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
                        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
      Matt Hinshaw
      
                    
            Data-Driven Safety Analysis Program Manager
      
                    
            FHWA Office of Safety
      
                
    **Email:**matthew.hinshaw@dot.gov**Phone:** 360-619-7677
    If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
                
                Systemic Approach to Rural Roadway Departures
    

    
    
          Definition of Systemic

According to 23 USC 148(a)(12), the term "systemic safety improvement" means an improvement that is widely implemented based on **high risk roadway features** that are correlated with **particular crash types**, rather than crash frequency.

**Crash locations are random. *Crash types are not.***A fundamental challenge on rural roads is that roadway departure (aka lane departure) crash locations are random and tend to change from year to year. It is not cost-effective to apply countermeasures where crashes already happened when they are unlikely to happen again at the same location in the near future.

Rural Roadway Departure Crashes

Fictional roadmap showing network of roads and locations of Rural Roadway Departure Crashes for the years 2014 through 2018.*Source: © ESRI, © HERE, © OpenStreetMap. Annotated by VHB*

What if you could use your crash data along with knowledge of your roadway to identify risk factors? Then you could systemically apply countermeasures where crashes are most likely to occur in the future! There are multiple systemic analysis tools to help identify risk factors.

FHWA Systemic Safety Project Selection Tool
	Crash Tree Maker
	Highway Safety Benefit Cost Analysis Tool
	AASHTOWare Safety Analyst
	usRAPBenefits of a Systemic Approach:

Target high-risk roadway features
	Apply proven countermeasures across the network
	Prevent future crashesTo learn more about the systemic approach, visit the FHWA systemic safety web page. The FHWA has developed a 4-hour training course on the systemic approach. Contact your LTAP Center, State DOT, or FHWA Division Office to request the training at a location near you.

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.

Read more about the Countermeasures »

SYSTEMIC
APPROACH

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

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

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