Canadians told to avoid Ukraine

Ottawa pointed to the movements of Russian troops within the country’s own territory as a reason for concern

The Canadian government has warned its citizens against non-essential travel to Ukraine in a new travel advisory citing “Russian aggression” in the area.

The Canadian government changed the “risk level” for travel to Ukraine on Saturday, citing “ongoing Russian aggression and military buildup in and round the country” as the reason behind the update.

By imploring its citizens to stay clear of Ukraine Canada follows into the footsteps of its southern neighbor. Washington urged Americans to “reconsider travel [to Ukraine] due to increased threats from Russia” in its own travel advisory from December, citing reports that Moscow was “planning for significant military action against Ukraine.”

https://www.rt.com/news/546220-canadians-told-avoid-ukraine/

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USDOT Releases New Data Showing That Road Fatalities Spiked in First Half of 2021

Secretary Buttigieg calls rising traffic deaths a crisis and calls for cooperation among all levels of government, industry, and advocacy to change course

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today released the Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities for the First Half (January-June) of 2021, which shows the largest six-month increase ever recorded in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System’s history. An estimated 20,160 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the first half of 2021, up 18.4% over 2020. That’s the largest number of projected fatalities in that time period since 2006.

“This is a crisis. More than 20,000 people died on U.S. roads in the first six months of 2021, leaving countless loved ones behind. We cannot and should not accept these fatalities as simply a part of everyday life in America,” said United States Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Today we are announcing that we will produce the Department’s first ever National Roadway Safety Strategy to identify action steps for everyone working to save lives on the road. No one will accomplish this alone. It will take all levels of government, industries, advocates, engineers, and communities across the country working together toward the day when family members no longer have to say goodbye to loved ones because of a traffic crash.”

In addition to the traffic fatality data, NHTSA also released behavioral research findings from March 2020 through June 2021, indicating that incidents of speeding and traveling without a seatbelt remain higher than during pre-pandemic times.

“The report is sobering. It’s also a reminder of what hundreds of millions of people can do every day, right now, to combat this: Slow down, wear seat belts, drive sober, and avoid distractions behind the wheel,” said NHTSA Deputy Administrator Dr. Steven Cliff. “All of us must work together to stop aggressive, dangerous driving and help prevent fatal crashes.”

Preliminary data from the Federal Highway Administration show that vehicle miles traveled in the first half of 2021 increased by about 173.1 billion miles, or about 13%. The fatality rate for the first half of 2021 increased to 1.34 fatalities per 100 million VMT, up from the projected rate of 1.28 fatalities per 100 million VMT in the first half of 2020.

“Safer roads and safer speeds are key parts of addressing this crisis of fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways,” said Acting FHWA Administrator Stephanie Pollack. “FHWA is committed to a Safe System Approach and to working closely with local and state transportation agencies to make every road that is designed or built with federal funds safe for everyone who uses it.”

https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/usdot-releases-new-data-showing-road-fatalities-spiked-first-half-2021