U.S. prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation, while experts at the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration are on the case too.

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"There's not a way to legislate against sleepiness, " said Bruce Hamilton, manager of research and communications at the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, which instead focuses on public education campaigns and issuing brochures advising on the dangers.

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The Transition Roadable Aircraft, basically a flying car, recently received clearance from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to operate both on land and in the air.

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that arrests for women driving while drunk are on the rise, by about 30% from 1998 to 2007.

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The group said it based that conclusion on a chart it said was used by auto safety regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

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Planners have also expressed concerns over traffic congestion and road safety as well as the project's impact on flood risk, trees in the area, wildlife, landscape, ground stability and potential contamination.

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Beyond the more than 30, 000 lives lost per year due to traffic accidents, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, tens of billions of dollars are spent each year on accidents, according to The Detroit News.

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With smart pavement and GPS providing data to on-board computers in vehicles, traffic could be programmed to move in elegant swoops following safety algorithms that guarantee the safety of people, cyclists and green spaces.

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However, separate research by the institute, which was consistent with results from similar studies by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), showed increased risks for pedestrians from quiet hybrids running on electricity at low speeds.

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