The Growing Proof That Autonomous Cars Save Lives

Good news! Of course, autonomous vehicles are more safe than human driven vehicles.

Why a [big] government mandate for automatic emergency braking was imposed is very regrettable! Unnecessary!

"... mounting research suggests that self-driving cars crash significantly less often than people, and with far fewer injuries. Evidence also shows that advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and other building blocks of autonomy—some of which are already mandated on every new car—are also reducing occupant and pedestrian injuries and deaths, along with insurance claims. ...

On the ADAS front, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems that recognize people in front of the car cut pedestrian crashes by 27 percent. Those AEB systems are mandated for all light vehicles in the U.S. by 2029, and more than 90 percent of new models already comply under a voluntary automakers’ agreement. A separate IIHS study found that automated braking greatly reduced rear-end crashes, by 50 percent, and their injuries by 56 percent. ...

A key question is whether Waymo’s robotaxis, currently limited to fair-weather operation in a handful of cities in the U.S., are directly comparable to humans driving a wider variety of roads in much more variable conditions. ..."

Are Self Driving Cars Safe as Early Data Suggests? - IEEE Spectrum "Self-driving tech could prevent 580,000 deaths every year"

The Trump administration shut down 270 truck-driving schools in a nationwide fraud crackdown

Good news, if warranted! Tough!

"... including 110 that officials say licensed drivers, many in the country illegally, who couldn’t meet English requirements."

"Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the move alongside Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, saying tens of thousands of illegal drivers' licenses were issued during former [46th President's term]. ...

The administration is shutting down 110 driving schools that were the "greatest offenders" in granting drivers' licenses to illegal immigrants, as well as 160 additional schools that Duffy says lacked proper space for driving tests or had unlicensed instructors. ..."

Tuesday, September 1, 2026 - Join The Flyover

Trump admin shuts down 270 driving schools in fraud crackdown "The administration shut down hundreds of driving schools for granting licenses to illegal immigrants"

Global road injuries and deaths have fallen by nearly a third from 1990 to 2023

Good news! Amazing given that "world population increased by approximately 2.7 billion people" and "total global fleet of registered motor vehicles increase of about 1 billion vehicles" over this period. (Google Search)

"Global road injuries and deaths have fallen by nearly a third from 1990 to 2023, per a study published yesterday in Lancet Public Health; but traffic crashes still led to +1.1 million deaths last year."

"

• In 2023, road injuries caused 50.9 million injuries, 1.34 million deaths, and 75.3 million years of healthy life lost globally. 
• Road injuries were the leading cause of death among young people ages 10-39 globally and the second-leading cause among children ages 5-9. 
• Mortality rates are nearly six times higher in low-income countries than in high-income countries; more than 90% of deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. 
• Motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of road injury cases and deaths.

"

From the abstract:

"Summary

Background

Road injuries are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Years of international efforts have aimed to strengthen policy engagement, including the 2020 UN General Assembly's proclamation of the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021–30), targeting a 50% reduction in road traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030. The aim of this study is to provide estimates to monitor progress and identify intervention gaps.

Methods

As part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2023, we estimated incidence, mortality, and morbidity of road injuries for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023.

Four road injury types and 47 nature-of-injury categories were examined. Morbidity and mortality data from clinical records, vital registration, and police reports were harmonised using meta-analytic techniques to ensure consistency and correct for systematic bias. Incidence was modelled with the meta-regression tool Disease Modelling-Meta-Regression version 2.1 and cause-specific mortality with the Cause of Death Ensemble model, both incorporating location-specific covariates to support interpolation.

Years of life lived with disability (YLDs) were estimated from the prevalence and severity of the nature of road injury, and years of life lost (YLLs) from the number of cause-specific deaths multiplied by the standard life expectancy at the age of death.

Disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were the sum of YLLs and YLDs. All metrics were calculated with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs).

Findings

In 2023, there were 50·9 million (95% UI 46·1–56·1) road injury incident cases, 1·34 million (1·04–1·58) deaths, and 75·3 million (59·8–89·2) DALYs globally. Road injuries were the leading global cause of death among males aged 10–39 years. 

Between 1990 and 2023, age-standardised incidence decreased by 38·3% (95% UI 36·9–39·7) and mortality decreased by 32·3% (6·1–49·0), but progress varied widely by World Bank income group.

Mortality in low-income countries (43·8 [95% UI 31·7–56·0] deaths per 100 000 population) was approximately six times higher than in high-income countries (7·5 [7·1–7·9] deaths per 100 000), despite the high-income countries showing the highest age-standardised incidence rates (858·1 [95% UI 781·9–947·1] cases per 100 000). In the past decade, many countries achieved notable reductions in road injuries, but others, including Ghana and the USA, saw increases. More severe injuries tended to occur in low-income and middle-income countries. ..."

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Road deaths have declined globally since 1990 except in poorer countries, study finds

Around the world, road injuries remain a leading, preventable cause of death among young people (original news release)

Global, regional, and national burden of road injuries 1990–2023: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023 (open access)

Figure 2 Change in age-standardised mortality rates attributable to road injuries, 2010–23

Tesla Model Y 2026 is first car to meet new US driver assistance safety benchmark

Good news! When are we getting rid of the steering wheel and breaks?

"The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Tuesday that the later release 2026 Tesla Model Y is the first vehicle to meet the agency’s new benchmark for advanced driver assistance systems.

Four pass-fail tests were added to the agency’s safety ratings program, assessing a car’s automatic emergency braking for pedestrians, blind-spot warning, blind-spot intervention, and lane assist, a feature that helps keep the vehicle in the lane.

The new benchmark rating applies to 2026 Tesla Model Y vehicles assembled on or after November 12, 2025. ..."

Tesla Model Y is first car to meet new US driver assistance safety benchmark | TechCrunch

Waymo now has 170 million miles of safety data for its robotaxis

 Good news!

"Waymo now has 170 million miles of safety data for its robotaxis. The results are much the same as before: the vehicles are 13 times safer than human drivers (i.e., they are involved in 92 percent fewer serious injury-causing crashes)." (Source)

Israeli Traffic Court rules missile alert no excuse for speeding on a highway

Be cool! No need to hurry! The missile is faster! Just kidding!

"... Knowing how to behave on the roads in Israel when the sirens sound presents a confusing challenge. This issue arose in a case recently heard in the Central District Traffic Court. A man was driving on the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway in the afternoon at a speed of 157 kilometers per hour, in a stretch where the speed limit is 90 kilometers per hour. The driver was arrested, and his license was revoked for 30 days. ..."

Court rules missile alert no excuse for speeding - Globes "The Central District Traffic Court ruled that the alerts do not justify driving at the speed at which the defendant was driving."

Drugged driving – including under the influence of cannabis and prescription drugs – is quietly becoming one of the most dangerous road hazards

Recommendable! Serious stuff!

Recreational drugs are harmless, right? Caution: irony!

"These preventable circumstances highlight a stark reality: Drugged driving can be just as deadly as alcohol-impaired driving. Meanwhile, driving under the influence of drugs is becoming increasingly common across the United States.

Yet public awareness and policy responses continue to lag behind. ...

Whether the substance is illegal, like methamphetamine, or legal but still impairing – like cannabis, sedating sleep aids or certain prescription drugs like benzodiazepines and pain killers – the result is the same: impaired judgment, dulled reflexes and devastating outcomes on the road.

A different form of impairment

In 2020, an estimated 12.6 million people ages 16 and up drove after using illicit drugs. Of that total, roughly 11.7 million were under the influence of cannabis. In 2018, some 2.3 million people in the United States reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs other than marijuana during the previous 12 months. Globally, roadside surveys worldwide find that between 3.9% and 20% of drivers tested positive for drugs. ...

Cannabis, for example, slows reaction time and affects spatial awareness. Opioids can cause drowsiness and dizziness.

Stimulants like cocaine or methamphetamine may lead to overconfidence and aggressive driving.

When drugs are mixed — or combined with alcohol — the risks increase dramatically. ...

Multiple studies have found that drivers with THC, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, in their bloodstream are about twice as likely to be involved in a fatal crash – either as the cause or as a victim – compared with those who haven’t used drugs or alcohol. ...

Outdated laws and patchy enforcement

Every U.S. state has laws prohibiting drug-impaired driving, but enforcement varies dramatically.

Some states, such as Texas and California, use “impairment-based” laws, which rely on observable signs of impairment. Others, such as Ohio and Wisconsin, use per se laws, setting thresholds for drugs like THC — such as 5 nanograms per milliliter of blood.

Then there are zero-tolerance laws, in states like Georgia and Rhode Island, which penalize drivers for having any trace of a controlled substance while behind the wheel, regardless of whether they’re impaired at the time. ...

Detection is the biggest hurdle

A significant factor in the inconsistency from state to state is that there is no standardized way to measure drug impairment as there is with blood alcohol content.

While alcohol can be tested on the spot using a breathalyzer, detecting drug use is far more complicated. THC and other substances can linger in the body long after their impairing effects have worn off. Meanwhile, newer synthetic drugs such as spice or bath salts may not be detected at all without specialized equipment.

To address this, many states are turning to oral fluid testing — or saliva tests — which can detect recent drug use more quickly. As of late 2023, 27 states had authorized some form of roadside oral fluid screening. ..."

Drugged driving – including under the influence of cannabis and prescription drugs – is quietly becoming one of the most dangerous road hazards

Taiwan Plans Stricter Rules for Older Drivers

Aging drivers and traffic safety! This has been a growing problem in many countries.

More road safety with Self-Driving Cars like Waymo

Good and expected news! Even if you discount that this is a Waymo staff study, there is little doubt that autonomous cars are safer.

Apparently the way too frequent vehicle-to-vehicle crashes in intersections were significantly reduced!

"Makers of autonomous vehicles (AVs) have long touted the safety benefits of their cars: Unlike humans, self-driving cars don’t text and drive, or drive while sleepy or impaired. 

Research is starting to bear those claims out, with a large and comprehensive new study showing significant safety performance compared to human driving ...

In a peer-reviewed study set to be published in Traffic Injury Prevention, AV company Waymo analyzed the performance of its AVs over 56.7 million miles driven in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Austin—all without a human driver present. 

Researchers compared that data to human driving performance over the same distance on the same kind of roads.

The results: Waymo found its AVs reduce crashes that involve an injury by 96%, and pedestrian- and cyclist-involved collisions by 82%–92% ..."

From the abstract:

"SAE Level 4 Automated Driving Systems (ADSs) are deployed on public roads, including Waymo's Rider-Only (RO) ride-hailing service (without a driver behind the steering wheel). The objective of this study was to perform a retrospective safety assessment of Waymo's RO crash rate compared to human benchmarks, including disaggregated by crash type.

Eleven crash type groups were identified from commonly relied upon crash typologies that are derived from human crash databases. 

Human benchmarks were aligned to the same vehicle types, road types, and locations as where the Waymo Driver operated.

Waymo crashes were extracted from the NHTSA Standing General Order (SGO). RO mileage was provided by the company via a public website.

Any-injury-reported, Airbag Deployment, and Suspected Serious Injury+ crash outcomes were examined because they represented previously established, safety-relevant benchmarks where statistical testing could be performed at the current mileage.

Data was examined over 56.7 million RO miles through the end of January 2025, resulting in a statistically significant lower crashed vehicle rate for all crashes compared to the benchmarks in Any-Injury-Reported and Airbag Deployment, and Suspected Serious Injury+ crashes.

Of the crash types, V2V Intersection crash events represented the largest total crash reduction, with a 96% reduction in Any-injury-reported (87%-99% CI) and a 91% reduction in Airbag Deployment (76%-98% CI) events.

Cyclist, Motorcycle, Pedestrian, Secondary Crash, and Single Vehicle crashes were also statistically reduced for the Any-Injury-Reported outcome.

There was no statistically significant disbenefit found in any of the 11 crash type groups.

This study represents the first retrospective safety assessment of an RO ADS that made statistical conclusions about more serious crash outcomes and analyzed crash rates on a crash type basis."

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Comparison of Waymo Rider-Only Crash Rates by Crash Type to Human Benchmarks at 56.7 Million Miles (preprint, open access)