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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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