April Gray

Hampton Clay Gabler III, an esteemed faculty member of the Center for Injury Biomechanics, died on Jan. 11, 2021, surrounded by his loving family.

Gabler was the Samuel Herrick Professor at Virginia Tech, where he served as professor and chair of the undergraduate biomedical engineering program in biomedical engineering and mechanics in the College of Engineering over the course of his 15 years at the university.

In his work for the Center for Injury Biomechanics, a research partnership between Virginia Tech and Wake Forest University, Gabler utilized crash modeling and simulation techniques. His academic legacy spans the fields of injury biomechanics, crash safety and vehicle crashworthiness, automated vehicles, and aeronautical safety.

“Clay was a great friend and colleague to many at Virginia Tech. His life and work in the field of transportation safety made a tremendous impact that we should all admire,” said Tom Dingus, director of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.

According to Gabler’s family, a memorial will be planned for a date in the future when it is safe to have social gatherings again. To send a message to the family, please write to: claygabler+memorial@gmail.com. A memorial page is available here with links to Gabler’s charities.

The above information was obtained from Virginia Tech News and the memorial page for Clay Gabler.

Every year, first responders address millions of roadway incidents to protect people, investigate crashes, and save lives. In the future, how will automated driving system-dedicated vehicles (ADS-DVs) impact their operations and communication protocols? ADS-DV are vehicles that can drive themselves and lack human driver controls such as steering wheels and brake pedals.

In December, the Society for Automotive Engineers International’s Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium (AVSC) released the first set of best practices designed to help police, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel interact safely with ADS-DVs—even without the presence of human drivers. It also provides procedures and protocols for automotive manufacturers to follow in their development and deployment plans. Research by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and the Consortium of Automotive Manufacturers organized through the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership, LLC (CAMP) helped inform the scenarios and interaction types referenced in the SAE guidelines. These include:

• Responding to an incident
• Securing a scene
• Traffic direction and control
• Traffic stop and checkpoint
• Parked or unoccupied ADS-DV
• Stabilization and extrication
• Motorist assist

In the CAMP report, researchers from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) identified the above scenarios through extensive literature reviews. Additionally, VTTI and the University of Massachusetts Traffic Safety Research Program interviewed 79 subject matter experts from law enforcement, fire and rescue, and emergency medical services to determine the most common scenarios where public safety officials interact with other vehicles.

VTTI plans to continue exploring this topic in a new project focused on law enforcement, first responder, and crash investigator preparation for automated vehicle technology.

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Relevant links

• AVSC Best Practice for First Responder Interactions with Fleet-Managed Automated Driving System-Dedicated Vehicles (ADS-DVs)
• Final Report – An Examination of Emergency Response Scenarios for ADS

As the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) looks to the future, it recognizes that modern transportation challenges need modern solutions. A new leadership team has been tasked with overseeing an updated research and administrative program that will increase the institute’s agility in addressing current and future transportation needs for its partners.

“Our new directors bring with them an impressive depth of research expertise, award funding, and vision for the continued growth and success of VTTI. In the last five quarters, we have exceeded $60 million in new awards—a record for the institute. Under the guidance of our leadership team, we will be well positioned to exceed our research and funding goals, explore new opportunities, address future challenges, and continue to adapt and advance as a leader in transportation research and innovation,” said Dr. Tom Dingus, director of VTTI.

The team of directors will serve the VTTI administration and will oversee four research divisions for the institute, spanning vehicle and driver systems safety, technology development and deployment, infrastructure, and data analytics.

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The new directors are:-

Myra Blanco, Director of Advancement, Partnerships, and Outreach
Dr. Myra Blanco is expanding opportunities and partnerships internal to Virginia Tech, as well as externally through Corporate and Individual Advancement and Government Relations. Formally trained in human factors engineering, Dr. Blanco’s areas of research expertise include automated driving systems, distraction, driver behavior, training, work/rest cycles, fatigue, and active safety systems for light and heavy vehicles. She has directed research efforts in naturalistic, on-road, test track, and simulator test environments and has authored numerous publications. She has recently returned from a one-year sabbatical at Daimler Trucks North America and Torc Robotics, where she served as a Senior Technical Fellow.  Previously, she was the founding Director of VTTI’s Center for Public Policy, Partnerships, and Outreach, as well as the Center for Automated Vehicle Systems. Dr. Blanco was the 2013 recipient of the SAE International J. Cordell Breed Award for Women Leaders and the 2017 NHTSA Award for Safety Engineering Excellence.

“I look forward to assisting VTTI and the new division directors in my new position. In the last 22 years at VTTI (Center for Transportation Research when I started), I have seen what it can offer from the lens of a student and then as a researcher. VTTI has inspired me, and many others, to learn and grow in a culture of service guided by our Ut Prosim motto (That I May Serve) with a focus on transportation safety. Telling the VTTI story of passion for research, innovation, impact, and success as we branch out our advancement initiative is an honor. The quality of our researchers, staff, students, and facilities is unparalleled. Our great success is in large part due to the great partnerships we have formed in the past decades. I will continue developing new partnerships within VT, industry, and other organizations to conduct research based on our core mission to save lives, time, money, and protect the environment. In addition to supporting the great programs VTTI researchers keep developing, I’m excited to put our research in motion to educate the community,” said Blanco.

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Zeb Bowden, Director of the Division for Technology Development and Deployment
Dr. Zeb Bowden oversees the Division of Technology Development and Deployment, which is comprised of Mechanical Systems and Facilities Operations, Electronic Systems and Technology Innovation, Computing Support, DevOps, and HPC/Research Computing groups. His research areas of focus include large-scale data ingestion for all data collection studies at VTTI and the visualization of naturalistic driving data. Since 2011, he has served as VTTI’s Systems Architect and Lead Application Developer, designing and supporting the IT systems responsible for collecting sensor/video data for naturalistic driving data collection, as well as developing client/server, database, and web-based applications to support the retrieval, transfer, ingestion, and analysis of data in global locations. In his time at VTTI, Dr. Bowden has designed and developed data pipelines for several large-scale projects, including the Second Strategic Highway Research Program. He is an adjunct professor for the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech.

“I am excited to be taking on this challenging new role and to be part of the leadership team that will shape the future of VTTI. We have a great group of dedicated employees who work hard, are fun to be around, and continue to be committed to our core mission: to save lives, save time, save money, and protect the environment,” said Bowden.

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Michelle Chaka, Director of the Division for Data and Analytics
As the Division Director of Data and Analytics, Michelle Chaka serves as a champion for data-driven research that uses innovative data fusion, analysis, and visualization techniques to advance transportation. In 2017, she established the Automated Mobility Partnership (AMP), a private industry consortium that advances the safe deployment of ADS through the development of driving data and virtual tools. While at VTTI, she has been responsible for the delivery of major safety initiatives, including the FMVSS Considerations for Vehicles with Automated Driving Systems. Previously, Chaka served as the Interim Director for VTTI’s Center for Public Policy, Partnerships, and Outreach and worked for 20 years at Ford Motor Company in corporate safety strategy and policy.

“VTTI has a proven track record in conducting impactful research to improve motor vehicle safety and protect the environment. Data and analytics have been integral to the success. I am excited about the opportunity to serve our incredibly talented VTTI team,” said Chaka.

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Zac Doerzaph, Director of the Division for Vehicle Driver Safety Systems
Dr. Zac Doerzaph strategically guides the research and development team within the Division for Vehicle Driver Safety Systems. This division is responsible for idealizing, designing, developing, and evaluating solutions to complex transportation challenges. Throughout his career, Dr. Doerzaph has coordinated a research portfolio focused on measuring and improving the performance of next generation vehicle systems. His research specialties include the design, development, and evaluation of collision avoidance systems, connected vehicles, automated driving systems, driver interfaces, and driver behavior monitoring. Currently, he leads the Safety through Disruption National University Transportation Center and is a co-principal investigator for a $7.5 million Automated Driving System Demonstration Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Dr. Doerzaph holds a joint appointment as an associate professor in the Department of Biomechanical Engineering and Mechanics at Virginia Tech. Previously, he was the Director of VTTI’s Center for Advanced Automotive Research.

“This new division brings together our talented researchers into a cohesive team with an enhanced breadth and depth of skill. This provides us with an exciting and unprecedented potential to make a positive impact by significantly improving the safety and performance of the transportation system,” said Doerzaph.

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­­Jonathan Hankey, Interim Director of the Division for Infrastructure, Freight and Mobility
Dr. Jonathan Hankey, who previously served as VTTI’s Director of Research,  is the Interim Director of the Division for Infrastructure, Freight and Mobility. The Division is comprised of four distinct, but synergistic, research initiatives: (i) The Center for Sustainable Mobility, (ii) The Center for Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure, (iii) The Center for Technology Implementation, and (iv) The Center for Truck and Bus Safety. The division focuses on conducting research to develop and help with early implementation of safe, sustainable transportation improvements. Dr. Hankey is also the Director of the National Surface Transportation Center for Excellence. He has more than 20 years of experience in the areas of human factors, driver behavior and performance, and transportation safety.

“I am excited to be part of the next chapter of VTTI. In my new role, I have the pleasure to continue working with incredibly talented hardworking researchers dedicated to making our lives better,” said Hankey.

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For general research or partnership inquiries, please contact Dr. Myra Blanco to be connected with a member of our team: mblanco@vtti.vt.edu; 540-231-1551.

Last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced its its preliminary estimates for motor vehicle fatalities in the second quarter of 2020. During the second quarter (April-June), the projected number of traffic fatalities decreased by 3.3 percent. However, the agency also reported an increased fatality rate and a potential trend toward risky driving behaviors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the full data set is not yet available for analysis, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) is offering insights into these early projections for public awareness:

• Vehicle Miles Traveled: One overall measure of traffic safety is the fatality rate by vehicle miles traveled (VMT). There were fewer cars on the road this spring due to the stay-at-home orders across the country, leading to a 26 percent decrease in the estimated VMT in the second quarter. Despite less travel, however, the fatality rate rose to 1.42 fatalities per 100 million VMT. This is a substantial increase compared to the first quarter estimate of 1.10.
• Disrupted Travel Patterns: Although economic downturns with increased unemployment have historically had decreased fatality rates, the stay-at-home orders had a uniquely abrupt and widespread effect on national travel patterns, beyond a simple reduction in miles traveled. This may have contributed to the increase in the estimated fatality rate. For example, decreased congestion on roadways may have increased overall travel speeds, and thus increased the overall risk of crash fatalities.
• Risky driving behaviors: Initial research has focused on drivers and their potential risky behaviors to help understand the increase in the fatality rate estimate. Several early studies have suggested an increase in risky driver behaviors during the travel pattern changes that resulted from COVID-19. Decreased seatbelt use, increased speeding, and increased driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol are some of the changes in driver behavior that have been reported.

As a clearer picture of the impact of COVID-19 on transportation emerges, research will continue to play a vital role in addressing, predicting, and preventing similar traffic safety issues going forward. VTTI houses 70 million miles of real-world naturalistic driving data that can be used to explore the various factors that can lead to traffic crashes and other safety critical events, such as driver impairment, speeding, distraction due to texting and other risky driving behaviors.. Our experts continue to analyze driving data and develop innovative advancements that can help improve motor vehicle safety.   The Virginia Smart Roads, a suite of test tracks, enable the testing and evaluation of advanced driving technologies that can help reduce driver errors and mitigate risky behaviors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Media Contacts

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Trucking companies face a variety of industry challenges, including an aging workforce, driver shortages, injuries and fatalities, and the cost of implementing advanced safety technologies. The National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence (NSTSCE) has issued several new reports on these topics to help fleets navigate them successfully and improve their safety outcomes.

Dr. Rich Hanowski, director of the Center for Truck and Bus Safety at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) commented on the reports, saying, “As recent events have demonstrated, truck drivers are critical to maintaining our economy, and it is imperative that we support driver safety. Moreover, developing and maintaining a safe truck driver workforce supports the wellbeing of all road users. These three new NSTSCE studies provide important new data, and key recommendations that are scientifically based, to aid our nation’s truckers.”

Chris Hayes,Second Vice President of Transportation, Risk Control at Travelers added, “A safe work environment does not happen by accident. As these studies show, engaging drivers in safety conversations and employing technology to deliver data that can be used as part of an ongoing feedback and coaching program can help reduce the potential for accidents.”

Lorraine M. Martin, president and CEO of the National Safety Council (NSC), supported the reports’ findings.

“Truck drivers play an important role in delivering needed goods and products across the U.S., a fact highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Martin said. “Motor vehicle data recently released by the NSC indicates our roads have become more hazardous during COVID-19, even with less traffic, and truck drivers – essential workers – share the roadways with these dangerous drivers. We must do more to protect truck drivers with tools like those from NSTSCE. Such efforts will support our valued truck drivers and in turn benefit all road users.” Each study is outlined below, along with recommended best practices for fleet managers:

Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Risk Based on Age and Driving Experience
Full report:http://hdl.handle.net/10919/97727

Using data collected and compiled in a study sponsored by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from more than 9,000 commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers (21-65 years old), the NSTSCE project team analyzed the impact of age and CMV driving experience on crash rates, crash involvement, and moving violations.

Key research findings include:

• Driving experience is a greater predictor of crash risk than age, even though both experience and age play roles. This may be especially true for older, inexperienced CMV drivers (e.g., over 55 years of age with less than one year of CMV driving experience), who tended to have higher crash rates and odds of being involved in a crash than did their younger, inexperienced counterparts.
• The first year of driving a CMV is generally the riskiest, regardless of age in terms of crash rates, crash involvement, and moving violations.

Based on these findings, NSTSCE recommends the following best safety practices to fleet managers:

• Focus on driver training, including inviting the company’s more experienced drivers to participate in driver mentoring programs. Encouraging seasoned drivers to share their knowledge and wisdom with the newer drivers can help ensure that the fleet’s safety and performance standards will continue to be met by the next generation of drivers.
• Consider incorporating driver safety technologies that utilize dash cams. Examples include dashcams that continually record video and provide evidence-based opportunities for driver training.

Evaluation of an In-vehicle Monitoring System Among an Oil and Gas Well Servicing Fleet
Full report: https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/handle/10919/97959

The pilot study, which was conducted among a fleet of oil and gas well servicing vehicles, sought to evaluate the effects of an in-vehicle monitoring system (IVMS) on fleet performance. The NSTSCE team also wanted to better understand the risks that exist in the field through the recording of driver behaviors, vehicle near-miss incidents, and driver schedules.

Data collected from the fleet were handled anonymously across 21 light vehicle pickup trucks, which were instrumented with the IVMS, as well as from four participating drivers (one manager and three site workers), whose vehicles were also instrumented with data collection systems.

Key findings include:

• Speeding events decreased by 60% percent and aggressive driving incidents were reduced by 50% among the 21 IVMS-instrumented trucks.
• Drivers remained neutral to positive about the IVMS and rated its functionality positively.
• According to driving pattern analyses of the participants, the three site workers averaged 15.4 hours for daily on-duty and commute time. They also spent a significant amount of driving time on unimproved roads, which have their own sets of hazards distinct from highway driving.

Oil and gas fleets may wish to consider the following guidance from the project team on how best to incorporate IVMSs into their operations:

• Utilize IVMSs in conjunction with additional safety practices, not in place of them. While IVMSs typically provide driver feedback on unsafe driving behaviors, fleets should continue to prioritize proper coaching and driver accountability. Without these elements, IVMSs essentially function only as GPS-tracking devices.
• Target a positive change in safety culture when implementing IVMSs. The elements not typically addressed by IVMSs, such as distraction or fatigue, can be addressed through changes in safety culture and complementary support systems.
• Using IVMSs properly can start a positive, fleet-wide push for safety.

Large Truck Technology Return-on-Investment Calculator: User Guide and Instruction Manual
ROI calculator and user guide: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/97863

Advanced safety technologies, such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and video-based onboard safety monitoring, have the potential to greatly reduce the number of injuries and fatalities on the nation’s roadways. However, CMV carriers may not have the data they need to fully evaluate their return-on-investment (ROI) for deployment.

To assist, the NSTSCE project team has created a research-based ROI calculator designed to help carriers make realistic estimates. Carriers can input data specific to their fleets—number of trucks, mileage, number of crashes, and so forth—to calculate the potential benefits and costs of implementing these technologies.

Download the ROI calculator and user guide here: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/97863

These studies were funded through the support of the following NSTSCE stakeholders: VTTI, Travelers, the National Safety Council, General Motors Corporation, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Virginia Transportation Research Council.

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About NSTSCE
NSTSCE at VTTI was established by the Federal Public Transportation Act of 2005 to develop and disseminate advanced transportation safety techniques and innovations in both rural and urban communities.

About National Safety Council
The National Safety Council is America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate – and has been for over 100 years. As a mission-based organization, we work to eliminate the leading causes of preventable death and injury, focusing our efforts on the workplace, roadway and impairment. We create a culture of safety to not only keep people safer at work, but also beyond the workplace so they can live their fullest lives.

About Travelers
The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and business. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Travelers has approximately 30,000 employees and generated revenues of approximately $32 billion in 2019. For more information, visit www.travelers.com.

About Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute conducts research to save lives, time, and money and protect the environment. As one of seven premier research institutes created by Virginia Tech to answer national challenges, VTTI is continually advancing transportation through innovation and has impacted public policy on national and international levels.

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The National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) recently hosted its Seventh International Symposium on Naturalistic Driving Research. Transportation researchers, practitioners, and other experts from around the world gathered in Blacksburg, Va. in August to share advancements being made in international driving safety. “This year’s symposium brought together […]

Media contacts: Tanya Sheres 571-335-3511 tsheres@transurban.com Anne Deekens 540-231-1548 adeekens@vtti.vt.edu Vendors to submit technologies for a chance to undergo real-world testing Transurban has invested $400,000 in a partnership with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) to launch the Motorcycle Technology Evaluation Challenge (MotoTEC). Motorcyclist fatalities nationwide increased five percent from 2015 to 2016, accounting for […]

This press release in its original form was written and published by the National Institutes of Health. Read the original press release here. NIH study uses software and cameras to monitor teen driving behaviors. Teenage drivers are eight times more likely to be involved in a collision or near miss during the first three months […]

The National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) will host the Seventh International Symposium on Naturalistic Driving Research (NDRS 2018) at The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center in Blacksburg, Virginia on August 28-30, 2018. Naturalistic driving experts, faculty, students, and the public are invited to […]