Tuesday’s Headlines Are a Little Bit Safer

Traffic deaths are down about 12 percent, which the National Safety Council attributes to new technology and infrastructure investments.

By Blake Aued

12:06 AM EST on March 3, 2026

Photo: Tony Webster

Traffic deaths were down an estimated 12 percent last year, falling from 42,789 in 2024 to approximately 37,810. Nine states and Washington, D.C. saw a decline of 15 percent or more, compared to eight where fatalities rose. That's the good news — the bad news is, a new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association called attention to severely undercounted deaths caused by drowsy drivers. (Smart Cities Dive)
Amtrak officials insist that a proposed restructuring would not cut routes or jobs. (Railway Age)
The IRS is allowing a fossil fuel company to take a $370 million environmental tax credit for its heavily polluting tanker ships. (Washington Post)
Bay Area Rapid Transit approved a plan to cut train service by 63 percent, raise fares by 30 percent and close 15 stations if additional revenue isn't forthcoming by 2027. (KRON)
The Utah Senate passed a bill barring Salt Lake City from taking space away from cars for bike and bus lanes because its top leader admitted he doesn't know how to drive. (City Weekly)
Tennessee officials have approved a permit for Elon Musk to drill a tunnel connecting downtown Nashville and the airport. (Transportation Today)
Colorado is giving grants to cities that encourage denser development near transit stations. (Colorado Public Radio)
The Milwaukee sewer department is working to control runoff from interstates that pollutes rivers and streams after snow melts. (Spectrum News)
The combination of big trucks and fast roads is killing Anchorage pedestrians. (Alaska Public Media)
Tucson's Sun Link streetcar is over one-third complete and could open within a year. (Arizona Daily Star)
Birmingham-area cities are getting closer to widening a bridge on the busy Highway 280 corridor to add sidewalks. (Yellowhammer News)
A night bus in Knox County, Ohio is threatened by lack of support from the companies whose employees it serves, like Walmart. (Knox Pages)
More than half of the buses bought by European cities last year were zero-emissions. (Clean Technica)
Uber swears that air taxis are coming later this year, starting in Dubai (Engadget). No mention of how they'll avoid getting blown up by the Iranian drones currently bombing the U.S. ally.
London has officially decided to fully pedestrianize the retail hub of Oxford Street. (The Guardian)