Driver Assistance – David & Wes dig into driver assistance systems and the question of whether they’re actually making our roads safer. Following a recent NTSB hearing, they explore both the promise and the problems, from real potential safety benefits to the very real ways these systems can encourage overtrust. They talk through how “hands-off” can become “mind-off,” why supervising automation is harder than it sounds, and where responsibility really lies when things go wrong.

Other topics:

🔹 The bit U.S. city we DON’T want to live in 🔹 The Apple TV show Shrinking & the collateral damage of fatal crashes 🔹 We then open up the mailbag to answer some listener questions

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If you happen to be in Denver on April 21st, come out and see us! Look Both Ways LIVE Podcast Recording + Fundraiser for the Denver Streets Partnership

David speaking earlier that same day at The Road Ahead 2026

Additional resources: Systems that let drivers take their hands off the wheel don’t improve safety, NTSB head says

Music by Charlie Van Stee (courtesy of bensound)

Email us at lookbothwayspod@gmail.com or find us at www.lookbothwayspodcast.com, www.davidzipper.com, and www.wesmarshall.org

Pedestrian Deaths – David & Wes dig into a surprising shift in pedestrian safety and ask a harder question: are streets actually getting safer, or are we just seeing a temporary drop in risk? After years of rising fatalities, recent numbers suggest a modest improvement, but the pattern is anything but consistent. They explore whether this reflects real progress from design changes and enforcement, shifting travel behavior, or simply volatility in a system that still produces predictable danger. It’s a conversation about what it would actually look like if we knew how to make streets safer, and why the data do not quite tell that story yet.

Other topics: 🔹 The Secretary of Transportation’s road trip reality show 🔹 Gas prices & the resiliency value of transit 🔹 Should we be subsidizing ridehail commutes?

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Additional resources: GHSA’s Report on Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2025 Preliminary Data (January-June)

Wes Marshall & Alejandro Henao. "The shock heard round the suburbs: Assessing the vulnerability, resilience, and transportation affordability of higher fuel price scenarios." Transportation Research Record (2015).

Rachael Bronson & Wes Marshall. "Alternative and adaptive transportation: What household factors support recovery from a drastic increase in gas price?." International Journal of Environmental Science & Technology (2014).

Lyft brings pre-tax commuter benefits deal to 14 more cities

Bruce Schaller. "Can sharing a ride make for less traffic? Evidence from Uber and Lyft and implications for cities." Transport Policy (2021).

Music by Charlie Van Stee (courtesy of bensound)

Email us at lookbothwayspod@gmail.com or find us at www.lookbothwayspodcast.com, www.davidzipper.com, and www.wesmarshall.org

Gas Prices – David & Wes dig into the upside of high gas prices and why the story is more nuanced than it often seems. While rising costs at the pump can create real challenges, they also explore how higher prices can make other modes more attractive, reinforce location efficiency, and shift how people think about transportation more broadly. It’s a conversation about how gas prices shape behavior, influence our transportation system, and what gets lost when we only talk about them as a political problem.

Other topics: 🔹 Our most harrowing driving experiences 🔹 How we mismeasure road safety 🔹 Indy cars on real Washington, DC streets 🔹 St. Patrick’s Day Rail Drinks

Additional resources:

Check out Chapter 23 (The Mirage of More Mileage) in Wes' Book:

& David's Recent Article: The US Is Counting Traffic Deaths Wrong

International Transport Forum Road Safety Annual Report 2025

‘Freedom revs’: Trump administration, DC mayor unveil details of Washington IndyCar race

Music by Charlie Van Stee (courtesy of bensound)

Email us at lookbothwayspod@gmail.com or find us at www.davidzipper.com and www.wesmarshall.org