Verra Mobility’s New Platform Turns Cars Into Verified Payment Actors
December 9, 2025
As we look back on the smart mobility trends and topics for 2025, one common trend emerges: drivers, pedestrians, automakers and communities all benefit from safe, smart, connected mobility. Our data and our studies demonstrated the need for continued innovation, infrastructure investment and safety-focused solutions.
Key Points
- Fatalities on U.S. roadways decreased, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- Our photo enforcement programs indicate that drivers are making safer choices during peak holiday travel seasons.
- However, Americans are extremely concerned about distracted driving.
- Electric vehicles are still a popular choice for new car buyers.
- Americans are favoring new programs to fund roads as revenue from gasoline taxes decreases.
Road Safety is Improving
U.S. traffic fatalities declined by 8.2% in the first half of 2025, a significant drop from recent years. This promising trend is consistent with our own 2024 data from holiday weekends, which showed that speeding and red-light-running incidents decreased during the Fourth of the July holiday week, and that Thanksgiving holiday week travel violations per camera were the lowest since 2020.
School-based photo enforcement programs reinforce this momentum:
- 98% of drivers ticketed for illegal school bus passing did not reoffend, and
- 87% of those cited for school-zone speeding did not receive a second citation.
But the danger is still out there
While this news is encouraging, automobile travel has the highest fatality rate among transportation modes. The most persistent risk is distracted driving and behaviors like phone use, speeding, and running red lights. Our survey findings echo the concern, as 85% of Americans believe distracted driving is as dangerous as, or more dangerous than, drunk driving.
Also, we identified that 63% of respondents believe the average driver has gotten worse in recent years. Slowing down, staying alert, and putting away phones are effective ways to prevent crashes. At the same time, automated enforcement, school-zone speed cameras, and pedestrian-safety systems help encourage safer, more consistent driving behaviors.
Americans are slowly but steadily adopting Electric Vehicles
Despite headlines and reports of an electric vehicle ‘slump’, we uncovered in our recent American consumer survey that 47% of respondents plan to purchase an EV within the next five years.
We also found that renting an EV is a good way to test out the technology. 70% surveyed said they would consider renting an EV to “try before they buy” if they were considering a purchase.
As EV adoption grows, drivers will expect more innovative, more connected in-vehicle services, and cities will need to increase safety measures as quieter vehicles can pose added risks to pedestrians, especially in school zones and dense urban areas.
Rethinking How We Fund Roads and Infrastructure
With EVs and hybrids reducing revenue from gasoline taxes, Americans recognize the need for new funding models for roadway infrastructure. According to our survey, 73% of respondents said EV owners should pay an ‘energy tax’ to support road maintenance and improvement.
Beyond energy taxes, states are considering road usage charging (RUC), mileage-based fees, and hybrid models. Our survey revealed:
- 41% of respondents support road usage charging, and
- 76% believed paying tolls is acceptable if the revenue is being used to improve the quality and safety of roads and bridges.
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