The purpose of the proposed project is to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving passenger vehicles in SAN diego due to hand-held phone use, lack of seatbelt use, and speeding, which are…

The University of California, San Diego received a $2.29 million Project Grant from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) under the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program (CFDA 20.939), awarded September 5, 2025, with a completion date of June 14, 2030. The project will deploy artificial intelligence (AI)-supported roadside cameras in San Diego to anonymously identify and measure the prevalence of risky driving behaviors, specifically hand-held phone use, lack of seatbelt use, and speeding. These behaviors represent major contributors to vehicle crashes, injuries, and fatalities in the region.

The deliverables include development and implementation of a timed-delivery roadside messaging system using variable messaging systems (VMS) to target drivers and improve safety behaviors based on the data collected through AI-supported camera technology. This demonstration project combines data collection and analysis capabilities with behavioral intervention strategies to reduce crashes and associated injuries and fatalities among passenger vehicle operators in the San Diego area.

The purpose of the proposed project is to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving passenger vehicles in SAN diego due to hand-held phone use, lack of seatbelt use, and speeding, which are all major contributors to crashes. The proposal will US artificial intelligence (AI)-supported roadside cameras to anonymously identify and measure the prevalence of risky driving behaviors, and to deploy and evaluate timed-delivery of roadside-targeted messaging through variable messaging systems (VMS) to improve these behaviors.