Safety Management

The Safety Management team’s purpose is to support positive safety 

resource allocation decisions through consistent high-quality data 

collection and analysis, analytical tool development to transform 

data into actionable information, and formal evaluation of the 

effectiveness of potential safety improvements.

Highway Safety Information System

The Highway Safety Information System (HSIS) includes a safety 

database in which crash, roadway inventory, and traffic volume 

data are combined to help users study current highway safety 

issues, to direct research efforts, and to make the best decisions 

about safety improvements. Presently, seven States and one urban 

center actively provide data to the system. HSIS also provides 

analytical support for highway safety research.

Interactive Highway Safety Design Model

The Interactive Highway Safety Design Model (IHSDM) is a 

suite of software tools that support project-level geometric design 

decisions by providing quantitative information on the expected 

safety and operational performance of roadways. IHSDM helps 

project developers make design decisions that improve the expected

safety performance of roadway designs. The crash prediction 

module of IHSDM is a software implementation of Part C of the 

American Association of State Highway and Transportation 

Officials Highway Safety Manual (HSM), which includes crash 

prediction methodologies for rural two-lane and multilane 

highways and urban/suburban arterials.(1)

Evaluation of Low-Cost Safety Improvements Pooled Fund 

Study and Development of Crash Modification Factors

FHWA has partnered with 29 States to conduct the Evaluation 

of Low-Cost Safety Improvements Pooled Fund Study. This study, 

now in its seventh phase, evaluates unproven priority safety 

improvements. The Development of Crash Modification Factors

(DCMF) study is a major long-term study that also evaluates 

unproven low- to high-cost priority safety countermeasures to 

develop high-quality crash modification factors (CMF) that meet 

the criteria for inclusion in the HSM.(1) These evaluations are conducted using empirical Bayes or other appropriate methodologies to 

analyze crash, road geometry, and other related data collected 

before and after the countermeasure was installed in order to 

estimate the countermeasure’s safety effectiveness. The products 

of these studies are CMFs and benefit-cost ratios for each countermeasure. The DCMF program will also examine methods used to 

develop and apply CMFs and assess their quality. 

Motorcycles

Motorcycle rider fatalities comprise about 14 percent of motor 

vehicle fatalities. Increases in the number of motorcycle rider 

fatalities have prompted research into motorcycle safety. FHWA is 

currently conducting a motorcycle crash causation study to collect 

data regarding motorcycle crashes. These data will be used to 

study potential causes of motorcycle crashes and develop possible 

countermeasures to prevent these crashes or make them less severe.

Geographic Information System Safety Analysis Tools

State and local transportation departments are moving much of 

their crash, roadway, and traffic data to geographic information 

system (GIS) platforms. Currently, FHWA is conducting research to 

identify the resources needed to advance the use and capabilities of 

GIS as part of a safety program for State and local governments.

Human Factors

Human factors studies help researchers better understand transportation user needs and limitations. By taking into account driver 

capabilities when designing roadways, human errors will be minimized, and public safety will be enhanced by decreasing crashes 

and fatalities. Human factors research supports many of the 

research projects and programs undertaken within the other 

R&D focus areas.

Numerous studies have been carried out using the research tools 

in FHWA’s Human Factors Laboratory (HFL). HFL’s full-scale 

driving simulator is a 6 degree-of-freedom motion system that 

includes a seamless 240-degree field of view composed of highfidelity, computer-generated roadway scenes and advanced 

eye-tracking capabilities. HFL also has a field research vehicle 

that is equipped to record the vehicle’s position, speed, and 

acceleration and includes a state-of-the-art eye-tracking system. 

The field research vehicle can gather live driving data and allow 

researchers to examine driving behaviors. 

HFL’s Sign Laboratory consists of a 60-inch liquid crystal display

high-definition TV connected to a computer control center. It 

enables researchers to determine the maximum distance at which a 

sign can be recognized and measure a participant’s comprehension 

of signs and markings.

www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/offices/safety/

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 

Office of Safety Research and Development 

(R&D) helps reduce highway crashes and 

related fatalities and injuries by developing and 

implementing safety innovations through a 

program of nationally coordinated research and 

technology development. Selections from this 

broad research portfolio are highlighted below.

Office of Safety R&D

Federal Highway Administration  TURNER-FAIRBANK HIGHWAY RESEARCH CENTER
Pedestrian Safety

Pedestrians account for nearly 13 percent 

of traffic fatalities nationally. Accordingly, 

FHWA‘s Pedestrian Safety Program 

develops pedestrian safety-related products, 

research documents, and technologies to 

help improve conditions for pedestrians. 

From safer crosswalks and sidewalks to 

growing educational and safety initiatives, 

the program strives to cultivate safer roadways for some of the most vulnerable users 

of U.S. roadways.

Recent research considered the problem of 

pedestrians who choose to cross the road 

at midblock locations when there are long 

distances between intersections. Researchers 

developed and evaluated countermeasures, 

including the pedestrian hybrid beacon 

(PHB), rapid-flash beacon, and shared-lane 

markings, to improve the safety of pedestrian crossings. This research analyzed 

pedestrian and driver responses to PHBs 

and identified the operational tradeoffs 

associated with different locations of PHBs. 

Additional research is necessary to identify 

and compare the impacts of specific beacon/

light-emitting diode characteristics, such 

as beacon size or flash pattern, now being 

used or considered for pedestrian crossing 

signs. Another research project will determine the effectiveness of raised crosswalks 

in protecting pedestrians.

Roadway

The Roadway Safety Research Program 

emphasizes two fundamental objectives: 

keeping vehicles on the roadway and minimizing the consequences of a vehicle leaving

the roadway. Roadway safety studies are 

conducted in five focus areas: roadway 

departure, speed management, intersection 

safety and design, visibility, and intelligent 

transportation systems (ITS). 

Roadway Departure

Roadway departure research considers ways 

to provide better information to drivers 

about their vehicle’s position on the road 

surface and indicate to drivers when their 

vehicles are straying toward a potentially

dangerous situation. Measures such as 

rumble strips and rumble stripes provide 

drivers with a clear warning that their 

vehicles are approaching potentially 

unsafe conditions. 

FHWA’s roadside safety research uses 

state-of-the-art computer models and crash 

simulations to study a number of topics, 

including the effectiveness of roadside hardware such as guardrails, sign supports, and 

concrete barriers; vehicle-to-vehicle impact 

compatibility; and the causes of rollover 

crashes. Simulations are validated through 

full-scale crash tests at FHWA’s Federal 

Outdoor Impact Laboratory (FOIL). These 

studies result in the design and deployment 

of new roadside safety features and the establishment of guidelines for the appropriate use of those features. FOIL is also used 

to develop perimeter security devices to 

prevent the unwanted intrusion of speeding 

motor vehicles into Government buildings 

and other critical facilities. 

Speed Management

Speed management focuses on how to set 

and enforce speed limits. It is a complex 

issue involving both engineering and 

behavioral factors. Ultimately, motorists 

decide what speed to travel in a given 

circumstance. As a result, a significant 

aspect of speed management research is to 

investigate how motorists arrive at 

that decision. 

Speed management researchers develop and 

test engineering measures and technologies

to manage speed while seeking ways to 

encourage wider adoption of travel speeds 

appropriate for the class of road, roadway 

design, and travel conditions.

Intersection Safety and Design

More than 50 percent of the combined fatal 

and injury crashes occur at or near intersections. FHWA’s intersection safety and design

research facilitates the implementation of

shorter-term safety improvements and 

defines and evaluates longer-term higher 

payoff strategies to improve intersection 

safety. Intersection safety and design 

research has led to the development and 

successful deployment of innovative 

intersection and interchange designs, 

including the multi-lane roundabout, 

displaced left-turn and restricted crossing 

U-turn intersections, and the double 

crossover diamond interchange.

Visibility

The visibility program seeks to improve 

visibility on and along roadways and create 

traffic control devices to enhance the safety 

of road users. Visibility research conducted 

at FHWA’s Arens Photometric and Visibility 

Laboratory supports human factors studies

on roadway visibility issues, such as the 

impact of roadway lighting on driver 

performance and the effectiveness of 

innovative pavement markings. 

ITS

ITS safety applications research involves 

developing the technologies and protocols 

necessary for vehicles and infrastructure 

to securely communicate information to 

each other to prevent crashes and roadway 

departures. ITS safety applications have the 

potential to improve safety across 

many of the R&D focus areas, such as at 

intersections, in dangerous curves, and in 

reduced speed zones and work zones.

A key aspect of the overall ITS program 

is vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) research 

and development. The goals of the V2I 

Communications research program are to 

develop the infrastructure components of 

a connected vehicle environment and to 

document the benefits, installation specifications, and the processes and tools that will 

result in the deployment of an interoperable 

system. The Office of Safety R&D is leading 

the V2I effort and coordinating with other 

stakeholders to accomplish these goals.

Reference

1. American Association of State Highway 

and Transportation Officials. (2010). 

Highway Safety Manual, First Edition, 

AASHTO, Washington, DC. 

FHWA-HRT-12-066

HRDS-2/1-13(2M)E