The Road We Travel

Speed Cameras vs Post-COVID Baddies (and more)

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 04:31:00 GMT

New Kent County Sheriff Lee Bailey is our guest. We take a look at pre- and post-COVID traffic trends, then talk about New Kent's automated speed limit enforcement campaign.

Missy Cummings, PhD, on Artificial Intelligence & Autonomous Vehicles

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 17:00:40 GMT

A naval officer and aviator from 1988-1999, Mary "Missy" Cummings was one of the U.S. Navy's first female fighter pilots. She is now the director of George Mason University's Autonomy and Robotics Center (MARC) and a professor at George Mason. She recently served as the senior safety advisor to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Dr Cummings received her BS in Mathematics from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1988, her MS in Space Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1994, and her PhD in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia in 2004.

Image: George Mason University

Sharing the Road with Trucks

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 18:59:54 GMT

Scott Tidwell is our guest. Scott is Team Leader for Sharing the Road with Trucks in the Division of Freight, Transit, & Heavy Vehicle Safety at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI). He has been with VTTI for over 22 years and has worked on a variety of traffic safety projects as well as driver training, education, and outreach initiatives. He is an expert in commercial motor vehicle entry-level, refresher, and defensive driver training and education with over 18 years evaluating CMV training methodologies and programs to improve driver knowledge, safety, and efficiency. Mr. Tidwell also specializes in commercial vehicle fleet safety with a focus on crash warning systems, driver-vehicle interfaces, ADAS and ADS technology, and commercial vehicle simulation. He has extensive experience across study settings including the Virginia Smart Roads test track, naturalistic driving, field operational testing, and VTTI’s tractor-trailer simulator. He maintains a current Class A commercial driver’s license with tanker, doubles/triples, and passenger endorsements along with a valid DOT medical card. Scott currently leads and manages day-to-day operations of VTTI’s Sharing the Road with Trucks program.

The Christopher King Foundation

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 21:22:32 GMT

Christie King tells us about losing her son to a preventable crash caused by the recklessness of another. She launched a nonprofit in honor of her son, Christopher. The foundation advocates and educates to encourage everyone to buckle-up.

Electric Vehicles

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 17:58:32 GMT

Courtney S. Young is the Director of Electrification for Dominion Energy. She talks about the increasing acceptance of EVs in Virginia, why EVs are more efficient and environmentally friendly, and charging options.

Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 22:15:31 GMT

Recorded on location at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, a media event hosted by DRIVE SMART Virginia in advance of World Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims.

IIHS President David Harkey

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 01:56:46 GMT

Since 1959, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has worked to improve vehicle safety. David Harkey tells us the IIHS is about more than crash test ratings.

MileOne Cares

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 00:22:35 GMT

We interview Amanda Kodeck, Chief Giving Officer for MileOne Auto Group. Amanda tells us about the company's efforts fostering traffic safety. MileOne supports the DRIVE SMART Virginia Distracted/Impaired Driving Simulator program.

The NTSB: Advocating for Safer Transportation

Mon, 30 May 2022 03:53:12 GMT

Nicholas Worrell, Director of Safety Advocacy for the National Transportation Safety Board, talks about the agency's mission and challenges.

Distracted Driving Series: Joel Feldman of the Casey Feldman Memorial Foundation

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 19:08:05 GMT

Following the death of his daughter Casey in 2009 by a distracted driver, Joel Feldman has worked to keep all of us safe on the roads.

Joel has given more than 700 presentations at businesses, medical, legal and traffic safety conferences and to middle school, high school and college students across the country.

With input from experts at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Joel developed interactive, scientifically-guided, evidence-based distracted driving programs integrating health communication, behavioral change, and targeted persuasion principles. Thanks to Joel Feldman’s leadership, and using a network of 350 trained volunteer speakers, more than 475,000 have attended EndDD.org presentations in 45 states and Canada.

Joel Feldman sits on the DRIVE SMART Virginia Board of Directors.

VDOT's Meemaw, Ellen Kamilakis, Talks Social Media (It's a Master Class)

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 00:59:29 GMT

Whether you're new to social media or a veteran, this episode of The Road We Travel is a master class on how to build an audience. VDOT's Ellen Kamilakis tells us about tweeting from the passenger seat of a snow plow, how the "Meemaw" character was born of necessity, and how to turn an audience into a community.

Railroad Crossings: Tracey Lamb of Operation Lifesaver

Wed, 19 May 2021 19:50:57 GMT

Do you know what to do if your vehicle becomes stuck at a railroad crossing? Better yet: Do you know how to avoid getting stuck in the first place? Our guest is Tracey Lamb with Operation Lifesaver.

Sharing the Road: Brantley Tyndall of Bike Walk RVA

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 18:18:31 GMT

Brantley Tyndall is Director of Outreach for Bike Walk RVA, a program of Sports Backers that advocates for comfortable and connected places to bike and walk for people of all ages and abilities. Sports Backers created Bike Walk RVA to advocate for protected bike lanes, paved shared-use paths, safe intersections, and calm neighborhood streets and to and help normalize biking and walking throughout the Greater Richmond region.

Distracted Driving Series: Dr. Charlie Klauer of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 23:43:53 GMT

Dr. Klauer describes VTTI's research into distracted driving, teen driving, and emerging technology.

Distracted Driving Series: Christina Dempsey of 3 Ribbons for 3 Reasons

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 19:50:43 GMT

As we continue our three-part series on distracted driving, our guest is Christina Dempsey, founder of 3 Ribbons for 3 Reasons. Christina lost three loved ones to a crash caused by a distracted driver. She decided to make a difference through outreach and education.

Distracted Driving Series: Handheld Phone Laws

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 00:56:00 GMT

Our guest is Jennifer Smith, co-founder of StopDistractions.org.