect or absorb the impact of a crash so it doesn’t enter the work zone and hurt anybody.”

As of now, NDDOT uses an attenuator-mounted truck which must be operated by a driver. According to Lutman, the FHWA will be used for new autonomous vehicle tech in order to create a system allowing a driver-operated lead vehicle to communicate easily with an autonomous follower vehicle.

This attenuator-equipped follower vehicle would not need a driver in a work zone, but a human operator would need to aid in transporting the vehicle to and from the zone itself. Lutman said the autonomous attenuator truck would be useful in tasks like crack sealing, lane striping, and bridge cleaning.

The overarching goal of this new system is to increase safety around work zones, especially for the operator of current crash trucks.

“We want to get him or her out of that vehicle, creating a safe work environment for them,” said Lutman.

He also explained that Fargo will be the first city to implement the technology as efforts move forward between North Dakota and Minnesota.

Additionally, in Florida, the Florida Department of Transportation and the City of Orlando are using their joint $1 million AID grant for a segment of a larger project aiming to better manage traffic flows around downtown Orlando–which will specifically seek to improve “traffic signalization” at roadway intersections throughout the downtown area.

In New York, the state Department of Transportation will work to improve traffic incident management with its $740,000.

With $1 million, the Alabama Department of Transportation and Baldwin County will accelerate bridge construction and next beam ultra-high-performance concrete retrofit in an effort to shorten construction time from 14 weeks to six weeks.

Arkansas will use $313,600 for 3D modeling and paperless construction to enhance Global Navigation Satellite System technology throughout engineering and construction project phases.

Colorado’s DOT will use its $800,000 for Snowplow Signal Priority, allowing prioritized treatment for snowplows at traffic lights in order to help traffic flow more easily during snow removal.

In Iowa, the DOT and the city of Dubuque will develop a next-generation traffic control system in order to link 11 different corridors and act as one large integrated system. The state was given nearly $1 million for the project.

The Minnesota DOT will use another $1 million to improve safety and access along Broadway Avenue in Winona. In Michigan, the Department of Transportation will use $1 million to accelerate bridge construction and employ Prefabricated Bridge Elements and Systems (PBES) to decrease traffic delays, currently caused by the construction of its 2nd Avenue Network Arch Superstructure project.

The Illinois Department of Transportation will also use $1 million to implement compacted concrete pavement to improve the surface of Jerseyville’s Hollow Avenue. This concrete differs from standard roller compacted concrete with its high-density asphalt-type paver instead of standard paving. Compacted concrete pavement has a similar surface finish to standard pavement, but will use a tamper screed on its high-density paver. This will compact the road’s surface without the need for roller compaction.

“The grants being awarded today will help advance innovative transportation solutions to improve safety and mobility on America’s roadways,” said FHWA’s Nason.

Convoy Trucking Proving the Industry Must Adapt

December 18, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

2019 has been a tough one for the trucking industry. Through continuous storylines covering the driver shortage to serious concerns regarding the overall business prospects for trucking companies, the industry has truly been struggling. Despite all the noise, there have been several companies who have been able to cut through the tension and make a name for themselves. Recently, it was announced that Convoy, an on-demand digital trucking platform, has raised $400 million in funding, which will help it escalate its business model and bring it to market. What exactly is a digital trucking platform? For starters, Convoy’s intention is to cut shipping costs by creating a streamlined alternative to the large amount of wasted space that occurs in most long-haul trucks. The goal is to digitally connect shippers with trucking companies. Think Uber for truck drivers; something we have already seen in the market with Uber Freight.

While the news of Convoy’s new round of funding may not appear monumental, it really is a sign that the industry could seriously pivot within the next decade. For instance, back in August of 2019, The New York Times wrote a piece about Convoy’s emergence within the industry and had the opportunity to speak with Silpa Paul, a commercial vehicle analyst for Frost and Sullivan, a prominent research company specializing in consulting for companies. In that piece, The New York Times stated that “Ms. Paul estimated that services like Convoy’s were expected to grow rapidly, from posting $210 million in broker fees in North America in 2017 to $6.7 billion in 2025.” Further, Paul had determined that the streamlined efficiency would likely not bear on a loss of trucking jobs, because there was already such a severe shortage, as announced by the American Trucking Association. For an industry struggling as much as the trucking industry is, companies finding the potential to garner billions of dollars certainly provides a few bright spots.

Moving forward, Convoy understands that although it has produced the necessary funding to evolve its business model and become a national brand for many shippers, it also faces competition from the likes of Uber Freight. That’s why it is fascinating to see where this brand goes next. According to Tech Crunch, “the company launched in 2019 an automated reloads feature that allows truckers to book multiple loads at a time. It also added Convoy Go, which allows drivers to bring their truck cab and hook up to a trailer pre-filled with cargo.” These advancements are really where we will see how profitable and transformative these digital freight shipping apps will be. While long-haul freight is likely to be where the money is for Convoy, the reality is that there are drivers throughout the industry looking to independently move freight. Allowing for drivers to bring their truck cabs to pre-filled cargo shipments truly changes how the industry functions.

Changing Industry May Bring More Challenges than Previously Believed

There is much to be said about Convoy’s business model and how it; coupled with Uber Freight, will have a tremendous impact on the industry as a whole. Unfortunately, it seems to go unnoticed that some of Convoy’s investors happen to singlehandedly turn the industry on its head already. Currently, Jeff Bezos serves as a primary investor for the company, being that both Amazon and Convoy are located in the same city and largely have the ability to overlap their business models; it’s a genius move by the billionaire. Unfortunately, we have already written about how Amazon is threatening the industry by bringing its shipping and delivery in-house to save on costs. With Class 8 tractors now on the roads for the company, a start-up with the ability to handle the “spot market” with the click of a button seriously threatens small companies. Sure, there is already a driver shortage and Convoy argues that it won’t be taking jobs, but rather rendering shipping more efficient by ensuring that freight is carrying up to its capacity. The issue is that there are many small trucking companies throughout the United States and a majority of their business relies on the “spot market” to turn a profit. In 2019, the spot market has been down. Some may argue that these new apps will help alleviate this issue; however, the long-term ramifications due to who actually has a “say” within companies such as Convoy may present far more issues for the industry and its ability to support small and medium size trucking companies in the next decade.

Chicago Releases Long-Expected West Side Traffic Safety Plan

October 10, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the city of Chicago recently announced a West Side Vision Zero Traffic Safety Plan, which aims to address the prior administration’s intent to create a comprehensive infrastructure plan based on “crash data to identify 43 high crash corridors and eight high crash areas in Chicago,” according to SmartCitiesWorld, an online publisher specializing in infrastructure analysis. The new plan comes on the footsteps of the city’s announcement that it would spend $6 million on establishing proper infrastructure and safety on the West Side of Chicago. As part of this initiative, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), recently installed pedestrian islands at the intersection of Madison St. and St. Louis Avenue. This announcement and the work soon to begin on the West Side is all being done under the City’s Vision Zero Chicago initiative, part of a global movement that addresses fatal infrastructure issues throughout cities with the belief that crashes can be easily avoided so long as the proper infrastructure is in place.

According to the Vision Zero Principles the city prominently displays on its website, the new initiative sets out to adopt and implement specific plans that match accordingly to high crash areas. As discussed above, the recent pedestrian islands that were installed on the West Side are just the beginning of acknowledging and trying to alleviate the injuries likely to occur in neighborhoods with dangerous infrastructure issues. Overall, actions such as these fit under the umbrella of the City’s ultimate goals which it declares are to:

Invest equitably in communities that are most affected by severe traffic crashes.
Work to change behaviors and perceptions to build citywide culture of safety.
Make streets safer for all users.
Encourage and implement policies, training, and technologies that create safer vehicles and professional drivers.

All of this goes to say that Chicago understands there are communities that have long been neglected when it comes to issues such as infrastructure; and the West Side is certainly one of those communities. As the initial high crash data showed, seven of the eight high crash areas were located on the West and South sides of Chicago. With the introduction of this new plan, residents of these communities will be receiving long awaited uptick in public safety standards that will render the roads and sidewalks far safer for all.

The West Side Initiative

Although the official plan has yet to be posted to the City’s dedicated website for this topic, Streetsblog Chicago wrote an analysis of what can be expected. “The Vision Zero West Side Plan includes 15 strategies to improve traffic and pedestrian safety in East and West Garfield Park, North Lawndale and Austin. The recommendations include safety improvement around transit stations; efforts to promote walking and biking to school.” Overall, the new plan appears to go all in on alleviating a lot of the issues that have plagued this part of the City for years. What makes this plan different than other projects that have been announced in the past is the fact that it truly is comprehensive and input from community leaders on the West Side and all around the city have been taken into consideration. For example, in creating the West Side initiative, the CDOT worked with the Garfield Park Community Council, the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council, Lawndale Christian Health Center, Build, and Austin Coming Together.

While the plan that has been proposed appears to be all about public safety policy, there’s more to it that CDOT is hoping truly transforms how people travel on the West Side and engage with their community. For example, while traffic safety is a key part of the initiative, the plan also calls for job creation and an increase in quality of life. One way it aims to achieve these two goals is through allowing residents to feel safe walking, biking, and using public transportation. While such things and fixing light poles and cleaning up transit areas seem small, the reality is that actions such as this make individuals more likely to use means other than driving for transportation purposes. As we have repeatedly addressed, the more individuals on the roads and increasing the odds of traffic throughout the city, the more crashes and injuries that will result so long as infrastructure issues remain.

Ultimately, this new initiative may appear to be no more than a pipe dream for communities that have long been promised change throughout the city, but the real hope remains that CDOT will hold to its plan and transform parts of the city and will keep those on the road safe, and the residents in the community much safer.

Safety Tips for Chicago Bicyclists

June 7, 2019 by Danylo Terleckyj Leave a Comment

Chicago’s mostly cold. Cold weather makes for hardy people who drink black coffee, eat pizza that’s really a casserole, and put hot peppers on everything. People from Illinois also know how to navigate in the snow without a dogsled. And, they don’t lose their cool when the roads are slippery, even when riding a bicycle.

Chicago is a city that has a lot of people riding around on bicycles in all types of weather conditions, even those few weeks and months when the sun comes out of hiding. Bicycling is so popular here that Divvy, Chicago’s bicycle share program, is set to expand its coverage over the entire City by 2021. Currently, there is no service on the West Side, the Far South Side, or the Far Northwest Side.

With even more people riding around on bikes than ever before, making sure everybody gets to their destination safely is, or at least should be everybody’s number one priority when it comes to transportation.

There is no such thing as an accident

The word accident implies that the unfortunate or terrible thing that happened was unavoidable. A car crash is almost never an accident because a car crash is often times avoidable. Crashes occur when someone makes a poor choice. People drive drunk. They look at their phones while driving. They get behind the wheel when they haven’t had enough sleep and drive fatigued. Choices like these can lead to grave consequences especially when a car hits a bicycle.

The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that 783 cyclists were killed in traffic crashes nationwide in 2017. There are steps that drivers and cyclists can take to decrease that number, if not eliminate bicycle traffic deaths altogether.

Know the statistics

The U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations maintains statistics on traffic deathseach year.

Regardless of what time of year it is, the highest percentage of bicycle deaths happen between the hours of 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Over 70% of cyclist fatalities occur in urban as opposed to rural areas.
Alcohol use was reported in 35% of fatal crashes involving bicycles.

Get to know the rules of the road

Cyclists in Illinois are required to follow the same traffic rulesthat apply to motorists. This also means that bike riders generally have the same rights as drivers do. Drivers need to give cyclists enough space to travel safely. The Chicago Municipal Code prohibits cars from driving, standing, or parking in a bike lane. Cyclists should generally keep as far to the right as is practically possible, with a few exceptions. Both bike riders and drivers should remember that they have to share the road and that keeping a proper lookout for other travelers is paramount.

Don’t get distracted

Distracted driving is a big problem. This applies to people riding bikes as well. Not only that, but walking around in Chicago, you’re bound to see pedestrians looking down at their phones, too. Standing on the side walk and looking at your phone may be excusable, if not annoying to some, but propelling any form of transportation forward on city streets requires a person’s undivided attention.

We’ve all heard that texting and driving can kill. According to U.S. Government statistics, 1 in 10 fatal crashes involve people who were distracted while driving; an entirely preventable statistic. There is no excuse for pulling your phone out if you’re driving or if you’re riding a bike. Just pull over. Even the most important phone call can wait when it’s a matter of life or death.

If in doubt, learn to ride

The Chicago Department of Transportationand Divvy are offering free bicycle riding classeswith limited spots this summer. The classes are meant to help adults who never learned to ride a bike or haven’t ridden in a long time to ride with confidence and to feel comfortable riding on Chicago’s city streets. Space for these classes is limited. Classes may be open to children based on availability. Divvy will provide bikes to participants over the age of 16 because the program doesn’t allow kids under 16 to use its bikes. Participants under age 16 will have to provide their own bikes.

Four things you should accomplish after an accident

October 26, 2015 by Ken Levinson Leave a Comment

It’s hard to think about the legal implications of an auto accident in the aftermath of a crash. The reaction, whether it’s the crash victim or a family member, is to focus on his/her injuries versus a protracted legal battle. I recently returned from teaching at the AAJ Trucking College in Dallas, where about 100 lawyers came together to discuss their cases and gain insight into legal know-hows. It reminded me of a few points that crash victims should be thinking about in the event of an accident, things that could prove to be difference makers once your lawyer starts negotiating a settlement or starts preparing for a trial.

What you know is that you’ve been hurt. What you don’t know is that insurance companies have taken steps to protect their interests almost immediately.

We’ve put together an informal checklist to make you aware of legal protections and to help you avoid the pitfalls of the shady business practices of insurance companies at the expense of someone’s inexperience. Contrary to what they tell you, insurance companies are looking to pay as little as possible, no matter how much they like to pretend. Of the dozens of crash cases we see each year, the bottom line is money: one side is looking for fair compensation (injured clients) while the other is looking to save themselves from paying more than they have to (insurance companies). That’s a different discussion entirely, but in the meantime keep these things in mind if you ever find yourself in an auto accident.

Contact a lawyer immediately

You’d be surprised to learn that some people wait until it’s too late. Our team fields calls each day from crash victims who take insurance companies at face value. Clients tell us how, in the beginning, insurers claim that ensuing compensation will be fair and equitable. Whether that turns out to be true is not necessarily the case. If you think about it from the perspective of an insurance claims representative, their goal is simple: save money, however possible. If that means pulling the wool over your eyes, then so be it. Our job is to make sure that doesn’t happen. You’ll save yourself a world of angst just by taking the time to contact the appropriate people with the appropriate resources.

By contacting a lawyer immediately, you’ve done three things: You’ve a) contacted someone who will protect your interests from the beginning of the process, b) you’ve contacted someone who knows the ins and outs of legal necessities (in the case of a truck crash, for example, gaining access to a black box, video surveillance, driving logs, etc. before they somehow “disappear”) and c) you’ve contacted someone who’s familiar with what fair compensation is and how to assess your injuries and the damage you’ve sustained. In short, lawyers are your vessel for full protection when your immediate concerns should be about your health.

Gather all relevant details of your crash

This might seem self-explanatory, and it may seem like it’s a job for someone else, namely the responding officer. It’s not necessarily enough. What’s worse, it’s likely not the first thing that’s on your mind after a crash. Still, witnesses are one of the most important factors in any injury case for obvious reasons. Did your accident take place at a nearby school or in front of a supermarket? Did it happen in your neighborhood or in a populated region? Did someone take pictures?

These are the details that can prove effective during settlement negotiations or a trial, even something as simple as noting the time of day, taking note of a cell phone log, or even the type of shirt the driver was wearing (was it a novelty shirt that, however jokingly, referenced fast driving?). All the ammunition you can muster will only help to serve your interests. Recounting them by putting it on paper will keep you ahead of the game.

Think of a family member/friend that might be willing to help

An auto accident can be a traumatizing experience. One of the things that many people find helpful is asking a friend and/or family member to act on their behalf. The scope of which you decided to allow your friend or family member to be involved is up to you, but the purpose is to take undue stress off your shoulders. If that means organizing a schedule of events, keeping up to speed with updates or acting as liaison to your lawyer, then all the better. The point is to make sure your interests are protected from the start and throughout the process of litigation.

Get to the “human level”

Trust is the most important part of any relationship. That goes for your lawyer, too. You need to feel safe. You need to feel comfortable. That’s part of our job, but you can’t take things for granted. There are questions you want to ask: “Have you handled a case like this before?” for example. “Are you licensed to practice in Illinois?” Sound bizarre? You’d be surprised just how many people are willing to take on a case without the proper licensure. To use an old adage: no question is a bad question. The more comfortable you feel, the better the opportunity for a seamless process and peace of mind. Build together, grow together, win together.