The War on Cars

Killed by a Traffic Engineer

8 snips
Jun 25, 2024
A professor of civil engineering challenges the notion that traffic engineering is based on science in the podcast. Topics include the historical influence on safety standards, the relationship between speed limits and road safety, and the conflict between safety and traffic flow efficiency. The guest calls for a shift towards prioritizing safety in transportation design and discusses the evolution of traffic engineering perspectives over time.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Factor of Safety Failure

  • Unlike structural engineering, traffic engineering doesn't always benefit from a 'bigger is better' approach due to human behavior.
  • Wider roads, intended for safety, often induce faster driving, negating potential safety gains.
ANECDOTE

Paul Hoffman's Influence

  • Wes Marshall traces the flawed “vehicle miles traveled” safety metric back to Paul Hoffman, former Studebaker chairman.
  • Hoffman promoted this metric to make cars appear safer, influencing traffic engineering and policy.
ADVICE

A Better Safety Metric

  • Advocate for population-based safety metrics (e.g., fatalities per 100,000 people) instead of vehicle miles traveled.
  • This approach treats road safety like a public health issue, offering better comparisons and insights.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app