USA Banner
  U.S. flag
              An official website of the United States government Here's how you knowOfficial US Government Icon
              **Official websites use .gov**A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
            Secure Site Icon
              **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                  A **lock** ( A locked padlock ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 
 U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation
 Search DOT
            Search
                    About FHWAFHWA Organization
                Headquarters Offices
                Field Offices
                Strategic Plan
                Business Opportunities
                Staff Directories
                Careers
                Highway History
                Contact UsProgramsAcquisition Management
                Civil Rights
                Federal Lands Highway
                Infrastructure
                Innovative Program Delivery
                Operations
                Planning, Environment, and Realty
                Policy
                Research, Development, and Technology
                Safety
                Browse by TopicsResourcesCore Highway Topics
                Federal Aid Essentials
                Automation
                Complete Streets
                Laws and Regulations
                Policy & Guidance Center
                Section 508
                Publications and Statistics
                Professional Development
                National Highway Institute
                Resource Center
                Accessibility Resource Library
                FHWA Research LibraryNewsroomPress Releases
                Speeches & Testimony
                Photos
                Videos
                Media ContactsMenu FHWA Highway Safety Programs Home
                        Safety
                        Other Safety Areas


            
            In This Section
        Other Safety Areas
                Road Diets
                Lighting and Visibility
                                Overview
                Sign Retroreflectivity
                Pavement Markings
                Roadway Lighting
                Focused Approach to Safety
                Motorcyclist Safety
                Older Road Users
                                Overview
                Crash Facts
                Engineering and Training
                Federal and State Programs
                Community Resources
                Articles
                Work Zone Safety
                Transportation Safety Planning (TSP)
                
                Techniques for Local Agency Practitioners Brochure
fhwasa16019.pdf (2.09 MB)
    
    
          FHWA-SA-16-019

Techniques for Local Agency Practitioners

Local elected officials play a major role in local road safety. They set goals, adopt policies, build coalitions, and approve the budgets for the roads you operate. These officials, however, typically face many demands for their time and many requests for funding. When you work with them, you need to make every minute count.

Communicate

"One woman and two men wearing hard hats and looking at plans or documents at a work site."Keep it simple

Provide the facts in clear, concise language. Use terms that lay people will understand. Avoid acronyms and engineering jargon–for example, use "federal sign regulations," not "MUTCD."

Tell a story

Supplement facts and figures with stories of actual crashes. Explain how your plans may reduce these crashes.

Highlight successful examples

Share success stories from similar communities to show what has been proven to work. Use statistics about effective countermeasures.

Use creative presentation tools

Utilize visual aids: photos of a problem site or feature; plans, graphics, or other images of your proposed solutions.
	Consider props: Washington County, MN, for example, created a roundabout "rug" that people can walk on to understand roundabout navigation."Pwo cars on a curved rural two-lane road"

Network

Build and maintain relationships with other safety stakeholders, such as:

Elected officials' staff
	Your state's department of transportation practitioner
	Law enforcement
	Public health officialsThese stakeholders can help you gather safety information and reinforce support for safety initiatives when you communicate with your elected officials.

Know the facts

Have the facts at hand about road safety in your community. You are the roadway expert, and the elected official looks to you for guidance:

Know the problem locations, crash data, causes, and citizen concerns.
	Know State and Federal funding options and relevant safety policies.
	Know potential safety strategies and countermeasures to address issues.Inform and educate

Inform and educate your elected officials:

Present your data, proposed solutions, and costs.
	Scale your proposed solutions to a level your officials are able to address.
	Educate listeners about proven, effective, low-cost solutions.
	Anticipate opposing views, and prepare responses to address them.
	Prepare a one-page summary of your main points.Involve officials in safety

Provide regular updates on safety issues and projects. Include your local elected officials in road safety events to keep them involved and focused on safety:

Invite your local elected officials and their staff to open houses and road safety events, and include them in the event planning.
	Offer public acknowledgment of their support, such as a speaking role at a ribbon-cutting ceremony and safety meetings."Group of town officials and citizens at a ribbon-cutting event on a local street."

Working together, you and your elected officials can reduce crashes and save lives.

*"We work to continually get the message out to our local elected officials that we're working day-in and day-out toward addressing the traffic-safety-related concerns of Mohave County residents.*"
–Steve Latoski, Public Works Director, Mohave County, Arizona

*"You don't need tons of technical jargon to talk about things that are really common sense."*
–Joe Marek, County Engineer, Clackamas County, Oregon

Local agency practitioners across the country are communicating successfully with local elected officials. You can, too.

Resources

Communicating About Local Road Safety with Local Elected Officials Video–https://www.highways.dot.gov/safety/other/local-rural
Local Elected Officials: Leading the Way in Local Road Safety Video–https://www.highways.dot.gov/safety/other/local-rural
Local Elected Officials: Leading the Way in Local Road Safety (brochure)–https://www.highways.dot.gov/safety/other/local-rural
FHWA Federal Aid Essentials Video: Roadway Safety Fundamentals–https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/federal-aidessentials/
FHWA Federal Aid Essentials Video: Introduction to HSIP–https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/federal-aidessentials/
Local-focused safety tools and information–https://www.highways.dot.gov/safety/other/local-rural

For further information:
Rosemarie Anderson
FHWA Office of Safetyrosemarie.anderson@dot.gov

FHWA-SA-16-019

Photo credits: Montgomery County, PA, Planning Commission, FHWA Flickr; iStock; Shutterstock; Michael McCarthy

Page last modified on February 1, 2017 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

**Federal Highway Administration**

1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, SE

WASHINGTON, DC 20590

202-366-4000Subscribe to email updates
                    About
  

        
              About FHWA
                Careers
                Org Chart
                Staff Directories
                Work with UsPrograms
  

        
              Acquisition Management
                Civil Rights
                Federal Lands Highway
                Infrastructure
                Innovative Program Delivery
                Operations
                Planning, Environment, and Realty
                Policy
                Research, Development, and Technology
                SafetyPolicies, Rights, Legal
  

        
              About DOT
                Accessibility
                Budget and Performance
                Civil Rights
                FOIA
                Information Quality
                No FEAR Act
                Office of Inspector General
                Privacy Policy
                USA.gov
                Web Policies and Notices
                Web StandardsNews & Events
  

        
              Newsroom
                Press Releases
                Speeches & Testimony
                Media Contacts
                Connect with Us