5/8/02 FHWA Office of Safety 1

FHWA Safety Core Business UnitOffice-Level Structure

Offi c e o f S a fety

P rograms

Offi c e o f S a fety

Des ign

Offi c e o f P rogram

Integration and

Delivery

C hie f

H ighw ay S afety

E ngineer

P rogram M anager,

S a fety

Develops and manages programs for the safe operation of roadways, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and at intermodal connections; including use of Federal funds for safety purposes.

Directs a program of assistance to States and other customers in the development and use of road and roadside features that impact highway safety performance.

Leads FHWA safety strategic and performance planning efforts, ensures integration of safety with other FHWA & DOT initiatives, and manages a program to leverage safety technology and innovation.

Advances safety through innovation, leadership, and public service through the coordination of engineering, behavior, education, enforcement, and emergency medical services initiatives.

5/8/02 FHWA Office of Safety 2

Highway Safety in the U.S.

U.S. Highway System Among World’s Safest Fatality Rate Decreasing (as Traffic Increasing) But over 41,000 Deaths & 3,200,000 Injuries per Year and

rates of 1.52 US DOT Safety Goals (FHWA, NHTSA, & FMCSA)

20% Reduction in Highway deaths & injuries by 2008 50% Reduction in Large-Vehicle-Related deaths & injuries

FHWA Safety Program Analyzes where fatalities & injuries occur Looks for major contributing factors Provides funding and program assistance for safety needs

5/8/02 FHWA Office of Safety 3

Estimated Lives Saved in 2000(Using 1966 Fatality Rate & 2000 Traffic Volumes)

*Avoided 109,405 Additional Deaths (70% less)

020000400006000080000

100000120000140000160000

1966 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98

2000

Actual Fatalities

Projected Fatalities (using 1966 Rate)

*

5/8/02 FHWA Office of Safety 4

Where Fatalities OccurBy Roadway Functional Class - 2000

data

Interstate &Other Freeway

Local Roads

Collectors

7,718 7,358

18,047

8,698

Number of Fatalities

Arterials

Fatatity Rate per 100M VMT (1998)

0.9

1.6

2.2 2.1

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Interstate/Freew ay Arterial Collector Local Road

Roadway Functional Class

Fat

ality

Rat

e

Fatality Rates (per 100 Million VMT)

Interstate &

Other Fwy

Locals

Collectors

Arterials

5/8/02 FHWA Office of Safety 5

Where Fatalities Occur2000 data

18,047

RURAL & URBAN PERCENT Fatalities

RURAL Fatalities by Roadway Functional Class

INTERSTATE RURAL 13%

l

ARTERIALS

38%COLLECTORS

30%

LOCAL 19%

5/8/02 FHWA Office of Safety 6

What We Know About Crashes

80% occur during normal weather conditions on dry roads

70% occur during daylight hours

Fatalities: 61% Rural39% Urban

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Intersections

21% of all Fatalities 44% of all Crashes

- 58% Urban- 42% Rural

Unsignalized Intersections- 55% of Urban Crashes- 90% of Rural Crashes

5/8/02 FHWA Office of Safety 8

2 Lane Roads

77% if all Fatalities (32,038)- 2/3 in Rural Areas- 2/3 during daylight hours- 1/4 intersection related- 1/6 Head-ons- 6/10 are single vehicle crashes

5/8/02 FHWA Office of Safety 9

FHWA Focus AreasMajor Contributing Factors to Fatalities

Single Vehicle Run-Off-Road - 38 % Speeding Related - 30 % Intersections - 21 % Pedestrian and Bicyclist - 13 %

(Source: 2000 FARS data)

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Run-Off-Road Crashes

Crashworthy Devices

Removing Roadside Hazards

Rumble Strips

Improved Visibility

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Run Off Road

Safety Hardware NCHRP 350 National Crash Analysis Center

activities Shoulder Rumble Strips Interactive Highway Safety Design Model

(IHSDM) – Add Modules & Training Retroreflectivity / UV Demonstration Older Driver Workshops

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Intersection; Speeding;Pedestrian & Bicyclist Crashes

Intersection Design & Enforcement

Safety Features for Pedestrians and Bicyclists

VariableSpeed Limits

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Intersections

Stop Red Light Running (RLR) Campaign Automated Enforcement for RLR Surrogate Safety Measures for Intersections Use of Innovative Technologies (esp. coord.

with ITS / IVI efforts) Roundabout Guide / Workshops / Analysis

Tools National Agenda-Setting Workshop

Lead by AASHTO / FHWA; w/ ITE, other partners November 2001

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Speed - Related

Speed Setting Demonstrations Workshops Speed Exhibit Variable Speed Limit Operational

Test Perceptual Measures for

Controlling Speed (Based on Human Factors)

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Pedestrians & Bicyclists

Pedestrian Safety Countermeasure Selection System

University Pedestrian and Bicyclist Course Pedestrian and Bicyclist Resource Set (on

CD) Pedestrian “Safer Journey” CD Pedestrian Safety Engineering Outreach and

Awareness Campaign Pedestrian Safety Engineering and ITS-based

Countermeasures

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Program-Wide Initiatives

Expanding Partnerships – Internal & External Advance AASHTO Strategic Safety Plan Integration of Safety w/ Planning Process Highway Safety Improvement Program

(HSIP): Coordinated Best Practices Review w/ FHWA Field & States – Quality of Safety Data a Key Issue

2001 National Highway Safety Awards Emphasizing Role of Technology & Innovation

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AASHTO Strategic Highway Safety Plan

Leadership by AASHTO with the assistance of

Federal Highway Administration National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration TRB Committee on Transportation Safety

Management ITE

National safety experts in driver, vehicle, and highway issues

.

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Key Issues

Fatality and Injury Numbers on a “Plateau”: What new opportunities are out there to restore progress?

Data: Quality, Timeliness & Value to Countermeasure Development & Safety Conscious Planning

Needs of Localities: Significant Part of Problem Is on Local Roads

Growing Older Driver Population: Safety impacts, particularly at complex intersections and interchanges

Intersection Safety: Growing concern as high-crash location; aggressive driving, traffic control & enforcement issues

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Highway Safety Public Awareness

Moving Safely Across America - interactive highway safety experience CD-ROM and Kiosk

Read Your Road - Every Highway User’s Guide to Driving SafelyStop Red Light Running videoNight Lights video - explains how retroreflectivity saves livesSafer Journey Interactive Pedestrian Safety Awareness – the “Gold

Camera” award winning CD-ROMWalkable Community brochure Everyone is a Pedestrian brochure setRed Light-Green Light video on intersection safetyNational Work Zone Awareness Week educates the public about safe

driving in work zonesPut the Brakes on Fatalities Day - a new highway safety outreach campaign

observed October 10th each year.