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                Media ContactsMenu FHWA Highway Safety Programs Home
                        Safety
                        Roadway Departure Safety
                        FoRRRwD


            
            In This Section
        Roadway Departure Safety
                Strategic Approach
                                Strategic Plan
                Crash Emphasis Brochures
                Focused Approach
                Noteworthy Practices
                Partner Resources
                Keep Vehicles on the Road
                                Pavement Friction
                Horizontal Curve Safety
                Rumble Strips and Rumble Stripes
                Nighttime Visibility
                Provide for a Safe Recovery
                                SafetyEdge
                Clear Zones
                Reduce Crash Severity
                                Overview
                Hardware Eligibility Letters
                Focus on Reducing Rural Roadway Departures (FoRRRwD)
                                Overview
                All Public Roads
                Proven Countermeasures
                Systemic Approach
                Safety Action Plans
                FoRRRwD Resources
      
   Program Contact
      Paul LaFleur
      
                    
            Roadway Departure Program Manager
      
                    
            FHWA Office of Safety
      
                
    **Email:**paul.lafleur@dot.gov**Phone:** 515-233-7308
    If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
                
                Proven Countermeasures
    

    
    
          There are many flexible, cost-effective countermeasures that are proven to reduce rural roadway departure (aka lane departure) crashes. They can be installed in various situations and on many types of roadways. Countermeasures can be used individually or in combination.

3 ways to prevent rural roadway departure deaths

FoRRRwD has three objectives for reducing the number or severity of rural lane departures – keep vehicles in the lane, reduce the potential for crashes if vehicles do leave their lane, and minimize severity if a crash does happen. There are specific countermeasures that apply to each objective.

Keep vehicles in their lane

Photo of rumble strips along yellow striping on roadway.

Improve curve delineation

Friction treatments in curves and other spot locations

Edge line, shoulder & center line rumble strips

Reduce the potential for crashes

Photo of cleared area of trees and brush along side of road where the road curves.

SafetyEdgeSM

Maintained clear zones

Traversable roadside slopes

Minimize crash severity

Photo of barriers installed along side of road which would keep vehicles from leaving the roadway.

Breakaway Features

Signs & Luminaire Supports
	Utility PolesBarriers to Shield Obstacles

Trees and Shrubbery
	Other Fixed Objects
	Slopes



Explore the Other Pillars of FoRRRwD

FoRRRwD is supported by four pillars that work together to reduce rural roadway departures on all roads. Click a pillar below to learn more.

ALL PUBLIC
ROADS

Roadway departure crashes are a major problem on all public rural roads. More than 40 percent of them happen off State networks.

Read more about All Public Roads »

PROVEN
COUNTERMEASURES

There are many flexible cost-effective countermeasures that are proven to reduce these crashes.

SYSTEMIC
APPROACH

A fundamental challenge on rural roads is that roadway departure crash locations are random and change from year to year.

Read more about the Systemic Approach »

SAFETY
ACTION PLANS

Documenting the systemic analysis into a simple safety action plan is a powerful way to prioritize safety improvements.

Read more about the Safety Action Plans »
              
      
    
          Last updated: Wednesday, August 30, 2023 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

**Federal Highway Administration**

1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, SE

WASHINGTON, DC 20590

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