News

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR) is commemorated on the third Sunday of November each year. It is a high-profile global event to remember the many millions who have been killed and seriously injured on the world’s roads and to acknowledge the suffering of all affected victims, families and communities – millions added each year to countless millions already suffering: a truly tremendous cumulative toll. On WDR we also pay tribute to the dedicated emergency crews, police, and medical professionals who deal daily with the traumatic aftermath of road crashes.

The following cities in New York State are hosting events:

Albany, NY
Rochester, NY
New York City, NY

The 2024 New York State Highway Safety Symposium

Highway safety professionals from across New York State gathered in Lake Placid, NY from October 21 – 24, 2024 for the 2024 New York State Highway Safety Symposium. The event was sponsored by the NYS Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC), the NYS Association of Traffic Safety Boards and the STOP-DWI Association, Inc. Our goal is to share, promote, and educate on highway safety initiatives with workshops and presentations covering the most critical issues and best practices from leading experts in traffic safety.

Our 2024 event included:

  • Over 300 attendees from over 100 different organizations/units
  • 9 Exhibitors
  • 5 Plenary Presentations
  • 21 Concurrent Sessions with 31 Speakers
  • 15 certificates were awarded for “Car Seat Basics for Law Enforcement”
  • 18 law enforcement officers participated in Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) Training

And congratulations to the following award recipients:

  • The Putnam County Youth Bureau received the Chairman’s Award from the NYS Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC)
  • Washington County Undersheriff John Winchell received the William T. Smith Award from the NYS STOP-DWI Association, Inc.
  • Police Officer Joseph D. Biondo from the Suffolk County Police Department received the Roy Thorpe Award from the New York State Association of Traffic Safety Boards

And thank you to the planning committee for your incredible dedication and hard work in making this event a success! Members of the 2024 NYS Highway Safety Symposium Planning Committee include:

  • Pamela Aini, Administrator, NYS STOP-DWI Association, Inc.
  • Margaret Beers, Chairperson New York State Traffic Safety Program, New York State Traffic Safety Program
  • Renée Borden, Statewide DRE Coordinator, NYS Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee
  • Rachel Lugo, Division Director, EAC Network
  • Mary Montimurro, Program Manager, NYS Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee
  • Heather Murphy, Event Coordinator, Institute for Traffic Safety Management & Research
  • Paul Nazzarett, President of NYSTSAB, Community Services Unit, Cheektowaga Police Department
  • Lauren Savino, Program Educator, Orange County STOP-DWI
  • Elizabeth St. John, Senior Health Educator, Washington County Public Health
  • Mary Tanner-Richter, Deputy Counsel, NYS Department of Motor Vehicles
  • Lindsay Tomidy, NYS STOP-DWI Association Chairperson, NYS STOP-DWI Association
  • Joshua Vinciguerra, Deputy Commissioner, NYS Department of Motor Vehicles
  • Vanessa Waldron, Highway Safety Program Analyst, NYS Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee
  • John Winchell, Undersheriff, Washington County Sheriff’s Office and STOP-DWI Coordinator

SAVE THE DATE: Please join us next year at the Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center in Oswego, New York from Tuesday, October 14, 2025 to Friday, October 17, 2025.

Photo Credits: Christopher Moeller, Olympic Regional Development Authority and Hannah Borriello-Rinaldi, NYS Department of Motor Vehicles

2024 Walk, Bike, & Roll New York Symposium

Image of planning committee

What a success! The 2024 Walk, Bike, & Roll New York Symposium in Binghamton, New York attracted more than 100 local, state, federal, and private agency professionals devoted to building strong communities where people can safely and comfortably walk, bike, and roll. Thank you to the planning committee, presenters, and attendees!

We look forward to seeing you in 2026 – Stay tuned for more information!

Have you seen our new TSSR update?

ITSMR team launched a ‘New York State Fatality Data Dashboard’ in TSSR! Users can access the dashboard along with the existing crash and ticket reports in TSSR by clicking on the TSSR in the website menu. The purpose of this dashboard is to provide users with quick access to visually presented fatal crash statistics at both state and county levels for a rolling five-year period. Users can select the counties they are interested in using the county filter. The dashboard presents visualizations that include total fatalities, fatalities by role and fatality related to risky behavior.

Welcome to our News Page

To keep the public informed of our ongoing research and developments, we created a News page to highlight our latest findings and initiatives.

Established in 1978, ITSMR collaborates closely with the New York State government to conduct vital research and develop evidence-based strategies aimed at reducing traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities. By leveraging comprehensive data analysis and innovative research methodologies, ITSMR provides invaluable insights that inform policy decisions and enhance the effectiveness of traffic safety programs across the state.

ITSMR News

ITSMR offers a variety of services to local, state and national agencies and organizations seeking to reduce motor vehicle crashes, fatalities and injuries. See our latest research and projects on our News page.