Latest news with #HighwaySafety
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
This state has the highest maximum speed limit in New England. Can you guess which one?
Speed limits have been rising in recent decades, and with them has come increased deaths, according to data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In 2023, nearly 12,000 deaths, or 29% of all motor vehicle fatalities, came from speed-related crashes. An IIHS study that used data from 1993 to 2017 found that a 5 mph increase in the speed limit causes an 8% increase in death rates on interstates and freeways. It causes a 3% increase in deaths on other roads. Most New England states have some of the lowest maximum posted speed limits in the country. But one has a maximum speed limit 10 miles per hour higher than the rest. More: Is it illegal to drive slow in the left lane in Massachusetts? Here's what the law says Which state in New England has the highest maximum speed limit? Maine has the highest maximum posted speed limit in New England, according to an August IIHS report. It allows cars to go up to 75 mph on rural and urban interstates and other limited access roads. The limit is 60 mph on 'other roads.' What is the maximum speed limit in Massachusetts, other New England states? Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont all have a maximum speed limit of 65 mph on rural interstates. New Hampshire's maximum speed limit is 70 mph on certain sections of roads. Here are the maximum posted speed limits for different road types in New England states, according to IIHS. State Rural interstates (mph) Urban interstates (mph) Other limited access roads (mph) Other roads (mph Connecticut 65 55 65 55 Maine 75 75 75 60 Massachusetts 65 65 65 55 New Hampshire 65; 70 on specified segments of roads 65 55 55 Rhode Island 65 55 55 55 Vermont 65 55 50 50 What is the highest speed limit in the country? Where is it? The highest speed limit can be found in Texas: 85 mph is allowed on specified segments of roads in the Lone Star State. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Which New England state has the highest speed limit? Solve the daily Crossword
Auto Blog
12-08-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
IIHS Wants 3 Canadian Driving Laws to Increase U.S. Road Safety
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. The IIHS roadmap for stronger U.S. traffic safety The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has highlighted multiple Canadian driving laws that it believes would decrease U.S. traffic fatality rates. The IIHS is advocating that the U.S. mirror Canada by expanding its use of traffic enforcement cameras while increasing the stringency of laws related to distracted driving, seatbelt use, blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels, and how police can request a breathalyzer test. Speed, work zone, school zone, and red-light cameras are among the U.S.'s most common types of traffic enforcement cameras. As of 2025, 22 states permit the use of speed cameras, according to the World Population Review. However, among these states, Arkansas and Indiana don't allow red-light cameras. There are also some states that don't permit speed cameras, but approve red-light cameras, including California, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Missouri, and North Carolina. By providing your email address, you agree that it may be used pursuant to Arena Group's Privacy Policy. We may receive compensation. The Canadian and General Motors flags outside General Motors Canada's Oshawa Assembly Complex in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada — Source: Cole Burston/Bloomberg via Getty Images Regarding distracted driving in Canada, fines for the offense now start at $600, JRJ Law reports. In contrast, U.S. states like Alabama fine first-time texting and driving offenders as little as $25. While New Hampshire is the only U.S. state without an adult seat belt law, 24 states categorize the legislation under secondary enforcement, meaning police can only write a citation after pulling a driver over for a different offense. Seat belt fines in the U.S. also start at amounts as little as $30 in states like Kansas, whereas in Canada, penalties typically begin at $200. According to Business in Vancouver, a survey showed that 69% of Canadians get upset not seeing a driver wearing a seatbelt, compared to 57% in America. The IIHS is also advocating for lower BAC limits and giving police the ability to force any driver to submit a breathalyzer test, regardless of whether they're suspected of being intoxicated, The Truth About Cars reports. While the U.S.'s most common BAC limit for drivers matches Canada's federal regulation of 0.08%, many Canadian provinces impose administrative sanctions at 0.05% or lower, creating a layered approach. Considerations when comparing driving in Canada to the U.S. The IIHS studied traffic fatalities between the U.S. and Canada from 2007 to 2021 and found that U.S. fatalities began increasing after 2011, but Canada maintained a declining trend. However, there are some notable differences between the two countries. The U.S. has a population of about 347,275,807, whereas Canada's is around 40,126,723, according to Worldometer. Canadians also have a slightly shorter average commuting distance than Americans, The Truth About Cars reports. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. A car hauler crossing the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Canada and Detroit, Michigan — Source: Getty Final thoughts While factors like population in the U.S. versus Canada impact statistical differences between the two countries in areas such as traffic fatalities, the IIHS' finding that Canada maintained a declining trend in driving deaths after 2011, while rates in America increased, warrants attention. One of the most apparent differences between the U.S. and Canada is the fine amounts in areas like distracted driving and seatbelt use. U.S. States increasing the minimum fine amounts for these offenses could cause drivers to think twice about breaking the law. Legislators could also likely benefit from mirroring Canada's layered protections that leverage law, technology, and enforcement instead of patchwork regulations. About the Author Cody Carlson View Profile
CBC
28-07-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
Toronto-bound lanes of QEW closed after collisions in St. Catharines, Ont.
Social Sharing Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say all Toronto-bound lanes of the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) are closed near Niagara Street in St. Catharines, Ont., following two separate collisions that happened Monday morning. In multiple posts on social media site X, the OPP Highway Safety Division said the first crash, near the Niagara Street overpass, involved three vehicles. One driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries. That crash has since been cleared. A second collision about 500 metres past Welland Avenue involved two tractor trailers and five other vehicles, police said. Six people were involved, according to OPP GTA Traffic, and two were taken to hospital with minor injuries. As of 8:45 a.m. ET, all Toronto-bound lanes remain closed, OPP said. Drivers are being asked to avoid the area and take alternate routes.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Baby in back? Ways to remind yourself that your child is buckled in the back seat
Summer is near, and temperatures will be rising, with heat intensifying faster inside a vehicle. If you have a baby or young child buckled in the back seat, this is a good time to find the best way to remind yourself that your precious cargo is strapped in behind you, especially if your vehicle doesn't have warning technology to alert you to check the back seat. Kids and Car Safety; the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offer some tips: Put the child's diaper bag or another item in the front passenger seat as a visual cue that the child is riding with you. Put something in the back seat (next to where the child is buckled) that you can't start your day without − your work badge, cellphone, laptop, purse or briefcase. Keep a stuffed animal or toy in the car seat and move it to the front passenger seat after you've buckled in the child in to remind you the child is riding with you. Write a note to remind yourself to check the back seat. Set an alarm on your cellphone or computer calendar, one that is different from all other alert sounds, to remind you to drop off your child at child care. Open the back door every time you park, and look around inside before you lock your vehicle. Announce and confirm who is getting each child out of the vehicle if you are riding with others. Ask your babysitter or child care provider to contact you if your child hasn't arrived as scheduled. If someone else is dropping off your child at child care, communicate with them that the drop-off was made. There have been at least 1,129 children who have died in hot vehicles in the U.S. since 1990, according to Kids and Car Safety, an advocacy group devoted to saving the lives of children and pets in and around vehicles. It indicates 7,500 more children survived being in a hot vehicle, with various degrees of injury, according to its website. Four children have died in hot vehicles this year, according to the group, with the latest being a 1-year-old boy in Albuquerque, N.M., on May 25. The other deaths were in New Jersey, Maryland and California, according to the website. In Michigan, there have been 13 hot car deaths involving children under age 14 from 1990-2024 and two prior to 1990, according to the group. In August, a 3-year-old boy died in Vicksburg in Kalamazoo County when his father left him in a vehicle. Several West Michigan television media reports indicate the man left his son in a rear-facing car seat in the driver's side back seat when he went to work. The reports indicate he dropped off his daughter at daycare, but forgot to drop off his son. He found the boy later that day after returning to his vehicle after a stop at a grocery store. He was charged, pleaded guilty and in March was sentenced to probation and a delayed jail sentence, according to the media reports. Kids and Car Safety indicates that in more than half of hot car deaths, the person responsible for the child unknowingly left them in the vehicle. The majority of children who died in a hot car death was age 3 or younger, according to the group. Having ways to remember to the check the back seat is important as Michigan's updated child passenger safety laws took effect April 2, with children needing to be secured in a car seat that is appropriate for their weight and height as indicated by the seat's manufacturer. All children under age 13 must ride in the rear seat, if the vehicle has one. More: Counterfeit automotive parts pour into U.S. and can be a 'direct risk to safety' Infants to children age 2 must be in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the maximum weight or height allowed by the seat's manufacturer or the child is 2 years old. Those age 2-5 can move into a forward-facing car seat until they reach the maximum weight or height allowed by the seat's manufacturer or the child is 5 years old. Those age 5-8 can move into a belt-positioning booster seat using a lap and shoulder belt until they are 4 feet, 9 inches tall or 8 years old. The National Weather Service indicates that the interior temperature of a vehicle can rise almost 20 degrees within the first 10 minutes, even with the windows cracked open. A child's body temperature rises three to five minutes faster than an adult's, so their temperature can rise quickly when left in a vehicle. Heat stroke begins when the core body temperature reaches about 104 degrees, and death occurs at a core body temperature of 107 degrees or above, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Contact Christina Hall: chall@ Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @challreporter. Support local journalism. Subscribe to the Free Press. Submit a letter to the editor at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ways to remind yourself that your child is buckled in the back seat
CTV News
05-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Northern MPP pushes bill to boost safety on northern Ont. highways
NDP MPP Guy Bourgouin tabled a bill to improve safety on northern Ontario's Highways 11 and 17, proposing extended truck inspections, stricter licensing tests and more OPP enforcement. Municipal leaders say the province ignores the routes' dangers. The legislation will be debated this fall.
