Transportation Safety Planning 

and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning 

Organizations and Local Communities
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

Notice

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of 

Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no 

liability for the use of the information contained in this document. This report does not 

constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. The U.S. Government does not endorse 

products of manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this report only 

because they are considered essential to the objective of the document.

Quality Assurance Statement

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve 

Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. 

Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and 

integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs 

and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement.
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

Technical Report Documentation Page

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed pages authorized

1. Report Number

FHWA-SA-18-024

2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No.

4. Title and Subtitle

Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

5. Report Date

August 2018

6. Performing Organization Code

7. Authors

Eric Tang, Kara Peach, Joshua DeFisher, and Kim Eccles

8. Performing Organization Report No.

9. Performing Organization Name and Address

VHB

8300 Boone Boulevard, Suite 700

Vienna, VA 22182

10. Work Unit No.

11. Contract or Grant No.

DTFH61-16-D-00005, T-0015

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address

Office of Safety 

Federal Highway Administration 

1200 New Jersey Ave, SE

Washington, D.C. 20590-9898

13. Type of Report and Period Covered

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

HSST

15. Supplementary Notes

FHWA Project Manager: Chimai Ngo

Technical Panel: Jim Thorne, Fred Bowers, and Danielle Betkey

Additional FHWA Reviewers: Rosemarie Anderson, Karen Scurry, Stephen Ratke, Esther Strawder, and Nick Fortey. 

Other Reviewers: Leah Shahum (Vision Zero Network), Rob Viola and Christina Blackmon (New York City DOT), Hans Larsen (City 

of Fremont, California), Paul Casertano (Pima Association of Governments, Tucson, Arizona), Cassie Parker (South Central Planning 

and Development Commission, Houma, Louisiana), Wade Holland (Montgomery County, Maryland), Karen Miller (Missouri DOT).

Interviewees: New York City; City of Greensboro, North Carolina; City of Fremont, California; City of Columbia, Missouri; 

Montgomery County, Maryland; Lane Council of Governments (Eugene, Oregon); Pima Association of Governments (Tucson, 

Arizona); North Central Texas Council of Governments (Dallas, Texas); and, South Central Planning and Development Commission 

(Houma, Louisiana).

16. Abstract

An increasing number of regional and local transportation agencies across the country are adopting transportation safety plans 

with a vision to eliminate traffic fatalities. This document provides references to key information for metropolitan planning

organizations and local communities to understand the safety planning process and develop their own local or regional safety 

plan.

17. Key words

Safety plan, Vision Zero, Toward Zero 

Deaths, Goals, Outreach, Data Analysis, 

Implementation, Evaluation

18. Distribution Statement

No restrictions.

19. Security Classif. (of this report)

Unclassified

20. Security Classif. (of this page)

Unclassified

21. No. of Pages

65

22. Price
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

ii 

Foreword

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is pleased to share a new resource, “Transportation Safety 

Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local 

Communities.” 

Reducing transportation-related fatalities and serious injuries across the transportation system has 

consistently been one of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) strategic goals. As identified in 

the US Department of Transportation Strategic Plan for FY 2018-2022, to improve transportation safety, 

DOT seeks to work effectively with State, local, Tribal, and private partners; address human behaviors to 

reduce safety risks; improve safety data analysis to guide decisions; continue to employ safety 

countermeasures; ensure that automation brings significant safety benefits; and pursue performancebased rather than prescriptive regulations. FHWA is pleased that an increasing number of communities 

across the country share this strategic goal and are working to meet the zero deaths vision by 

developing and implementing data driven safety plans that prioritize safety. The lessons learned from 

these communities serve as a foundation for this Guide.

This Guide will assist Metropolitan Planning Organizations, local communities, and affiliated 

transportation agencies and stakeholders to use the safety planning process to work toward the zero 

deaths vision. The Guide provides a step-by-step process to develop, implement, and evaluate a 

regional or local safety plan and highlights noteworthy practices. It presents safety considerations 

necessary in the safety planning process to reach the zero deaths goal. It also shows how safety 

practitioners engage in safety planning efforts; analyze data; set goals and targets to facilitate a 

performance-based planning approach; identify strategies to address safety challenges; prepare a 

document that presents the plan; and evaluate the effectiveness of the plan. We hope you will find this 

guide useful and welcome your feedback.

Thank you for your efforts toward eliminating fatalities and serious injuries on our nation’s roadways. 

Together we are saving lives!

Sincerely yours,

Elizabeth Alicandri

Associate Administrator for Safety

Federal Highway Administration

Gloria M. Shepherd

Associate Administrator for

Planning, Environment, and Realty

Federal Highway Administration
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

iii 

Contents

List of Figures................................................................................................................... v

List of Tables .................................................................................................................... v

List of Abbreviations .....................................................................................................vi

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Guide ........................................................................ 1

1.A – INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................... 1

1.B – PURPOSE.................................................................................................................................................2

1.C – AUDIENCE............................................................................................................................................... 2

1.D – DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................. 3

Chapter 2: Introduction to Safety Planning............................................................. 5

2.A – INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND........................................................................................ 5

2.B – BENEFITS OF SAFETY PLANNING AND SAFETY PLANS........................................................ 5

2.C – PERFORMANCE-BASED PLANNING............................................................................................. 6

2.D – ESTABLISHING AND FOSTERING A CULTURE OF SAFETY .................................................. 8

2.E – ESTABLISHING A SAFETY PLANNING PROCESS FOR SUCCESS...................................... 11

1. Establish Leadership, Communication, and Culture...................................................................12

2. Use a Data-Driven Process...................................................................................................................12

3. Set Performance Measures and Targets.........................................................................................13

4. Select Strategies and Countermeasures .........................................................................................13

5. Prepare and Implement a Safety Plan .............................................................................................13

6. Evaluate and Update the Plan.............................................................................................................14

LOCAL SAFETY PLANNING PROCESS CHECKLIST........................................................................... 14

Chapter 3: The Safety Planning Process................................................................. 15

3.A – ESTABLISH LEADERSHIP, COMMUNICATION, AND CULTURE....................................... 15

Identify Partners and Leaders ..................................................................................................................15

Coordination with Other Plans and Efforts.........................................................................................20

Conduct Strategic and Coordinated Outreach and Communication.......................................22

Establish Leadership, Communication, and Culture Checklist....................................................27

3.B – USE A DATA-DRIVEN PROCESS .................................................................................................. 28

Collect Safety Data.......................................................................................................................................28

Presenting Data Analysis Results............................................................................................................30
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

iv 

Identify Emphasis Areas and Potential Strategies and Countermeasures .............................32

Using Data to Focus on Key Locations.................................................................................................33

Use a Data-Driven Process Checklist ....................................................................................................35

3.C – SET PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND TARGETS.................................................................. 36

3.D – SELECT STRATEGIES AND COUNTERMEASURES................................................................. 40

Identify Strategies and Countermeasures...........................................................................................40

Strategy and Countermeasure Prioritization .....................................................................................43

Select Strategies and Countermeasures Checklist...........................................................................43

3.E – PREPARE AND IMPLEMENT A SAFETY PLAN ......................................................................... 44

Develop the Public-Facing Safety Plan Document..........................................................................44

Prioritize Actions ...........................................................................................................................................45

Assign Responsibilities for Actions........................................................................................................46

Identify Funding Sources...........................................................................................................................47

Develop Tracking Tools and Dashboards ...........................................................................................48

Continue Stakeholder and Public Meetings and Market the Plan............................................49

Prepare and Implement a Safety Plan Checklist...............................................................................50

3.F – EVALUATE AND UPDATE THE PLAN.......................................................................................... 51

Plan for Evaluation .......................................................................................................................................51

Perform Evaluation.......................................................................................................................................52

Update the Plan.............................................................................................................................................53

Evaluation and Update the Plan Checklist..........................................................................................53

CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................................ 54

The Safety Planning Resource Index....................................................................... 55
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

v 

List of Figures 

Figure 1. Participating transportation agencies................................................................................................ 3

Figure 2. FHWA’s performance-based planning approach.......................................................................... 7

Figure 3. Toward Zero Deaths traffic safety culture model.......................................................................... 9

Figure 4. Steps to develop a safety plan. ......................................................................................................... 12

Figure 5. Relationships between required safety plans. ............................................................................. 20

Figure 6. Minnesota Traffic Safety Fundamentals Handbook. ................................................................. 22

Figure 7. Public engagement flyer example.................................................................................................... 24

Figure 8. The Spectrum of Prevention............................................................................................................... 26

Figure 9. Phoenix-area mapping. ........................................................................................................................ 31

Figure 10. New York data mapping. .................................................................................................................. 32

Figure 11. High-injury or high-crash network mapping............................................................................. 34

Figure 12. Engaging community pamphlet example................................................................................... 40

Figure 13. Denver Vision Zero action table..................................................................................................... 46

Figure 14. Example dashboard............................................................................................................................. 48

List of Tables

Table 1. Potential stakeholder agencies........................................................................................................... 16

Table 2. Sources of Federal, State, and local data sets. .............................................................................. 28

Table 3. Performance measures........................................................................................................................... 37
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

vi 

List of Abbreviations

AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

CMF crash modification factor

COG Council of Governments

DOT Department of Transportation

DVRPC Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission

EPM Evaluation Process Model

FARS Fatality Analysis Reporting System

FAST Fixing America’s Surface Transportation

FHWA Federal Highway Administration

GCAT GIS Crash Analysis Tool

GIS geographic information systems

HSP Highway Safety Plan

HSIP Highway Safety Improvement Program

IPM Implementation Process Model

ITS Intelligent Transportation Systems

LTAP Local Technical Assistance Program

MAP-21 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act

MPO Metropolitan Planning Organization

MTP Metropolitan Transportation Plan

NACTO National Association of City Transportation Officials

NCHRP National Cooperative Highway Research Program

NCTCOG North Central Texas Council of Governments

NHTSA National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

NTSB National Transportation Safety Board

RAVEN Risk Analysis of Vehicle Environmental Network

SAFETEA-LU Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users

SEMCOG Southeast Michigan Council of Governments

SHSP Strategic Highway Safety Plan

SHSO State Highway Safety Office 

SMART specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time bound

SPF safety performance function

TIP Transportation Improvement Program

TSC traffic safety culture

UPWP Unified Planning Work Program
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

1 

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Guide

1.A – INTRODUCTION

Vision Zero, Road to Zero, and Toward Zero Deaths are the three 

initiatives working with coalitions at the national, State, and local 

levels to eliminate traffic-related fatalities across the United States. 

These initiatives are stimulating policy change and establishing multidisciplinary partnerships at the Federal, State, regional, and local levels 

to improve safety for all transportation system users. The zero deaths 

initiatives, including Vision Zero, are built on the fundamentals of Safe 

Systems, which is to not accept the loss of life, to design a 

transportation system that accounts for human fallibility, and to 

prioritize safety over other transportation system goals, such as 

roadway capacity. 

Strategic Highway Safety Plans (SHSPs) are a major component and 

requirement of the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). The 

HSIP is a core Federal-aid program with the purpose to achieve a 

significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all 

public roads. While the HSIP does not have an explicitly stated goal of 

eliminating fatalities, its core purpose to significantly reduce fatalities 

is akin to that of zero death initiatives. States develop SHSPs to 

advance a data-driven and coordinated approach to safety planning 

that provides a comprehensive framework for reducing highway 

fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. Many States have 

used their SHSP to adopt the goal of eliminating fatalities. Local 

communities and regional agencies like Metropolitan Planning 

Organizations (MPOs) are following the lead by developing similar 

safety plans to reduce fatalities and injuries. Local and regional safety 

plans should be consistent with the State SHSP, but they can adopt their own messaging or goals. As part 

of creating their own identity for a safety plan, an increasing number of local agencies have developed 

safety plans that are inspired by Sweden’s Vision Zero approach first adopted in the 1990s.1

A foundational element of a safety plan is establishing a vision, such as moving toward zero deaths or 

eliminating fatalities. This vision is what MPOs and local communities can use to promote a culture of 

safety. MPOs and local communities are prominently showing their commitment to their vision by 

developing resolutions and pledge statements that commit their executive leaders (i.e., regional 

commissioner, county executive, mayor), and agencies to initiatives to improve transportation safety. The 

public are encouraged to commit to the resolution or pledge, with events or websites that allow the 

public to view and sign it.

 

1 Vision Zero Traffic Safety by Sweden. http://www.visionzeroinitiative.com/ 2 Vision Zero Network. https://visionzeronetwork.org/

3 Road to Zero. http://www.nsc.org/learn/NSC-Initiatives/Pages/The-Road-to-Zero.aspx 4 Toward Zero Deaths. http://www.towardzerodeaths.org/

Initiatives 

Vision Zero is a strategy 

to eliminate all traffic 

fatalities and severe 

injuries, championed by a 

growing number of local 

agencies across the 

United States.2

Road to Zero is an 

initiative established by 

the U.S. Department of 

Transportation and the 

National Safety Council in 

partnership with Federal, 

State, and local agencies 

with the aim of 

eliminating traffic 

fatalities by 2050.3

Toward Zero Deaths is 

the national strategy 

vision for a highway 

system free of fatalities.

4
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

2 

MPOs can facilitate establishing a regional safety vision and apply this as part of regional safety plan. As 

part of this regional approach, MPOs can promote collaboration and outreach on safety programs across 

agencies within a region. MPOs are primed to provide leadership in transportation safety planning, given 

their role to support the following actions:

 Provide overall coordination role in programming funds for transportation projects and operations.

 Coordinate projects across communities in a larger geographic area. 

 Facilitate communication between constituent communities.

Local communities, while developing their own safety vision and safety plan, are encouraged to actively 

participate with their MPO in safety initiatives. Local communities are also positioned as leaders in the 

safety planning process, depending on the needed coordination. Each community can prioritize their own 

funds for safety investments and can coordinate safety discussions with neighboring jurisdictions. 

1.B – PURPOSE

This Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: A Guide for Metropolitan Planning 

Organizations and Local Communities, herein referenced as the Guide, provides references to key 

information for MPOs and local communities to understand the safety planning process and develop their 

own local or regional safety plan. It is an easy-to-use reference to support developing, implementing, and 

evaluating performance-based strategic safety plans for MPOs and local communities. The Guide provides 

noteworthy practices and examples from other strategic safety planning efforts, including links to detailed 

references and resources. The Guide also provides information on coordinating safety activities between 

stakeholders. Recognizing that each MPO or local community is unique, the information presented here is 

intended as a guideline to consider, tailor, and apply in a way that best meets the MPO’s or community’s 

specific needs and context.

1.C – AUDIENCE

The Guide is a useful resource for MPOs, local communities, and affiliated transportation agencies and 

stakeholders new to the transportation safety planning process. 

Transportation safety affects everyone. To foster collaboration and promote safety for all road users, the 

Guide includes content to engage all safety stakeholders. A stakeholder is any person, group, agency, or 

citizen affected by safety planning. Specific stakeholder categories of interest include the following:

 Engineering

 Emergency services

 Law enforcement

 Judiciary

 Economic development

 Planning

 Community outreach

 Public health

 Education

 Legislation/Policy

 Private sector/consulting

 Research

Safety stakeholders from the executive-level to the public will benefit from the contents of the Guide. 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

3 

1.D – DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY

The Guide was developed using a review of national, State, regional, and local community safety 

documentation. The authors also engaged safety stakeholders that represented MPOs, counties, and 

cities. The document review and stakeholder engagement provided content tailored to MPOs and local 

communities, particularly on how the local safety planning process relate to safety planning efforts at the 

State level.

Published Resources

Resources published at the national level—specifically those relating to the development of State SHSPs 

and those developed for local safety planning and distributed by the nonprofit Vision Zero Network—

served as key resources to inform the development of this Guide. A review of safety plans from local 

jurisdictions identified the noteworthy practices documented throughout this Guide. The Appendix 

provides a complete list of the resources used to develop this Guide.

Safety Stakeholder Representatives

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) engaged safety stakeholder representatives from 

communities with diverse backgrounds and characteristics. They are from nine MPOs, counties, and cities 

with varying levels of experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating safety plans to help steer 

the Guide’s development. The maturity of the safety plans represented by the safety stakeholders ranged 

from initial planning efforts to plans that had evolved over multiple years and updates.

Figure 1 displays the MPOs, counties, and cities that participated as stakeholders.

Source: VHB

Figure 1. Participating transportation agencies. 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

4 

1.E - ROADMAP TO THE GUIDE

The Guide includes three chapters to provide transportation safety planning fundamentals and step-bystep guidance on how to develop, implement, and evaluate a safety plan. The remaining chapters include 

the following information:

Chapter 2: Introduction to Safety Planning

Chapter 2 provides an overview on the fundamentals of transportation safety planning and the process to 

develop, implement, and evaluate a safety plan. This chapter is appropriate for audiences who want a 

general understanding of the safety planning process and its importance.

Chapter 3: The Safety Planning Process

Chapter 3 provides specific considerations for transportation practitioners to develop, implement, and 

evaluate safety planning. This chapter is designed as a “how-to” guide and includes checklists and 

examples to help practitioners execute various steps of the safety planning process. This chapter features 

call-out boxes to highlight safety planning practices including those that are specific to each of MPOs and 

local communities.

Safety Planning Resource Index

This resource contains links to documents and websites that can inform safety planning activities.
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

5 

Chapter 2: Introduction to Safety Planning

This chapter provides an overview of the fundamentals and benefits of transportation safety planning, 

explains the need to foster a culture of safety, and introduces a six-step transportation safety planning 

process that agencies can use to integrate safety in their day-to-day activities and to develop an 

actionable safety plan. This chapter provides a high-level discussion on the basics of the transportation 

safety process for decisionmakers and those new to the process. Chapter 3 provides the details on how to 

execute the safety planning process.

2.A – INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Federal transportation funding legislation such as the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation 

Equity Act – A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP21), and the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act have incrementally increased State 

requirements and resources to focus their efforts toward safety. This increased focus helps to address the 

more than 37,000 fatalities and hundreds of thousands injured on the nation’s roadways annually.5 MAP21 also requires States and MPOs to establish quantifiable targets for safety performance measures that 

track the number and rate of fatalities and serious injuries and the number of non-motorized fatalities and 

serious injuries. In response, agencies have increased the focus on safety and are taking a proactive 

approach to roadway planning and design, using performance measures to quantify progress in meeting 

agency goals. This movement is illustrated by the number of local and regional agencies developing and 

implementing safety plans that run in parallel to Federal and State efforts. 

2.B – BENEFITS OF SAFETY PLANNING AND SAFETY PLANS

The primary goal of safety planning is to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. A 

strategic, data-driven, multidisciplinary safety plan that is performance-based, and consistently evaluated 

and updated offers many benefits to regional agencies and local communities. Transportation agencies 

can use the following benefits of safety planning to engage new partners in the planning process: 

• Reduce fatalities and injuries and support a zero deaths vision. Research demonstrates the 

importance of a safety plan in preventing traffic fatalities and serious injuries. Safety planning can 

help to set a goal of eliminating both fatalities and serious injuries within a specified timeframe. 

Clear and measurable objectives and the use of effective strategies help drive successful safety 

plans. 

• Create a culture of safety across local, regional, and State agencies and communities. A safety 

plan can act as a springboard towards institutionalizing safety in transportation programs and 

projects within an MPO or local community. This can be accomplished through informing the public 

of safety planning efforts, creating a network of safety partnerships, and strengthening traffic safety 

enforcement policies and practices. 

• Strengthen and develop collaborative partnerships among stakeholders. Establishing 

collaborative arrangements where partners regularly work together builds trust and understanding 

and will lead to the development of a successful safety plan. These collaborations help expand the 

initiative to the broader safety community and foster widespread understanding and support for 

safety priorities. Dramatic improvements in roadway safety are more likely to result from a 

collaborative effort among various stakeholders than from efforts within a single agency. In 

addition, collaborative relationships established during the development and implementation of 

 

5 NHTSA, 2016. https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/fatality-analysis-reporting-system-fars
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

6 

the safety plan can provide helpful insights; learning from the experiences of others helps to 

identify and proactively remove obstacles. 

• Promote data-driven decision-making. A data-driven process will help to prioritize resources to 

projects and programs with the greatest potential to reduce fatalities and serious injuries. 

Transportation agencies should use data to identify safety problems, select appropriate strategies 

and countermeasures, monitor progress toward achieving goals and objectives, measure strategy 

effectiveness, identify needed improvements, and direct limited resources to the highest potential 

for reducing fatalities and serious injuries. 

• Share resources to accomplish a common mission. Collaboration between stakeholders helps to 

effectively support safety initiatives and to minimize duplication of effort. A shared plan allows 

agencies to enhance how funds are used by stakeholders. Collaboration also brings new partners 

and further expands resources to assist with safety plan implementation.

• Prioritize funding for safety. A safety plan brings the potential for sharing financial resources 

through safety planning collaboration. Prioritizing solutions for safety issues that affect multiple 

jurisdictions can strengthen development and funding for projects. Prioritization also curbs the 

practice of allocating funds to the most popular projects and promotes an equitable portfolio of 

projects.

2.C – PERFORMANCE-BASED PLANNING

Performance-based planning and programming applies performance management principles to 

transportation system policy and investment decisions, providing a link between management and longrange decisions about policies and investments that an agency makes in its transportation system. 

Performance-based planning and programming is a system-level, data-driven process to identify 

strategies and investments. The experience of State SHSPs and local Vision Zero efforts show that a 

performance-based framework plays an important role in driving the success of a safety plan. 

Figure 2 shows a framework for a performance-based planning approach and identifies the primary 

process elements of an analytic approach to transportation planning and programming. States and MPOs 

are required to establish targets for safety performance measures, and a performance-based approach to 

safety planning helps to meet the targets.6 Although it is not required, local communities can also benefit 

from establishing performance metrics. Adopting a performance-based approach that tracks progress and 

results provides an accountable foundation for developing, implementing, and evaluating safety plans and 

will result in a plan with clearly defined strategies and desired outcomes. The FHWA Transportation Safety 

Planning webpage provides more information about integrating safety into this approach.7

 

6 23 CFR Part 490 Safety Performance Measurement Final Rule. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/rulemaking/ 7 FHWA Transportation Safety Planning. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tsp/
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

7 

Source: FHWA Office of Planning Performance Based Planning and Programming Guidebook8

Figure 2. FHWA’s performance-based planning approach. 

A performance-based safety planning framework also needs to involve the participation of stakeholders 

and the public. Their participation helps to inform the selection of goals, objective, and performance 

metrics for a safety plan. Their participation is also needed to interpret the results of performance and to 

contribute to the decision-making process of selecting and prioritizing safety projects. For example, the 

SHSP requires collaboration not only between agencies at the State level, but also with agencies at the 

regional, local, and tribal level to help inform strategic direction and coordination of common safety 

efforts. Although MPOs and local communities are not subject to the same requirements, they can use the 

SHSP as a foundation to develop, implement, and evaluate their safety plans. This will help move MPOs 

and local communities toward improving their safety outcomes. The experience of Vision Zero cities has 

shown that equity and Safe Systems contribute to how projects are prioritized in the performance-based 

planning process.

There are resources available to assist agencies with their regional and local efforts. Notably, FHWA 

provides technical assistance and guidance to transportation agencies on proactive approaches to 

address safety, including developing SHSPs and local road safety plans, implementing low-cost safety 

countermeasures, and improving data. FHWA’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan Champion’s Guidebook

provides more information on the SHSP process and reviews the basic principles and important 

considerations in the development, implementation, and evaluation of an SHSP.9 FHWA’s Building Links to 

Improve Safety: How Safety and Transportation Planning Practitioners Work Together is a toolkit of 

 

8 FHWA Office of Planning Performance Based Planning and Programming Guidebook. 

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/performance_based_planning/pbpp_guidebook/page02.cfm

9 FHWA Strategic Highway Safety Plan Champion’s Guidebook. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/guidebook/
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

8 

strategies to integrate safety and transportation planning processes and provides examples of how 

transportation and planning practitioners can work together.10 Additional information on the SHSP 

performance-based approach is available in the FHWA documents Strategic Highway Safety Plan Guidance

and SHSP Quick Reference Guide.

11,12

Additionally, the Vision Zero Network, a nonprofit group supporting the Vision Zero work of jurisdictions 

from across the United States, provides a pamphlet, 9 Components of a Strong Vision Zero Commitment, 

that describes essential safety planning elements experienced by early-adopter Vision Zero cities that 

MPOs or local communities can follow.13,14

2.D – ESTABLISHING AND FOSTERING A CULTURE OF SAFETY

Vision Zero and Toward Zero Deaths strive to institute transformational change in transportation policies, 

engagement, planning, engineering, and implementation that will change behaviors and promote the 

premise that no lives should be lost on our roadways. At the onset and throughout the safety planning 

process, MPOs and local communities should consider establishing and fostering a culture of safety, 

which incorporates safety in decision-making and encourages roadway users to avoid risk-taking 

behaviors. Establishing a safety culture requires time as changes in values, beliefs, and attitudes build 

upon each other to affect behaviors. Throughout the safety planning process, MPOs and local 

communities will need to communicate and promote strategies for the larger community’s participation.

MPOs and local communities may consider several resources available during this stage of the safety 

planning process. One such resource is the Toward Zero Deaths National Strategy that introduces a traffic 

safety culture (TSC) model – a descriptive and predictive model that illustrates how social factors influence 

the acceptance of safety strategies (Figure 3). For more information on the TSC model and steps to 

establish a culture of safety, download the Toward Zero Deaths National Strategy.

15

 

10 FHWA Building Links to Improve Safety: How Safety and Transportation Planning Practitioners Work Together.

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tsp/fhwasa16116/index.cfm

11 FHWA Strategic Highway Safety Plan Guidance. 

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/legislationandpolicy/fast/shsp_guidance.cfm

12 FHWA SHSP Quick Reference Guide. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/quick_ref_guide/ 13 Vision Zero Network. https://visionzeronetwork.org/ 14 Vision Zero Network. 9 Components of a Strong Vision Zero Commitment. https://visionzeronetwork.org/9-

components-of-a-strong-vision-zero-commitment/

15 Toward Zero Deaths National Strategy. http://www.towardzerodeaths.org/strategy/
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

9 

Source: Toward Zero Deaths National Strategy16

Figure 3. Toward Zero Deaths traffic safety culture model.

Institute the Safe Systems Approach

As a core principle of the zero deaths approach, Safe Systems studies the interactions among roadways, 

vehicles, and road users; and recognizes that human errors are inevitable. Safe Systems encourages policy 

makers, planners, and engineers look for holistic solutions and design a transportation system that helps 

prevent such errors from resulting in serious or fatal outcomes. It prioritizes safety over other goals and 

ensures that in the event of a crash, the impact is tolerable to human bodies. 

It is critical that Safe Systems is instituted during the safety planning process and followed through the 

implementation and evaluation stages. At the least, it should guide the selection of strategies and 

countermeasures to ensure that the safety improvements are systemic and targeting all road users, even 

when they make mistakes. 

Know That Speed Matters

Safe speed is a pathway toward a safer transportation system and speed management is one way to 

institute the Safe Systems approach. One of the strategies of the Portland, Oregon’s Vision Zero program

is to manage speeds that result in safer conditions for all road users.

17 As local communities are 

responsible for setting speed limits, it is natural that speed is regarded in the local safety planning 

process. Speeding is involved in roughly one-third of traffic fatalities yet speeding carries far less social 

stigma than drunk driving, a problem similar in scope. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) 

study Reducing Speeding-Related Crashes Involving Passenger Vehicles examined the significant problem 

excessive speeds pose for traffic safety.18 The NTSB made recommendations for adjusting speed limits, 

enforcing speed limits, implementing automated speed enforcement, adopting vehicle technologies, and 

building greater awareness of speed as a traffic safety issue. These recommendations can help inform 

 

16 Toward Zero Deaths National Strategy. http://www.towardzerodeaths.org/strategy/ 17 Portland Vision Zero. https://visionzeronetwork.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/03/0314_CaseStudy_Speed_FINAL.pdf 18 National Transportation Safety Board. https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SS1701.pdf
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

10 

discussion of speed-related strategies for inclusion in a safety plan or other safety initiatives such as speed 

enforcement in school zones or work zones.

With this knowledge, MPOs and local communities can look to the State for partnership. The State SHSP 

may have strategies to address speeding. The State Highway Safety Plan (HSP) required by National 

Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also includes a performance metric, as required in 23 CFR 

§ 1300.11(c), to measure the number of speed-related fatalities in the State. MPOs may develop a similar 

metric for the region and constituent jurisdictions and include it as part of the regional safety plan. Local 

communities can also adopt a metric to address speeding. MPOs and local communities are taking 

approaches to reduce travel speeds such as designing streets to address speed in high-injury locations, 

lowering speed limits to fit context, developing neighborhood calming programs, and if allowed, 

instituting automated speed enforcement programs. For example, Chicago’s Vision Zero plan includes

speed management and speed prevention as key strategies.

19 The city also set an interim goal to reduce 

speed-related crashes—its greatest contributor of traffic deaths—by 25 percent by 2020. MPOs do not set 

speed limits; however, they can promote greater awareness about the negative impact of higher speeds in 

a crash. Regional safety planning efforts can include coordination of activities between constituent 

communities to address risky-driving behaviors such as speeding. For example, Pennsylvania has a State 

Speed Management Action Plan that involves the State MPO consortium.20

Consider Additional Safety and Equity Factors

MPOs and local communities will need to acknowledge existing inequities within the transportation 

system to change the safety culture. This includes considering the most vulnerable users and underserved 

populations and identifying stakeholders and agencies that understand their needs, such as the public 

health community. 

Crash statistics further illustrate the need for increased attention to socioeconomic disparities, with 

socioeconomically disadvantaged populations carrying a disproportionate burden of traffic-related 

fatalities and injuries.21 A study by the publication Governing based on NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting 

System (FARS) data showed that pedestrian deaths are much more common in poor neighborhoods in 

urban areas than in wealthier ones.22

Communities are focusing their attention and resources to those areas with the greatest need and are 

also engaging in valuable and often difficult conversations to address the intersection of transportation 

safety and social justice issues. Active engagement and coordination in these communities helps to 

promote the shared responsibility of providing a safe and equitable transportation system for all 

stakeholders. Communities can address equity by prioritizing safety improvements in communities of 

concern—areas with low income and education levels, high concentrations of seniors, low rates of vehicles 

ownership, high obesity rates, and high numbers of schools and community centers. Also, as more people 

choose to walk and bike, means increased exposure to vehicles and other risks. The Vision Zero Network 

offers several equity-related online resources.

 

19 Chicago Vision Zero. http://visionzerochicago.org/ 20 Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. http://www.penndot.gov/TravelInPA/Safety/Documents/PA Speed 

Management Action Plan Final Version 11-2-2016.pdf

21 NHTSA. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/809956 22 Governing Magazine. http://media.navigatored.com/documents/Governing_Pedestrian_Fatalities_Report.pdf
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

11 

The Boston MPO has established a goal of making all transportation modes safe for all users. In 2016 and 

2017, the Boston MPO undertook a Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) study, Systemwide Title 

VI/Environmental Justice Assessment of TIP Projects, to develop a methodology for determining whether TIP 

programmed projects will cause disparate impacts for minority populations and disproportionate burdens for 

low-income populations.

23

As another example, Denver’s Vision Zero effort recognized that increasing enforcement efforts (or even the 

perception of that), especially in communities of concern, could inadvertently exacerbate tensions and 

problems in the very communities the city is aiming to serve.

24 The city decided to prioritize street design and 

education strategies rather than enforcement in these areas. Denver also incorporates equity and 

demographic considerations into law enforcement training that helps to build public trust.

2.E – ESTABLISHING A SAFETY PLANNING PROCESS FOR SUCCESS

This section outlines a six-step safety planning process, adapted from FHWA’s Local Roads Safety 

Planning and SHSP processes, for MPOs and local communities to consider when developing, 

implementing, and evaluating safety plans. Although regional and local plans do not need to adhere to 

the requirements States follow for their SHSPs, the requirements help form a proven process to follow 

that MPOs and local communities can adapt to best meet their needs. 

Figure 4 displays a sample process with the steps to develop a transportation safety plan. The following 

sections provide an overview of each step as well as a definition of key terminologies. Chapter 3 of this 

Guide discusses the components in greater detail and provides additional links to references and 

resources to help MPOs and local communities in the safety planning process.

 

23 Boston MPO. 

http://ctps.org/data/calendar/pdfs/2017/MPO_0720_TitleVI_EJ_Systemwide_Assessment_of_TIP_Projects.pdf

24 Denver Vision Zero. 

https://www.denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/705/documents/visionzero/Denver-Vision-Zero-ActionPlan.pdf 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

12 

Source: VHB

Figure 4. Steps to develop a safety plan. 

1. Establish Leadership, Communication, and Culture

The first step of the safety planning process involves engaging stakeholders and 

identifying leaders, defining communication protocols, and identifying the necessary 

elements to instill a safety culture into the community. The stakeholders will define for 

the safety plan: 

 Vision: A concise expression of what the plan is expected to accomplish.

 Mission: What stakeholders will do to reach the vision.

 Goal: A broad statement that describes a desired end state.

The overall vision statement in the MPO or local community safety plan should be supported by agencywide goals and objectives. This first step also needs to identify leaders who will champion the overall 

effort and help to coordinate the day-to-day activities of the safety plan. 

2. Use a Data-Driven Process

MPOs and local communities should use a data-driven approach to understand 

transportation safety priorities. Data helps to drive strategic direction, vision and goal 

setting, project selection and prioritization, location selection, and crash factor 

identification. The collection and analysis of crash data helps to identify emphasis areas 

before identifying strategies. 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

13 

An emphasis area helps to achieve the safety plan vision and mission by addressing specific safety issues 

identified during the data analysis.

Each emphasis area is comprised of one or more strategies that help to resolve the identified traffic 

safety issue.

The data-driven decision-making process will push the safety plan toward emphasis areas and strategies

with the greatest potential impact to reduce fatalities and injuries. The plans should use the best available 

safety data to identify critical highway safety issues and safety improvement opportunities on all public 

roads. The data are also used to track and evaluate the progress of the safety plan and helps to inform 

any adjustments that are needed to improve the plan’s performance.

3. Set Performance Measures and Targets

The safety planning process needs meaningful and realistic objectives and targets to 

meet the desired vision, mission, and goal. This helps to establish a performancebased approach to measure and evaluate the progress and success of safety planning 

programs. An agency should consider the following definitions when setting 

objectives and targets as part of the performance-based safety planning approach:

 Objective: A specific and measurable statement that supports achievement of a goal. Each 

emphasis area can have one or more objectives to address a safety issue.

 Performance measure: A metric used to assess progress toward meeting an objective.

 Target: A specific level of performance desired in a certain timeframe.

A consistent approach helps to set safety performance targets. Safety initiatives at State, regional, and 

local levels will be more effective if safety partners direct resources toward meeting the same target. 

FHWA’s Safety Performance Management website provides additional information on target setting 

practices.

25

4. Select Strategies and Countermeasures

The lead agencies can consult available resources to investigate and narrow the list of 

strategies down to a final set that has the best potential to reduce fatalities and serious 

injuries. While some of the resources are for a national or State audience, many of the 

techniques and recommendations are valid for regional and local application. Each 

strategy is accompanied by one or more activities, or countermeasures, that effectively reduce fatalities 

and serious injuries. The implementation of a countermeasure constitutes an action that is included in the 

safety plan. 

5. Prepare and Implement a Safety Plan

This step results in a publicly accessible safety plan that provides a prioritized list of 

strategies and actions, identified funding sources, and a method to track their 

implementation. The safety plan includes a summary of the identified needs, vision, 

goals, and objectives important to the MPO or local community. The safety plan 

document will identify a focus for future efforts, serve as a guide for stakeholders and 

partners, and will create a link between the goals and objectives of the plan. 

The implementation of the safety plan also requires marketing efforts to engage the public in safety 

activities. 

 

25 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/spm/
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

14 

6. Evaluate and Update the Plan 

This step of the safety planning process is to establish regular review cycles to 

measure progress, identify success, determine challenges to implementation, and 

identify opportunities to amend. Evaluation helps to re-prioritize existing resources to 

better align with safety goals. The transparency of an evaluation process is critical for 

accountability during the implementation of a safety plan. 

LOCAL SAFETY PLANNING PROCESS CHECKLIST 

This chapter introduced high-level concepts that an MPO or local community can consider when 

developing a safety plan. The reader should review the following checklist of concepts introduced in this 

chapter:

 Understand the benefits of a transportation safety plan.

 Understand the importance of a performance-based approach.

 Understand safety culture, equity, and speed.

o Review the traffic safety culture model.

o Review equity resources, such as those found at Vision Zero Network’s resource page.

26

o Review speed-related resources, such as NTSB’s study Reducing Speeding-Related Crashes 

Involving Passenger Vehicles.

27

 Consult additional resources related to SHSP, TSP, and Vision Zero

 Study the six-step safety planning process:

o Establish and foster a culture of safety throughout the process and collaborate with diverse 

safety stakeholders, including engagement with the public to incorporate their experiences 

and needs.

o Use data-driven approaches to identify key safety issues.

o Set measurable targets.

o Select and implement effective strategies and countermeasures.

o Document the plan.

o Continue to evaluate and update the plan.

Chapter 3 includes additional detail to help MPOs and local communities put the six-step safety planning 

process introduced in this chapter into action.

 

26 Vision Zero Network. https://visionzeronetwork.org/resources/ 27 NTSB. https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SS1701.pdf
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

15 

Chapter 3: The Safety Planning Process

MPOs and local communities developing a safety plan may find themselves faced with several questions

such as: What are the steps we need to take to get our plan in motion? How can we develop an 

implementable safety plan that is well-aligned with community and State safety priorities? This chapter 

expands on the six steps to support safety plans discussed in Chapter 2. Where applicable, this chapter 

shows tips and procedures specific to MPOs or local communities, respectively.

3.A – ESTABLISH LEADERSHIP, COMMUNICATION, AND CULTURE 

The following sections expand upon the concepts identified in Chapter 2 to further explore the 

importance of identifying leaders, engaging of a variety of stakeholders, and coordinating 

communication to promote a culture of safety in the planning process.

Identify Partners and Leaders

When developing safety plans, MPO and local 

communities will need to identify and engage all 

potential stakeholders with an interest in safety. The first 

step is to assess existing relationships and build on 

similar collaborative efforts. To do this, agencies should 

organize lists of stakeholders to make sure all types of 

potential participants are covered. Stakeholders include 

those actively engaged in traffic safety and those who 

have yet to realize their potential contributions to the 

effort. The traditional 4 E’s of safety—engineering, 

enforcement, education, and emergency response—define 

the broad stakeholder partners engaged in safety and 

are responsible for making the roads safe for all users.28

Representatives of the 4 E’s can bring a unique 

perspective to the safety plan: engineers approach a 

safety problem from the roadway and vehicle 

perspectives; law enforcement focuses on road user 

behavior; education concentrates on prevention; and 

emergency response personnel handle post-collision 

care. The stakeholder lists may include the types of participants by agency category, such as 

representatives of the 4 E’s, businesses, advocacy groups, citizens, Tribal, and local governments. Newly 

developed safety plans have started to introduce additional E’s in safety planning—equity, everyone, 

engagement, and evaluation—to acknowledge the importance of an inclusive process. Non-traditional 

partners include public health organizations, freight carriers, and technology companies. See Table 1 for 

more suggestions of partners. The goal of this step is to highlight any missing or underrepresented 

stakeholders and then broaden the base to form a multi-disciplinary team. 

Some potential partners may not be as engaged or appear to be resistant in the safety planning process; 

however, transportation agencies can overcome or prevent that barrier by clearly defining expectations. 

No matter the size of a contribution, an agency’s participation and contribution is always important. An 

inclusive safety planning process will allow for partners to be comfortable with their desired level of 

engagement. They will clearly understand how their involvement will benefit the community and their 

 

28 FHWA HSIP Noteworthy Practice Series. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/resources/fhwasa1102/toc.cfm

The 4 E’s of Safety 

The 4 E’s of safety define the broad 

stakeholder partners involved in 

transportation safety. Stakeholders from the 4 

E’s are typically from the following:

 Engineering: highway design, traffic, 

maintenance, operations, and planning 

professionals. 

 Enforcement: State and local law 

enforcement agencies. 

 Education: prevention specialists, 

communication professionals, educators, 

and citizen advocacy groups. 

 Emergency response: first responders, 

paramedics, fire, and rescue.
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

16 

agency. Showing these partners the Benefits of Safety Planning and Safety Plans section in Chapter 2 of 

this Guide can assist MPOs and local communities to communicate additional benefits of safety planning.

The South Central Planning and Development Commission (Houma, LA), in its efforts to facilitate a safety 

stake holder coalition, uses a 4 E approach to identify its stakeholders and to foster multi-disciplinary 

communication and coordination.

29 The region also works closely with other coalitions across Louisiana as 

well as with the State SHSP to coordinate resources and priorities.30

Table 1. Potential stakeholder agencies. 

Once MPOs and local communities identify partners, they will need to establish leadership responsibilities 

for facilitating the safety plan. This is critical to the success of the safety plan and may take the shape of 

an executive committee representing leadership from a variety of agencies responsible for championing, 

promoting, and shepherding safety initiatives and culture. Participating partners should identify how their 

agency can contribute to the implementation of the plan in terms of resources and technical expertise. 

The group can meet periodically to address issues related to safety planning development and 

implementation and provide recommendations for further action. This group can also provide the final 

input or recommendations for project prioritization before decision-making groups review and approve. 

Safety planning leaders provide direction through their enthusiastic support of safety initiatives, bring 

organizational skills to the effort, and actively encourage commitment and participation from all 

stakeholders. Leaders help secure the necessary resources, visibility, support, and commitment of all 

partners. Once the plan is complete, leaders guide the implementation and evaluation of the plan and 

promote the safety mindset the community is working to achieve. 

Some jurisdictions appoint full-time safety coordinators to support the plan and report progress to 

executive officials and working group members. Some coordinators are located at a central office, while 

some are in agencies such as a transportation department or planning department. An MPO or local 

community can also assign a designated leader for the safety plan and identify leaders for any emphasis 

areas within the plan. 

 

29 South Central Planning and Development Commission. http://www.scpdc.org/programs/safe-communities/

30 Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. 

http://wwwsp.dotd.la.gov/Inside_LaDOTD/Divisions/Multimodal/Highway_Safety/Pages/Destination_Zero_Deaths.aspx

Agency Category Types of Agencies

Engineering Public Works, Traffic Engineering, Transportation Planning

Enforcement Local Community Police, County Police, State Police, Campus Police, 

Court System

Education School Board, Department of Motor Vehicles, Driving Schools, Public 

Health Department

Emergency Response Hospitals, Fire Department, Ambulance Services

Other

Transit Agencies, Modal Advocacy Groups, Non-Profits, Public Health, 

Freight Companies, School Districts, Office of Senior Services, Traffic 

Records Coordination Committee, Technology Companies
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

17 

To help identify leaders, transportation agencies should consider the following list of characteristics, roles, 

and responsibilities. 

Characteristics of a Leader:

 Creative, energetic, and passionate about safety for all.

 Forward-thinking.

 High-level of interpersonal communication skills.

 Understanding and respect of other point of views.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Leader:

 Provide enthusiasm for the vision and mission.

 Bring organizational skills.

 Promote relationship building and sustain stakeholder engagement.

 Maintain the focus and direction of the safety plan. 

 Be a point of contact for safety plan related activities, programs, and projects.

 Manage or designate meeting coordination and oversight of emphasis area working groups.

 Provide assistance to overcome barriers affecting the plan.

 Coordinate the data-driven process to support the plan.

 Supply routine updates to stakeholders (including the public).

 Engage the public throughout the process.

Local agencies with successfully adopted safety plans report that buy-in from the executive level, such as 

a mayor, a regional commissioner, and elected officials is an essential step to advance safety efforts. 

Political buy-in can advance safety through changes in policy and institutional practices, such as issuing 

executive orders or initiating pledges to support the safety plan. However, these positions may experience 

turnover due to changes in administration and election cycles. Therefore, individual agencies should 

consider establishing provisions that establish continuity of transportation safety programs and culture. 

When leaders or stakeholders depart, their replacements should be engaged in the process as soon as 

possible. 

Several communities are using public health tools to advance their safety planning efforts.

31 San Francisco is 

using hospital data to better inform safety decision-making. Chicago aligned its Vision Zero effort with its 

citywide public health plan. New York engaged public health agencies to identify research and evaluation 

topics to better understand how best to implement Vision Zero. In an effort to bridge the gap between 

potential partners, the American Public Health Association has developed several resources and case studies

to show the linkage between transportation policy and health outcomes.32

 

31 Vision Zero Network. https://visionzeronetwork.org/project/the-central-role-of-public-health-in-vision-zero/ 32 American Public Health Association. https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/transportation
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

18 

The Vision Zero Network’s Collaborating Across Departments for 

Vision Zero case study provides examples of communities that 

conduct regular multi-agency collaborative meetings and develop 

shared goals and accountability measures to advance the 

implementation of safety plans.

33 This includes New York City’s 

task force, steering committee, and working group. At the regional 

level, the Central Texas Council of Governments (Dallas, Texas) has 

a regional safety advisory committee that meets quarterly to 

discuss and prioritize regional safety initiatives.

34

Engage Member Organizations and Jurisdictions.

As MPOs and local communities identify stakeholders, they 

should begin to define an organizational structure to support the 

safety plan development, implementation, and evaluation. This 

process will define stakeholders’ roles and level of engagement in 

the safety planning process. Defining an organizational structure 

does not need to be a complex process. This can be as simple as 

establishing a three-tiered structure of stakeholder engagement: 

communication, planning, and decision-making.

The communication level is the broadest and includes all 

stakeholders that can provide input and add support to the 

safety planning process. This includes identifying opportunities to 

continually inform the public of safety programs and the 

development, implementation, and evaluation of safety plans. 

The planning level engages a more focused group of 

stakeholders, such as technical experts, more intimately involved 

in the day-to-day processes. The decision-making level should 

encompass stakeholders from agencies or institutions with the 

ability to influence transportation system and policy changes that 

improve safety. 

After stakeholders are identified, MPOs and local communities 

will need active collaboration from the partners. The success of 

the safety plan relies on a collaborative environment: one agency 

or individual alone cannot be responsible for the initiatives laid 

out in a safety plan. Every stakeholder will need to contribute to 

implementation, which is best achieved when stakeholders have 

vested interest in the vision of safety and associated initiatives. 

 

33 Vision Zero Network. https://visionzeronetwork.org/project/collaborating-across-departments-to-achieve-visionzero/

34 North Central Texas Council of Governments. https://www.nctcog.org/trans/committees/rsac/index.asp 35 Eugene, Oregon Government. https://www.eugene-or.gov/3320/Community-Engagement 36 Tri-County Regional Planning Commission. http://www.trico.org/Docs/2017/04/Traffic%20Safety%20and%20Operations%20Committee%20memo.pdf

37 Houston-Galveston Area Council. http://www.h-gac.com/taq/transportation-committees/RSC/default.aspx

Eugene, Oregon has a Vision Zero 

Task Force to guide the 

development of its safety plan.35

Those who serve on the task force 

act as liaisons to the 

communities, organizations, and 

agencies they represent. In 

addition, the city has a Vision 

Zero Technical Advisory 

Committee whose members offer 

technical expertise in the 

development, implementation, 

and evaluation of the various 

actions contained in its plan.

Ongoing and frequent meetings 

have worked for several agencies. 

For example, the Tri-County 

Regional Planning Commission

(Lansing, Michigan) Traffic Safety 

and Operations Advisory Working 

Group has a framework to meet 

monthly to quarterly to discuss 

highway safety planning, 

congestion management, signal 

operations, and Intelligent 

Transportation System (ITS) 

planning among other issues.

36

The Houston-Galveston Regional 

Council (Houston, Texas) regional 

safety council meets quarterly to 

discuss regional safety issues and 

developed a set of bylaws and 

operating procedures to govern 

regional traffic safety activities in 

the region.37 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

19 

MPOs and local communities can use one or more of the following mechanisms to encourage active 

participation and institutionalize safety: 

 Establish a safety planning committee with governing by-laws.

 Develop a memorandum of understanding among agencies. 

 Establish reporting procedures that require regular updates and reporting from partner agencies.

 Identify a leader from each agency responsible for maintaining momentum for safety efforts at 

their respective agency. 

 Institute a standing agenda item at policy boards or other relevant committee meetings.

 Develop a one-page summary or pamphlet that describes the importance of transportation 

safety.

Agencies may consider establishing a technical committee to manage the development and 

implementation of the safety plan. This group reports to the executive committee and provides oversight 

on implementation of actions within the safety plan. The working group is comprised of representatives 

from different technical disciplines and represents the different emphasis areas addressed in the safety 

plan. An MPO comprised of many jurisdictions may consider establishing sub-regional safety groups to 

manage communication, while a local community with many districts or wards may need to split into 

subarea groups.

Ultimately, stakeholders and partners need to institutionalize safety in their transportation planning 

processes. NCHRP Report 811: Institutionalizing Safety in Transportation Planning Processes: Techniques, 

Tactics, and Strategies provides a good overview of approaches to institutionalize safety.38 Organizational 

training also has value to help expand safety planning efforts and MPOs can play a useful role in 

coordinating training resources and opportunities for local community staff working on safety 

improvement programs.

Engage the Public and Adopt a Vision, Mission, and Goal

Jurisdictions with adopted safety plans often publicize clear vision, mission, and goal statements of 

eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries from the onset. In communities across the country, mayors 

and top decisionmakers are engaging directly in traffic safety initiatives by committing publicly to a vision 

for safety and encouraging increased attention and collaboration across local community agencies. This 

helps establish conditions under which the safety plan takes place. Participants in the safety planning 

process will follow this vision as they engage in the various actions in the plan. The public should also 

have a voice at committee or safety project meetings during every phase of the safety planning process. 

Early engagement will shape the strategies and build public understanding of the value of a safety plan.

Communities are encouraging their executive leaders, agencies, and the public to commit to safety. 

Portland’s Vision Zero website includes a web-based pledge form comprised of questions as well as 

supporting statistics that explains crashes in the city.

39 The Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization

(San Antonio, Texas) developed a resolution in support of Vision Zero for San Antonio and other 

communities in the region.

40

 

38 National Cooperative Highway Research Program. http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/172977.aspx 39 Portland Bureau of Transportation. https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/575301 40 Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. 

http://www.alamoareampo.org/Safety/docs/VisionZeroResolution.pdf
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

20 

In several jurisdictions, the public provided input via surveys and answered questionnaires to enumerate 

concerns with safety and to commit to a vision, mission, and goal for safety. In New York City, the public 

had access to an interactive map to pinpoint safety concerns.41 Similar to the previous discussion of 

agency stakeholders, it is beneficial to conduct multiple public meetings to cover the different steps of the 

safety planning process. Multiple meetings also cover the various areas of the MPO or local community 

and to gain perspectives from different audiences.

The Sun Corridor MPO (Casa Grande, Arizona) Strategic Transportation Safety Plan includes an appendix

that contains all the information and feedback from public meetings, stakeholder meetings, Board of 

Supervisor presentations, executive board presentations, and city council presentations as well as newspaper 

articles and online mapping tool results.42

Coordination with Other Plans and Efforts

Safety initiatives are more effective when they capitalize on resources of other planning and programming 

activities such as overall transportation, congestion, and air quality. MPOs and local communities can look 

for opportunities to incorporate or link to other regional, local, State DOT, State Police, and State Highway 

Safety Office (SHSOs) efforts. This includes links to the SHSP and the HSP. Developing a standalone 

transportation safety plan adds a more prominent public-facing element to safety planning instead of 

embedding safety within another plan. 

Source: SHSP Champions Guide, FHWA.

43

Figure 5. Relationships between required safety plans. 

There are several related plans at the State and regional level such as the Metropolitan Transportation 

Plan (MTP), the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), and the Transportation 

Improvement Program (TIP). An MPO or local community safety plan should also engage stakeholders 

involved with these and other safety planning and programming processes. These stakeholders can help 

 

41 New York City Vision Zero. http://www.nyc.gov/html/visionzero/pages/dialogue/map.html

42 Sun Corridor MPO. https://scmpo.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SCMPO-STSP-Appendix-A.pdf 43 FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/guidebook/
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

21 

to incorporate the goals and strategies of the SHSP into the MPO or local community safety plans, as 

appropriate. MPOs and local communities should also consider related efforts, such as emergency 

response planning and modal planning. In turn, the SHSP should consider the results of the MPO and 

local community safety planning processes and outcomes. Figure 5 displays relationships between 

required safety plans in the non-shaded boxes and other transportation plans shown in shaded boxes.

MPOs and local communities should involve stakeholders with knowledge of existing plans to better link 

priorities and actions and increase effectiveness through coordinated efforts. Examining existing plans can 

also provide ideas for the potential emphasis areas, strategies, and actions. An emphasis area is an area of 

focus in a safety plan that highlights a key crash type as identified by data. Example emphasis areas in 

State-level safety plans include impaired driving, distracted driving, and intersection crashes. A strategy 

details how the jurisdiction will achieve a goal under an emphasis area. An example strategy is to conduct 

high-visibility enforcement to combat impaired driving. An action is an activity to implement a strategy 

and is measurable. Following the example strategy, an example action is the number and/or location of 

high-visibility enforcement campaigns.

The following provides examples of roles that MPOs and local communities can play when coordinating 

safety planning with other similar efforts.

MPOs:

 Coordinate safety efforts with localities in the region.

 Invite and sustain municipal participation in regional safety efforts. 

 Set and monitor regional safety goals. 

 Develop performance targets or adopt State targets and track progress. 

 Administer transportation grants, funding, and programs. 

 Participate in county and local community safety efforts. 

 Provide data access to local, county, and community agencies. 

 Interact with local, regional, and State organizations. 

Local Communities:

 Coordinate safety efforts at the municipal level, including the development of a safety plan. 

 Participate in regional and State efforts such as safety partnerships, safety performance target 

setting, data analysis, and marketing.

 Integrate safety into other local transportation plans, including modal transportation plans. 

 Interact with other local organizations. 

MPO Perspective

As part of the outreach effort to engage safety partners across the region, MPOs will identify the varied 

safety needs from constituencies in the region. These needs, combined with a data analysis of safety issues in 

the region, helps to identify the key concerns that will drive investment in safety initiatives, both in 

infrastructure and in behavioral programs. MPOs should review the State SHSP, HSP, and HSIP to become 

familiar with statewide needs. Safety plans that align with the projects in the MTP, TIP, and SHSP can better 

advance safety planning efforts in a coordinated manner. MPOs can also use the emphasis areas identified 

in the SHSP to guide the types of activities that included in the UPWP. The SHSP Implementation Process 

Model describes how transportation agencies can integrate the State SHSP into regional long-range 

planning efforts and TIPs.

44

 

44 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/fhwasa10024cd/
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

22 

Local Community Perspective

Local communities must determine how best to incorporate and link safety-related issues. This is a two-way 

relationship: the local community safety plan should acknowledge the goals and actions of other plans and 

those plans should include the local community plan’s considerations. Transportation agencies at all levels 

should coordinate their planning efforts, resources, and implementation strategies to capitalize on the joint 

efforts. For example, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Vision Zero plan connects its emphasis areas to the 

emphasis areas in Maryland’s SHSP.45

Prepare for Long-Term Success with Staff Turnover

An MPO or local community needs a consistent approach toward safety to maintain momentum 

throughout implementation, but staff turnover frequently presents a challenge. The lead MPO or local 

community responsible for the safety plan should establish provisions that lays the foundation for

continuity of safety programs, such as identifying replacement staff and engaging new staff in safety 

initiatives as soon as possible. In addition, the lead agency can educate other safety partners and even 

contractors on safety policies and programs, so they can serve as an extension of the safety program.

Stakeholders should make every effort to maintain involvement and build institutional knowledge of 

safety within the agency or organization. 

Minnesota DOT created a Traffic Safety Fundamentals Handbook to guide transportation practitioners, new 

and experienced, in both the public and private sector to maintain consistency in safety fundamentals.

46 This 

handbook helps to inform the local transportation practitioner about crash characteristics, procedures to 

improve safety planning, crash analysis techniques, and the importance of consistency with the State SHSP. 

Each county in Minnesota develops its own county road safety plan.

Source: Minnesota DOT

Figure 6. Minnesota Traffic Safety Fundamentals Handbook.

Conduct Strategic and Coordinated Outreach and Communication

Once stakeholders and the public are involved with the safety planning effort, MPOs and local 

communities need to sustain their participation. Maintaining communication is a key element of sustained 

engagement and should result in the optimization of stakeholder and public engagement throughout the 

safety planning process. MPO and local communities can use communication approaches to encourage 

greater interaction, provide updates, foster a culture of safety, and promote noteworthy achievements. 

 

45 Montgomery County Vision Zero. https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/visionzero/index.html

46 Minnesota Department of Transportation. https://www.dot.state.mn.us/stateaid/trafficsafety/reference/2015-

mndot-safety-handbook-reduced.pdf
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

23 

Regular updates remind stakeholders of safety planning efforts, encourage continued participation, and 

celebrate successes. It is important to note that MPOs must conduct public involvement on Federally 

funded projects but local communities are not required to do the same.

Develop a Marketing Plan

MPOs and local communities need to market the development and implementation of the safety plan and 

promote cultural change on an ongoing basis to impact attitude and behavioral change in the 

community. Effective marketing can help promote the vision and goals of the safety plan to the public 

and encourage their involvement in implementation. This also encourages safety stakeholders to 

understand the vital role they play in saving lives and the importance of continued involvement. Agencies 

can develop marketing plans concurrent to the safety plan and may choose to initiate marketing efforts 

during the initial communication and stakeholder recruitment to publicize safety efforts at the start of the 

safety planning effort.

Marketing efforts should focus on education that helps reduce fatalities and serious injuries. Marketing 

can help promote the goals of the safety plan to the public and encourage them to become more 

involved in its implementation. This also encourages safety stakeholders to understand the vital role they 

play in saving lives and why their continued involvement is important. The importance of “one” message is 

critical to a successful marketing strategy. Stakeholders need to understand the foundational message 

that no fatality is acceptable on their roadways. Many stakeholders involved in the process have their own 

marketing methods and messaging. Every partner needs to agree to promote a shared vision for the plan 

and the future of the community. An MPO or local community may even consider engaging a marketing 

manager to promote safety plan efforts.

Attitude and behavioral change also play a key complementary part in the reduction of fatalities and 

injuries. The outreach components of the safety plan include actions that address road users and seek to 

modify behavior or attitudes. Some of these actions will likely need to be reinforced by the marketing 

efforts, which should promote the goals of the safety plan and participation by the public.

Marketing does not have to take place after the development of the plan. In fact, marketing can start with 

the initial stakeholders and public engagement at the beginning of the 

safety planning process. Marketing safety efforts early in the process 

introduces stakeholders and the public to the safety planning process 

and builds their engagement with safety activities. 

The FHWA Implementation Process Model (IPM) Chapter 6 provides 

more information on how to market a safety plan.47

Communicate the Value and Contribution of Safety Planning

During safety plan marketing efforts, an MPO or local jurisdiction 

should clearly detail the expectations for stakeholder participation but 

emphasize the value of collaboration and contribution. Developing a 

summary, pamphlet, or brochure can help to describe the importance 

of safety and communicate these messages.

 

47 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/fhwasa10024cd/chapter6.cfm

48 San Antonio Vision Zero. http://www.sanantonio.gov/portals/0/files/tci/VisionZeroE-Brochure.pdf

San Antonio developed a 

brochure for its Vision Zero 

effort to explain the purpose 

and need of safety efforts in 

the city.48 The city averages 

three outreach events per 

month from neighborhood 

meetings, school meetings, 

city-wide events, and more.
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

24 

The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety maintains a report that shows the cost of traffic crashes to

employers in the United States.49 In 2013, this estimated figure was $47.4 billion. This emphasizes the 

potential benefit to society if improvements to safety are planned and implemented. 

Columbia, Missouri’s Vision Zero plan included public outreach with several town hall meetings and 

announcements.

50

Source: City of Columbia, Missouri

Figure 7. Public engagement flyer example. 

Engage Regional and Local Media

The MPO and local community should consider how media reports on traffic safety issues in their region. 

Media can influence how the public understands traffic safety and may reinforce general perceptions of 

issues and solutions. Recent safety plans are moving towards presenting traffic safety as a community 

issue and not one solely based on individual responsibility. There is also the opportunity to engage with 

underserved communities and vulnerable populations to tailor messaging to their specific issues and 

connect with their media outlets.

 

49 Network of Employers for Traffic Safety. https://trafficsafety.org/road-safety-resources/public-resources/cost-ofmotor-vehicle-crashes-to-employers-2015/

50 PedNet Coalition. https://twitter.com/PedNetCoalition/status/955467123412865031
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

25 

A public information officer or communications staff at an MPO or at a local jurisdiction can establish and 

develop safety campaigns. The SHSO is an initial resource familiar with implementing traffic safety 

campaigns, some of which are funded by NHTSA.51 They are also familiar with strategic approaches to 

implement year-round efforts. NHTSA’s Traffic Safety Marketing website is a useful tool for MPOs 

interested in learning about the basics of developing a communications program.52

Traditional, formal approaches such as meeting reports, media events, newsletters, presentations, and 

informal approaches such as blogs, web sites, social media, and email blasts are all effective strategies as 

well. These communication approaches encourage greater interaction, provide updates, and promote 

noteworthy achievements. Regular updates remind stakeholders of safety planning efforts and encourage 

their continued participation and celebrate their successes. 

A strong communication campaign for traffic safety is consistent and easily recognized. The New York City 

Vision Zero effort developed an internal document that outlined preferred language and terminology and 

graphic guidelines.53 Creating unified language for multiple agencies helps to create long-term 

engagement and buy-in for maintaining a consistent transportation safety planning approach. This 

required buy-in from city leaders and partner agencies. New York City also implemented a 

communications approach that resulted in motivational, positive messages and showed residents how to 

make safe transportation decisions. San Francisco recognized that cultural change is the result of 

influences from policy to organizational practices to community education. The city took a proactive 

approach to change the culture of safety by crafting messages that appeal to different portions of the 

Spectrum of Prevention.

54 The Prevention Institute, a non-profit organization that addresses equity, 

health, and safety by developing approaches for disease prevention, developed the Spectrum of 

Prevention and identifies six levels of intervention to help people move beyond the perception that 

prevention is merely education.

Communication Strategies to Advance Safety Planning: The Vision Zero Network’s primer

Communication Strategies to Advance Vision Zero shows examples of engagement with local media in New 

York City and San Francisco.55 The Vision Zero Network also developed the white paper Elevating Equity in 

Vision Zero Communications to show approaches that address equity through communications.56

 

51 Governors Highway Safety Association. https://www.ghsa.org/about/shsos

52 Traffic Safety Marketing. https://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/marketing-tools/developing-communicationsprogram

53 New York City Vision Zero. http://www1.nyc.gov/site/visionzero/index.page 54 Prevention Institute. https://www.preventioninstitute.org/tools/spectrum-prevention-0

55 Vision Zero Network. https://visionzeronetwork.org/communications-strategies-to-advance-vision-zero/ 56 Vision Zero Network. https://www.slideshare.net/visionzeronetwork/vz-equity-white-paper
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

26 

The Spectrum of Prevention 

This was developed by the Prevention Institute and used by San Francisco’s Vision Zero plan to craft 

messaging to different audiences. 

Source: Prevention Institute.

Figure 8. The Spectrum of Prevention.

57

Timing Outreach

The timing of outreach efforts affects the message conveyed to the public. Reactive outreach occurs in 

response to a crash. This outreach focuses on reminding the public about changing dangerous behaviors. 

An MPO or local community should consider this approach carefully—focus outreach on community 

organizations or institutions the crash affected and consider the best methods for reaching these groups.

Proactive outreach is a preventative technique to prevent crashes from happening. NHTSA conducts 

several campaigns throughout the year to elevate awareness of specific behaviors such as impaired 

driving, occupant protection, and teen driving. An MPO or local community can use established 

campaigns from NHTSA or develop material specific to their geographic area and issues. 

Regardless of the selected method, the MPO or local community should use a data-driven approach—

discussed in more detail in the next section—and examine the crash data to identify the target audiences 

and work with those communities to build positive outreach.

 

57 Prevention Institute. https://www.preventioninstitute.org/tools/spectrum-prevention-0
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

27 

Establish Leadership, Communication, and Culture Checklist

 Understand and adopt approaches to coordinate communication:

 Review the stakeholder table and identify specific partners within each category to engage in 

transportation safety efforts. 

 Identify a safety leader at each agency.

 Establish committees to address traffic safety issues and monitor implementation.

 Engage stakeholders and the public:

 Establish a standing safety item on policy board and technical committee agendas.

 Set-up by laws or a memorandum of understanding to formulate a decision-making process 

and authority concerning the safety plan.

 Solicit input from the public using surveys, questionnaires, and other interactive feedback 

tools. 

 Hold public meetings in multiple phases of a safety plan and in different geographic areas.

 Coordinate with other plans to incorporate safety across all partners: 

 Coordinate safety efforts across all plans that have a connection to safety.

 Foster collaboration and training in transportation safety planning activities.

 Prepare for long-term success and take steps to minimize knowledge gaps when there is staff 

turnover.

 Use marketing techniques to promote safety efforts: 

 Engage the public information officer and/or communications staff in safety.

 Coordinate safety messaging across agencies. 

 Review NHTSA’s Traffic Safety Marketing website.

 Develop traffic safety branding.

 Identify target audience. 

 Apply positive messaging.

 Work with partner agencies to promote campaigns.
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

28 

3.B – USE A DATA-DRIVEN PROCESS

This step reinforces the importance of using data to inform safety planning. While engaging 

the various stakeholders involved in safety planning, a transportation agency will likely hear 

many competing ideas on how to invest limited transportation safety dollars. A data-driven 

approach, the hallmark of a successful safety plan, will help the MPO and local community narrow the 

focus of their efforts. 

For information related to using data and analysis in the planning process, see FHWA’s Applying Safety 

Data and Analysis to Performance Based Transportation Planning.

58

Collect Safety Data

The first step is to collect and analyze available data. The types of data include information on crashes, 

roadway conditions, traffic volume, and other statistics that help explain safety factors. Before collecting 

the data, safety planning stakeholders will need to consider how they will use the data and what questions 

they need answered. Considerations may include the following questions:

• What do we want to know?

• What information is valuable for identifying needed actions?

• What level of analysis do we need?

• What data do we need? What data is available? How do we fill existing gaps?

• How could anecdotal information supplement traditional data?

Table 2 shows the types of primary data that agencies could collect and analyze to determine the trends 

and factors that affect regional traffic safety.

Table 2. Sources of Federal, State, and local data sets. 

 

58 USDOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tsp/fhwasa15089/data_anl.pdf

Data Type Federal State Local

Crashes

NHTSA

or FHWA

State Police and/or 

Department of Transportation

Police 

Department/Emergency 

Medical Services

Roadway 

Conditions FHWA Department of Transportation Department of 

Transportation

Traffic Volume FHWA Department of Transportation Department of 

Transportation
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

29 

MPOs and local communities should collect many different data 

types to help with safety decision-making. Access to data will vary 

across State, region, and local community. For example, reports 

submitted by law enforcement officers generate crash data that

may be managed by the State law enforcement agency, SHSO, or 

the DOT. DOTs maintain roadway and volume data. Other agencies 

may have data that could inform stakeholders about crash factors. 

This includes Departments of Motor Vehicles that maintain driver 

and vehicle records, Departments of Health that maintain injury 

surveillance, and court systems that maintain citation, prosecution, 

and adjudication data. If resources are available, agencies will 

benefit in the long-term from integrating data into a single source 

to assist with data analysis and progress reporting.

States are required to collect a set of fundamental data elements 

for safety data analysis.59 MPOs and local communities should 

coordinate with their State for analytical tools or reports that 

already combine data sets. State resources include State DOTs and 

the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP).

60,61 An LTAP helps 

local agencies to broaden their transportation expertise through 

technical and management training and guidance. The FHWA 

Roadway Safety Data Program website provides more information 

on local data integration.62

To complement data collection, an MPO or local community may 

engage stakeholders and the public with open data platforms. 

These tools allow the public to drop ‘pins’ or comment on locations 

of concerns, supplementing a transportation agency’s data 

collection efforts. Open data efforts in Washington, DC and New 

York City not only allows the public to contribute supplemental data for use in crash analyses, but also 

allows the public to conduct analyses.

Ultimately, transportation agencies will want to accomplish the following:

 Inventory the quality and availability of data resources.

 Develop data partnerships.

 Promote data sharing agreements.

 

59 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/fde/ 60 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/about/webstate.cfm 61 National LTAP & TTAP Association. http://www.nltapa.org/regions

62 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/data_activities_state.aspx 63 Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. http://semcog.org/Safety#70260-traffic-safety-manual

MPOs are using tools to inform 

their safety analyses. 

The Southeast Michigan 

Council of Governments 

(SEMCOG) in Detroit, Michigan 

developed a Traffic Safety 

Manual to help its 

communities to identify 

information that is relevant to 

safety analysis, high crash 

location, significant crash 

patterns and causes, 

countermeasure service life 

and safety project benefit/cost 

ratios.

63

A State Traffic Records 

Coordinating Committee 

(TRCC) helps to maximize the 

overall quality of safety data 

and analysis across six core 

systems: crash, vehicle, driver, 

roadway, citation & 

adjudication, and injury 

surveillance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

30 

Data integration is the method by which multiple data sets (e.g., crash, roadway, volume) from a variety of 

sources can be combined or linked to provide a more unified picture of what the data mean and how they can 

be applied to solve problems. Integrated data help agencies make informed decisions that relate to the 

stewardship of transportation infrastructure assets.

64 The following are examples of agencies that have 

performed data integration to improve their safety data capabilities.

 The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania adopted

innovative traffic data sharing practices.

65

 Arizona DOT developed procedures to import local and tribal data for safety analysis.

66

 Michigan DOT worked with local agencies to encourage a data-driven approach to local roadway safety.

67

 Louisiana DOT reduced data-collection costs to local agencies while ensuring data consistency.68

 Ohio DOT developed the GIS Crash Analysis Tool (GCAT) that provides spatially-located data for use by

State, regional, and local transportation practitioners.

69

 In Michigan and Washington State, the State DOT provides data analytics for their MPOs.

 In Maryland, transportation practitioners have access to the Risk Analysis of Vehicle Environmental Networks

(RAVEN) tool to analyze crash and citation data overlaid onto the Maryland roadway network.

70

Presenting Data Analysis Results

Once the data are collected, the lead safety planning agency can conduct a 

data analysis and summarize the results in a manner that provides 

meaningful and useful information. The results of the data analysis will 

contribute to developing interim goals and targets that will drive the 

performance of the safety plan and move it toward the overall vision, 

mission, and goal. MPOs and local communities will also use the data to 

identify emphasis areas and inform the selection of their final 

countermeasures. A high-injury or crash network map as previously 

described provides valuable insight into the geography of crashes. MPO 

and local communities can also organize the results of the data analyses by 

the selected emphasis areas. Ultimately, the generated data reports will 

describe crash frequency, crash averages, crash trends, and crash rates. The 

FHWA Roadway Safety Information Analysis resource provides an overview 

of how to analyze and summarize data.71

As described earlier, open portals provide stakeholders and the public access to data as part of an effort 

to promote transparency. Some jurisdictions or agencies provide raw data as well as filtered datasets that 

Southeast Michigan 

Data Portal

SEMCOG partnered 

with the Michigan 

DOT on data access. 

This portal includes 

interactive maps, a 

crash data search 

engine, and 

community profiles.

72

 

64 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/asset/dataintegration/if10019/dip03.cfm

65

 FHWA Office of Safety. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/downloads/fhwasa17033.pdf

66 FHWA Roadway Safety Data Program. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/downloads/fhwasa16061.pdf

67 Michigan DOT. https://rspcb.safety.fhwa.dot.gov/noteworthy/pdf/datacollect_mi3.pdf

68 Louisiana DOT. https://rspcb.safety.fhwa.dot.gov/noteworthy/pdf/datacollect_la3.pdf

69 Ohio DOT. 

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/ProgramManagement/HighwaySafety/HSIP/Pages/GCAT.aspx

70 Maryland SHSP. http://www.mva.maryland.gov/_resources/docs/MSHSPNewsletterIssue2-Spring2017.pdf

71 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/local_rural/training/fhwasaxx1210/s3.cfm

72 Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. http://semcog.org/Safety
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

31 

can be readily used by stakeholders. An MPO or local community can host the website and work with IT 

and geographic information systems (GIS) staff to develop interactive features such as maps. This website 

can also house electronic reports of any analyses completed by the MPO, local community, or partners. 

The website may also link users to other data source partners, such as the SHSO or the State DOT. This 

increased access to data may result in more efforts to improve data quality and accuracy. 

A small local agency may have staff with multiple responsibilities beyond safety and fewer resources than 

larger agencies. Therefore, they should collaborate with their MPO to identify and access safety data 

resources. In this way, MPOs can help ensure attention, funding, and safety resources are allocated to 

prioritized projects or programs and not just to the agency with the most resources to conduct analyses. 

The Maricopa Council of Governments (Phoenix, Arizona) provides mapping to the public on its website. 

Shown here is a map of the Top 100 intersections ranked by crash risk.

73

Source: Maricopa Association of Governments

Figure 9. Phoenix-area mapping. 

 

73 Arizona Maricopa Association of Governments. http://azmag.gov/Portals/0/Documents/TSC_2017-04-18_Map-ofTop-100-Intersections-Ranked-by-Crash-Risk.pdf?ver=2018-04-25-120114-157
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

32 

New York City’s Vision Zero website includes a mapping portal for the public to view fatality and injury 

data.74

Source: City of New York

Figure 10. New York data mapping. 

Identify Emphasis Areas and Potential Strategies and Countermeasures

Data analysis can determine the number of fatalities and serious injuries in categories of crashes such as 

pedestrians, intersections, roadway departure, impaired driving, distracted driving, aggressive driving, 

commercial motor vehicles, and motorcycles. Ranking the crash categories from the highest number of 

fatalities and serious injuries to the lowest can help to determine which crash factors are most prevalent 

and would become emphasis areas in the safety plan. For additional examples of emphasis areas, the 

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) SHSP identified 22 key 

emphasis areas and contains strategies designed to address each area’s key crash factor. If data are 

unavailable, emphasis areas may address concerns of the various stakeholders and the community. It is 

important that the public have the chance to identify areas of concern. Methods to reach out to citizens 

may include public meetings, web-based surveys, or through an advertised request for comments.

Once emphasis areas are finalized, stakeholders can begin to enumerate potential strategies and 

countermeasures for the safety plan. A method of identifying strategies is to consider the 4 E’s of 

transportation safety. Stakeholders can consider strategies that have a focus on one of education, 

enforcement, engineering, or emergency response:

 Education strategies provide drivers information about making good choices, such as not texting 

while driving, avoiding driving while impaired, or wearing a seatbelt.

 Enforcement strategies focus on enforcing traffic laws and a visible police presence to deter 

motorists from unsafe driving behavior.

 

74 New York City Vision Zero. http://www.nycvzv.info/
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

33 

 Engineering addresses roadway infrastructure improvements to prevent crashes or reduce the 

severity of crashes.

 Emergency response strategies improve response and quality of care when responding to crashes.

If there is opportunity to combine the efforts of multiple 

strategies, such as education and enforcement, the likelihood of 

success in improving safety can increase. Ultimately, the emphasis 

areas that are identified for the safety plan should reflect a 

balance issues identified by stakeholders and the resources 

(financial, expertise, and time) available to put them into practice. 

If an emphasis area is critical but does not currently have 

resources, it should still be included with the constraints listed.

Step 4 in the Guide expands on how transportation safety 

stakeholders can select the appropriate countermeasures for final 

inclusion in the safety plan. 

Using Data to Focus on Key Locations

After identifying the emphasis areas and potential 

countermeasures, transportation agencies can conduct another 

layer of data analysis to determine the locations where safety 

investments are needed. This helps to pinpoint the areas where 

there is the greatest potential to decrease fatalities and serious 

injuries. Limited funding means there is a need to prioritize safety 

investments.

Transportation agencies can determine the locations of their 

safety investments within each emphasis area using two different 

approaches, hot spot and systemic. Hot spot analyses—the 

traditional method for identifying key locations for safety 

investment—involves finding clusters of crashes. This is often 

illustrated using high-crash or high-injury network maps, which 

show that a small percentage of roadways or corridors account for 

a large majority of crashes. MPOs and local communities can use 

those visualizations to prioritize investments that will address those areas. However, the hot spot method 

addresses crashes that have already occurred. Systemic analyses move agencies from a reactive approach 

to a more proactive approach to identify projects to address high-risk features before crashes occur. This 

holistic approach aligns with the Safe Systems approach. The FHWA Data Driven Safety Analysis website

provides more information about these analytical procedures.75

MPOs and local communities can also use State-developed resources to conduct more advanced 

analyses, such as the use of safety performance functions (SPF). An SPF is a prediction model used to 

estimate crash frequency for a specific site type, with specified base conditions. States are calibrating 

geographic-specific SPFs to allow different regions and communities to conduct analysis that are more 

appropriate for their area. The FHWA Roadway Safety Data Program provides more information on 

 

75 Alabama Roadway Safety Data Program. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/downloads/fhwasa17015.pdf

76 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/edc_4/ddsa.cfm

Alabama MPO Safety 

Planning Tool 

The Alabama DOT 

commissioned the 

development of ALSAFE, a 

spreadsheet-based safety 

tool used by its MPOs for 

short- and long-range 

transportation safety 

planning.

76 As a short-range 

safety planning tool, MPOs 

can use ALSAFE to develop 

benchmarks, evaluate crash 

trends and characteristics, 

identify and evaluate crash 

types, and identify 

countermeasures. As a longrange safety planning tool, 

MPOs can use a set of builtin equations to evaluate and 

understand the impacts of 

long-term demographic 

changes, land uses changes, 

and planning decisions on 

transportation safety.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

34 

roadway safety data tools.77 These tools may involve simple statistical investigations of crash trends and

types or sophisticated tools such as AASHTOWare Safety Analyst and the Highway Safety Manual.

78,79

More than half of deadly crashes in Portland, Oregon occur on 30 high crash streets, representing eight 

percent of its street network. The city developed a map to illustrate this statistic (see Figure 11).

80

Examples of High-Injury or High-Crash Network Analysis and Mapping

 Vision Zero Network prepared a case study paper on the use of High Injury Networks.81

 Philadelphia devised a methodology for identifying its high injury network.82

 San Francisco prepared an interactive high injury network map.

83

 New York City’s left-turn study presents a proactive approach for implementing real changes.

84

Source: City of Portland

Figure 11. High-injury or high-crash network mapping. 

 

77 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/toolbox-tool.aspx?pt=3

78 AASHTOWare Safety Analysis. http://www.safetyanalyst.org/ 79 AASHTO Highway Safety Manual. http://www.highwaysafetymanual.org/Pages/default.aspx

80 Portland Bureau of Transportation. https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/54892 81 Vision Zero Network. https://visionzeronetwork.org/hin-for-the-win/

82 Philadelphia Vision Zero. http://www.visionzerophl.com/uploads/attachments/cj8qc07jc0nq7kcd6m1nhyeb6-10-06-

2017-web-hin-methodology-updated.pdf 83 Vision Zero High Injury Network: 2017. 

http://sfgov.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=fa37f1274b4446f1bdddd7bdf9e708ff

84 New York City DOT. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/about/leftturnstudy.shtml
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

35 

The Sun Corridor MPO (Casa Grande, Arizona) developed a Corridor Projects Report that identified safety 

corridors for the MPO, specific crash data for the corridors, detailed maps for proposed safety improvements 

to each corridor, a cost estimate worksheet for each corridor, and HSIP cost/benefit ratios.85 

The Vision Zero Hillsborough (Tampa, Florida) data analysis effort included the development of corridor 

profiles to help prioritize safety investments. Each profile is one-page in length, with summaries of key crash 

findings suitable for public consumption.86

Use a Data-Driven Process Checklist

 Collect data to identify safety issues:

 Collect crash, roadway, and traffic volume data at a minimum. Other datasets such as injury 

surveillance, driver records, and court records may also be useful, if available.

 Check for available State analytical tools that combine some or all these data sets.

 Summarize data analysis results in meaningful formats for the public.

 Provide data access to stakeholders and the public, such as a website.

 Develop interactive maps.

 House safety data reports and links to other sources of data.

 Review FHWA’s Applying Safety Data and Analysis to Performance-Based Transportation 

Planning.

87

 Conduct data analysis to identify the key safety issues for the 

jurisdiction:

 Conduct a data analysis to determine the key crash 

factors which in turn become the emphasis areas of a 

safety plan.

 Conduct hot spot and systemic analyses for each 

emphasis area to determine the locations that have the 

greatest potential safety benefit.

 

85 Sun Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization. https://scmpo.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SCMPO-STSPAppendix-B.pdf

86 Hillsborough Vision Zero. http://www.planhillsborough.org/wpcontent/uploads/2017/08/VisionZeroCorridorProfiles.pdf

87 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tsp/fhwasa15089/ 88 Central Lane MPO. http://tableau.thempo.org/Safety/coremeasures.htm

89 GHSA. https://www.ghsa.org/resources/performance-measures

Crash Types

The Central Lane 

MPO (Eugene, 

Oregon) summarizes 

its safety information 

based on NHTSA’s 

core performance 

metrics.

88,89

 

 

 

 

 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

36 

3.C – SET PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND TARGETS

A performance-based approach requires establishing quantifiable targets for the strategies and 

actions in the safety plan. This section elaborates on how MPOs and local communities can 

develop their targets to measure implementation progress and outcomes of the actions in the next step 

of the safety planning process. Evaluation, which is the sixth step of the safety planning process, will 

measure the progress and success of safety plan implementation against these targets. It is also important 

to engage all stakeholders and the public in selecting performance measures and setting targets. Safety 

plan participants need to agree that the chosen measures and targets are realistic and achievable, 

otherwise, the safety plan may not be able to fulfill unattainable goals. 

Before setting any targets in the safety plan, it is useful to set specific objectives that support the vision 

and mission of the safety plan. For example, if there is an overarching goal of zero for the safety plan, 

stakeholders may identify an objective for each emphasis area to move toward that goal, such as reducing 

fatalities and serious injuries by half by a certain date. Annual targets can then be set to drive safety plan 

actions to meet the objectives.

The targets that are set in a safety plan depends on the types of performance measures that are chosen 

for the entire plan or for each strategy and action. There are output measures that are used to track the 

implementation of safety plan actions and there are outcome measures that are used to track the effect of 

these actions such as the number of fatalities in the jurisdiction, number of fatalities for each emphasis 

area, public attitude toward safety issues, and public awareness of safety outreach. Table 3 describes the 

types and examples of output and outcome performance measures for inclusion in a safety plan. When 

selecting an appropriate output and outcome measure for an action, safety plan stakeholders will have to 

determine if data is available for the measures. 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

37 

Table 3. Performance measures. 

In descending order of importance; Adapted from the FHWA Evaluation Process Model90

There are cases where performance measurement is required and specific performance measures are 

defined. The Federal government requires MPOs to adopt five safety outcome performance measures and 

to establish an annual target for each. MPOs have the option to adopt targets established by the State or 

develop their own, as described in 23 CFR 490 Safety Performance Measurement Final Rule, subpart B. 

Regardless of their decision, the MPOs must report against their targets of the following five performance 

measures to the State:

 Number of fatalities.

 Rate of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.2

 Number of serious injuries.

 Rate of serious injuries per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.

 Number of non-motorized fatalities and non-motorized serious injuries. 

 

90 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/epm/

Measure Type Example Measures

Primary Outcome Measures Reductions in the number and rate of fatal and serious 

injury crashes by Emphasis Area.

Secondary Outcome Measures 

(also called Proxy Measures)

Changes in observed behavior, such as safety belt and 

helmet use, speeding, red light running, pedestrians who 

jaywalk, changes in average speeds due to traffic calming 

countermeasures, and other observed behavior changes.

Self-Reported Outcome Measures 

(what people say)

Have you ever driven after having too much to drink? How 

often do you wear your safety belt?

Attitudinal Outcome Measures 

(what people believe)

Support for legislative initiatives; knowledge of safety belt 

laws; teen attitudes about drinking and driving; and 

attitudes toward roundabouts, rumble strips, and other 

infrastructure safety improvements.

Awareness Outcome Measures 

(what messages people have 

heard)

Awareness of high-visibility enforcement, perceived risk of 

getting a traffic ticket.

Activity Output Measures 

(program implementation)

Miles of rumble strips, pavement markings, signage, and 

other infrastructure improvement; citations issued by the 

police, special police patrols, and check points; 

presentations; training programs; media coverage; 

legislation.
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

38 

While MPOs must report the performance toward their targets, local 

communities do not have the same requirement. However, a local 

community can adopt similar targets to establish benchmarks for safety 

performance. Additional resources on the safety performance final rule is 

found at the FHWA HSIP Rulemaking webpage.91

A rule of thumb for performance measures and targets is that they should 

be SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time bound.

92

FHWA’s Safety Performance Management resource page provides more 

resources on how to set targets.93 This website shows several options to 

adopt targets that account for fatality and serious injury reduction, 

including linear reduction, forecast outputs, vehicle-miles-traveled 

relationships, and zero-goal trajectories. In addition, the use of five-year 

rolling averages is introduced to smooth out the unpredictable variation 

of shorter-term safety data. 

The MPO or local community may also set interim milestones for their 

output and outcome performance measures. MPOs and local 

communities can align single- and multi-year objectives with an overall 

long-term goal.

MPOs should note that:

 All MPOs must set a target for each of the five HSIP Safety Performance Measures.

 MPOs may adopt and support the State's HSIP targets, develop their own HSIP targets, or use a 

combination of both.

 MPOs must establish their HSIP targets by February 27 of the calendar year for which they apply.

 MPO HSIP targets are reported to the State DOT.

 MPO HSIP targets are not annually assessed for significant progress toward meeting targets. State HSIP 

targets are assessed annually.

 MPOs can learn more at the FHWA Safety Performance Management MPO Factsheet website.

94

 

91 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/rulemaking/ 92 U.S. DOT. https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10026/chap_3.htm 93 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/spm/target-setting_resources.cfm 94 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/spm/mpo_factsheet.cfm

95 Washington State DOT. http://wsdot.wa.gov/publications/fulltext/graynotebook/Map21/WSDOT%20MAP%2021%20Safety%20Folio%20Pages.pdf

Washington State DOT 

developed the federally 

required five safety targets 

in coordination with its 

MPOs, the Washington 

State Traffic Safety 

Commission, and other 

partners. MPOs in 

Washington State agreed to 

adopt the State targets. 

Washington State DOT 

published a factsheet to 

show how targets in the 

State were developed.95

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

39 

Set Measurable Targets Checklist

 Work with stakeholders and the public in the development of goals, objectives, performance 

measures, and targets.

 Understand there are output and outcome measures.

 Output measures relate to the amount of activity for an action.

 Outcome measures relate to the impact of an action.

 Review the FHWA Safety Performance Management resource page.

 Understand MPOs are required to track five performance measures and establish annual 

targets.

 Local communities are not subject to the same requirements; however, it is useful to adopt 

similar measures for consistency.

 Use 5-year rolling averages to smooth out the unpredictable variation of shorter-term safety data. 

 Make sure the performance measures and targets are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, 

realistic, time bound). 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

40 

3.D – SELECT STRATEGIES AND COUNTERMEASURES

After MPOs and local communities understand their emphasis areas, locations where the 

greatest safety benefits can be achieved, and potential performance metrics, they are ready to 

select the most appropriate countermeasures that will best 

meet achieve the overarching vision, mission, and goal of 

the safety plan. 

Identify Strategies and Countermeasures

The strategies and actions in the safety plan should focus on 

addressing the identified emphasis areas as well as locations 

with the potential for the greatest safety benefits as 

identified in data analyses. MPOs and local communities will 

need to use data and research to prioritize effective 

strategies and select appropriate countermeasures to form 

actions that address the critical crash factors. This is an 

opportunity to apply the Safe Systems approach - select 

strategies and countermeasures that accommodate road 

users’ mistakes and holistically result in safer roadways, safer 

vehicles, and safer speed for all road users. MPOs and local 

communities should first identify countermeasures the 

jurisdiction is currently implementing and evaluate their 

effectiveness. This also helps to achieve “quick wins,” or

cost-effective strategies with the greatest impact on the 

leading crash causes. 

Strategy and action selection will also be based on effective 

and validated countermeasure implementation and 

practices. There are many resources available to 

transportation agencies to assist with this step. The 

following list of resources all provide more information on 

effective countermeasures: 

 FHWA Proven Safety Countermeasures: The FHWA 

compiled this list of 20 proven engineering 

countermeasures to address crashes that involve 

intersections, pedestrians, and roadway departure.96

 NHTSA Countermeasures That Work: This publication 

is a basic reference to assist SHSO in selecting 

effective, evidence-based countermeasures for nine 

behavioral traffic safety problem areas.

97

 

96 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/ 97 U.S. DOT, NHTSA. https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/812202-

countermeasuresthatwork8th.pdf

98 Fremont, California Vision Zero. https://fremont.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29791/Vision-Zero-Action-plan-flyer

Fremont, California developed a 

pamphlet to highlight the strategies 

in its Vision Zero plan. 98

Source: City of Fremont

Figure 12. Engaging community 

pamphlet example. 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

41 

 NCHRP 500 Series: Guidance for Implementation of the AASHTO Strategic Highway Safety Plan

Transportation Research: NCHRP has a series of guides to assist State and local agencies in reducing

injuries and fatalities in the targeted areas identified in the AASHTO SHSP.

99

 NCHRP 622: Effectiveness of Behavioral Highway Safety Countermeasures: The purpose of this report

is to develop a roadmap for States and a best practice guide for the use and assessment of

behavioral countermeasures.

100

 Toward Zero Deaths: A National Strategy on Highway Safety: This resource presents a series of

strategies to address highway safety.

101

 FHWA Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse: The CMF

Clearinghouse offers transportation professionals a central,

web-based repository of CMFs, as well as additional

information and resources related to CMFs.102

 Vision Zero Network: This website includes case studies that

highlight the application of safety countermeasures at the

local level, including low-tech solutions.103

 ITE Safety Resources Toolbox: This website is comprised of a

regularly updated collection of resources to assist with safety

planning and programming, including links to countermeasure

resources.104

 State SHSP. The State may have already identified appropriate

countermeasures that are included in the State SHSP.

A multidisciplinary team of stakeholders will likely provide a wide 

range of perspectives and potential solutions. Therefore, MPOs and 

local communities are challenged to select the most appropriate 

countermeasures. The strategies and actions to apply these 

countermeasures should match the leading causes and locations of 

fatal and serious injury crashes as identified in the data analysis. This 

stage also offers an opportunity for the stakeholder group to decide 

whether to pursue pilot strategies to evaluate effectiveness and 

appropriateness. 

When selecting countermeasures for the actions in the safety plan, 

MPOs and local communities need to be aware of the three main 

types of approaches to countermeasure implementation and are 

similar to data analysis techniques described earlier. These are spot 

location, systematic, and comprehensive. The quality and availability 

of data helps to determine the most appropriate approach. 

99 NCHRP. http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/152868.aspx

100 NCHRP. http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/160464.aspx

101 Toward Zero Deaths. http://www.towardzerodeaths.org/strategy/

102 CMF Clearinghouse. http://www.cmfclearinghouse.org/

103 Vision Zero Network. https://visionzeronetwork.org/

104 ITE Safety Resources Toolbox. http://toolkits.ite.org/visionzero/toolbox/default2.aspx

105 Fremont, California Vision Zero. https://fremont.gov/2594/Fremont-Vision-Zero-2020

Safer Vehicles

Fremont, California’s Vision 

Zero program includes a 

strategy to coordinate with 

the dozen auto dealers in 

the city to discuss how to 

encourage the purchase of 

vehicles with safety 

technology.105 It is noted 

that these technologies will 

be standard in most all new 

vehicles by 2022. However, 

Fremont has learned that 

people are disabling the 

technology due to lack of 

education about their 

benefit and use. This is an 

area where Federal, State, 

MPOs, and local 

communities can coordinate 

efforts to encourage people 

to replace older vehicles

with safer vehicles and then 

use the new technologies.
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

42 

The spot location approach is reactive in nature and is the most dependent on data availability and 

quality. This approach results in implementing countermeasures at locations with a history of crashes. 

However, this assumes the past equals the future and the benefits are localized. 

A systemic approach to safety involves widely implemented 

improvements based on high-risk roadway features correlated with 

specific severe crash types. The approach helps agencies broaden 

their traffic safety efforts at little extra cost. The systemic approach 

provides a proactive approach to countermeasure implementation. 

A comprehensive approach to countermeasure implementation 

recognizes that not all locations are addressed by infrastructure or 

behavioral improvements. For example, if there is a set of locations 

with high numbers of speeding crashes, enforcement initiatives can 

complement engineering solutions to provide a comprehensive 

approach to address the crash issue.

MPO Perspective

MPOs are in a unique position to help identify appropriate 

countermeasures for a region. While the core part of the region is 

urban, the periphery of the region is typically suburban or even rural in 

character. This means the region will consider a more extensive set of 

countermeasures than those considered by an individual community as 

the set includes urban and rural countermeasures. MPOs should 

engage local communities to attain broad support for both urban and 

rural countermeasures. 

Local Community Perspective

Local communities should review the variety of resources—as well as 

the countermeasures identified in the State and regional plans—to 

assist in identifying effective countermeasures and coordinate existing 

efforts. The Urban Street Design Guide published by the National 

Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) and success 

stories from the USDOT Mayors Challenge provide recommendations 

on design street environments that are safe for all users and informs 

the selection of appropriate countermeasures.

106,107The resource A 

Vision for Transportation Safety: A Framework for Identifying Best 

Practice Strategies to Advance Vision Zero provides an example 

matrix of countermeasures.

108

 

106 NACTO. https://nacto.org/publication/urban-street-design-guide/

107 U.S. DOT. https://www.transportation.gov/mayors-challenge 108 A Vision for Transportation Safety. http://docs.trb.org/prp/16-3828.pdf

109 Southeast Michigan Traffic Safety Plan. 

http://www.semcog.org/Reports/SEMichiganTrafficSafetyPlan/files/assets/common/downloads/Southeast%20Michiga

n%20Traffic%20Safety%20Plan.pdf

110 North Central Texas Council of Governments. https://www.nctcog.org/trans/safety/Enginrtools.asp

111 Tri-County Regional Planning Commission. http://www.trico.org/TRANSPORTATION%20PLANNING/TCRPC%20RegTranspSafetyPlan.pdf

Examples of Countermeasure 

Selection Tools 

 SEMCOG (Detroit, Michigan) 

provides lists of proposed 

engineering countermeasures

with associated effectiveness 

and costs.109

 Pima Association of 

Governments in Tucson, 

Arizona is pursuing and 

evaluating a Safety Design 

Guide to ensure project 

designs are consistently 

pursuing the safety design 

possible. They also provide a 

toolbox of ideas for project 

owners. 

 NCTCOG (Dallas, Texas) 

provides a link to engineering 

tools to serve as a resource 

for member agencies.110

 The Tri-County Regional 

Planning Commission 

(Lansing, Michigan) Regional 

Transportation Safety Plan

provides a summary of its 

countermeasures.

111
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

43 

Once all countermeasures are finalized, stakeholders will need to develop the language of the action that 

is included in the final safety plan to describe the implementation of a countermeasure.

Strategy and Countermeasure Prioritization

The proposed strategies, countermeasures, and resultant actions in each emphasis area can be prioritized 

by comparing the benefits and costs of implementation. This comparison helps to identify the strategies 

and actions that provide the highest benefit, such as the reduction in fatalities, for the least cost. Costs 

and benefits are not the only considerations. Other prioritization considerations include the availability of 

manpower and the schedule for implementation. Stakeholders and the public can determine an agreed 

upon priority for each strategy and action with these considerations in mind. 

The MPO Guidebook for Using Safety as a Project Prioritization Factor illustrates several methods to 

prioritize projects during the planning process.112 This guidebook introduces the following methods for 

project prioritization:

 Cross-modal.

 Mode specific.

 Funding source based.

 Goals and objectives based.

 Program based.

 Scenario based.

The MPO and local community should share the methodology and the results of project prioritization. 

This promotes an environment of transparency with the public. Holding stakeholder workshops is 

important to gather public input on prioritization.

Select Strategies and Countermeasures Checklist

 Use the results of the data analysis to focus the selection of countermeasures to match emphasis 

areas and locations with the greatest potential safety benefit.

 Consider the Safe Systems approach.

 Review safety countermeasure resources.

 Review best practice research on effective countermeasures.

 Review countermeasure selection tools used by MPOs and local communities.

 Review State SHSP and other plans for potential strategies to include in MPO or local safety plan.

 Develop a list of appropriate strategies and actions. Consider systemic, spot location, and 

comprehensive approaches to implement the actions.

 Identify an appropriate method for project prioritization.

 

112 U.S. DOT, FHWA. 

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/transportation_safety_planning/publications/mpo_guidebook/index.cfm
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

44 

3.E – PREPARE AND IMPLEMENT A SAFETY PLAN 

In this step, MPOs and local communities will finalize, prioritize, and document the strategies 

and actions stakeholders will implement during the life of the safety plan. A public-facing 

safety plan along with supporting materials promotes continued stakeholder and public 

engagement.

Develop the Public-Facing Safety Plan Document

An accessible safety plan document is meant to be a public-facing vision for the community. Therefore, 

the plan should describe each step of the safety planning process and include pertinent information such 

as the key fundamentals of a data-driven approach; the plan’s stakeholders, vision, goals, objectives, and 

strategies; selected countermeasures; and the implementation and evaluation processes. This helps to 

promote the transparency of the safety planning process. 

When writing the plan, transportation agencies and their partners should consider the following 

questions: 

 Are we providing a compelling argument to support and communicate our safety vision?

 What do we want to express to the community?

 How can we best highlight key information and concepts?

 What community values can we highlight to promote that this plan is representative of us all?

The following are suggested sections for an MPO or local community safety plan:

 Executive Summary.

 Introduction.

 Vision, Mission, and Goals.

 Supporting Data

 Stakeholder Engagement.

 Emphasis Areas, Strategies, Countermeasures, and Actions Summary.

 Detailed action list or matrix that shows strategies and actions and their accompanying 

responsible agencies, implementation timeframe, cost, performance metrics, and evaluation 

plan.

Visually stimulating and captivating graphics are important to make the plan an attractive and engaging 

document. Graphics must be relevant and communicate key aspects of the safety plan, with a clearly 

defined and strategic purpose. Useful graphics include goal statements or a data summary illustrating 

prevailing trends affecting traffic safety. The plan can also highlight differences between geographies within 

the safety plan coverage area and other comparable locations elsewhere in the State or nationwide. It may 

be helpful to develop a simple narrative about individual traffic fatalities to complement crash data 

statistics. Public impressions about safety issues and priorities are often overly skewed toward 

neighborhood streets and concerns related to children. 

In addition to providing a traditional publication, MPOs and local communities may consider establishing 

a website dedicated to serve as an easily accessible representation of the safety plan. A dedicated website 

also provides MPOs and local communities a portal to information related to the plan, including 

performance management dashboards, links to other relevant resources, links to partners, and other 

similar information. Performance management dashboards and tracking tools provide decisionmakers and 

the public with visual representations of up-to-date information on the progress of safety plan 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

45 

implementation. All participating stakeholders should know the location for easy access and sharing with 

their respective partners. 

MPOs and local communities will have to address the following questions when establishing the website:

 Who will fund, host, create, and update the website?

 Is there an existing web platform to publish a dedicated page?

 Can the website provide a meaningful user experience (not just a static page informing the 

community that the plan exists)?

 Which stakeholders can serve as a technical committee to support the site?

 Are resources available to consistently update and provide content to the website that meet the 

needs of the plan and community?

Prioritize Actions

A safety plan can also provide specifics such as detailed action plans that include data needs, resources, a 

timeline, responsible parties, a budget, funding sources, project-level details, performance and process 

measures, and evaluation criteria for assessing outcomes. The Vision Zero Network provides sample safety 

plans from a growing number of communities across the country.

113

General considerations for organizing the actions in the safety plan include the following:

 Assess available resources to help establish realistic timelines for each action.

 Gather input on each action from many stakeholders, including the public, to reinforce collaboration 

and information sharing.

 Connect implementation actions across emphasis areas. 

The safety plan organization process should identify a leader 

responsible for monitoring and implementing individual actions. 

Some safety plans also have accompanying spreadsheets or tools 

that display information and structure the collection of data to 

support performance measurement. 

MPOs and local community plans should provide actions with 

timeframes (e.g., short, medium, long) to support the more general 

strategy timeframes. For example, if a strategy is to “implement 

infrastructure improvements to reduce factors contributing to 

pedestrian fatalities” with a designated medium timeframe, a 

corresponding action may be “identify locations for the application 

of high-visibility crossing treatments,” which could have a designated 

short timeframe. The MPO and local community can also classify the 

action as a low-, medium-, or high-cost activity. Using cost and 

timeline to implement is a good initial step for the prioritization of 

safety plan strategies as the ‘quick wins’ will likely spur momentum 

and support more comprehensive strategies in the future.

Ultimately, agencies can revisit and amend the actions as necessary.

As with other documents, the MPO or local community should post

the actions on a website to promote accessibility and transparency 

during the safety plan implementation process. Stakeholders—with consensus—may add, remove, or 

 

113 Vision Zero Network. https://visionzeronetwork.org/resources/

Steps for implementing 

your plan: 

 Organize the safety plan and 

prioritize actions with 

specific timeframes for 

action/accountability.

 Assign responsibility.

 Identify funding sources.

 Develop the public-facing 

safety plan document and 

gather input on drafts prior 

to finalizing.

 Publish and distribute the 

plan document.

 Develop tracking tools and 

dashboards.

 Conduct stakeholder and 

public meetings and market 

the plan.
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

46 

revise strategies and actions to maintain relevancy of the safety plan. Some agencies provide the actions 

as a standalone document outside of a safety plan and includes strictly the strategies and 

countermeasures. For example, an agency can develop an “action plan” for an emphasis area. If an agency 

does not choose to produce standalone document, it should maintain a working list of strategies and 

actions that is revisited by safety stakeholders on a periodic basis. The FHWA Implementation Process 

Model shows how to develop an emphasis-area specific “action plan.”114 The Vision Zero Network also 

provides a resource on how to develop “action plans.”115

Denver’s Vision Zero action plan shows timeframes and partners with associated actions.116

Source: City of Denver

Figure 13. Denver Vision Zero action table. 

Assign Responsibilities for Actions

Clearly assigned responsibilities establish a feedback loop to report on successes and challenges to 

implementation. Certain actions may be primed for a specific stakeholder; for example, enforcement 

initiatives are associated with law enforcement agencies. Some activities—though easily associated with a 

certain agency—may require or benefit from input by other stakeholders. For instance, an action that 

involves a road diet is usually assigned to a traffic 

engineer. However, the traffic engineer needs to engage 

the fire department as a road diet may have impacts to 

response times. MPOs and local communities can also 

assign responsibilities for actions to existing task forces or 

committees to avoid duplication, promote buy-in from the 

implementing agencies, and provide an opportunity to

leverage existing programs and resources. 

 

114 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/fhwasa10024cd/chapter4.cfm

115 Vision Zero Network. https://www.slideshare.net/visionzeronetwork/vision-strategies-action-guidelines-for-aneffective-vision-zero-action-plan-84104719

116 Denver Vision Zero. 

https://www.denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/705/documents/visionzero/Denver-Vision-Zero-ActionPlan.pdf

117 Alexandra, Virginia Vision Zero. 

https://www.alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/tes/info/Vision%20Zero%20Action%20Plan%20Final_12012017.pdf

Alexandria, Virginia’s Vision Zero 

plan includes matrices that describe 

timeframe, funding, and 

responsibilities for each action.117

 

 

 

 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

47 

Identify Funding Sources

Stakeholders should evaluate their agency’s financial resources and investigate options for shifting funds 

to safety-based actions. Safety planning provides a unique opportunity to leverage different sources of 

funding. MPOs and local communities should explore additional State, regional, and private grants as 

funding sources to support implementation. It is also useful to coordinate funding with phases of 

implementation so that stakeholders can complete their actions incrementally, especially if limited dollars 

restrict the possibility of funding an action all at once. FHWA Office of Safety’s website provides an 

overview of available Federal safety funding.118

As indicated in the previous prioritization discussion, MPOs and local communities can categorize the 

estimated cost of projects by low, medium, or high. During this phase, actions should be assigned to 

agencies with appropriate funding streams. Federal, State, regional, and private grants are potential 

funding sources. 

Funding conversations increase knowledge sharing between partners and may result in agencies 

identifying opportunities to jointly request funds. Different partners may be eligible for funds from 

different sources and should be encouraged to pool those funds for the projects when appropriate. 

Additionally, stakeholders can elevate safety during other general project solicitation and funding 

decisions. 

Examples of Safety Plan Funding Sources

 The District of Columbia sets aside $500,000 in annual funding for Vision Zero grants. These funds 

come from a portion of revenue generated from automated traffic enforcement dedicated to Vision 

Zero. These grants are provided to local non-profits, 501(c)(3) organizations and District government 

agencies.

119

 Columbia, Missouri’s Vision Zero plan was initially funded from a Missouri Foundation for Health 

Grant.120

 The Fremont, California city council reallocated $2.5 million in city funding to pursue “quick win” safety 

improvements such as a systemwide completion of pedestrian countdown signals, new traffic signals at 

high crash locations, and neighborhood traffic calming.

 Los Angeles provides an example of multiple departments collaborating on joint funding request for 

Vision Zero.

121

 

118 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tsp/fhwasa16116/mod1.cfm#sec6 119 District of Columbia. DOT. https://ddot.dc.gov/release/ddot-announces-fy-2018-vision-zero-grant-fundingavailability

120 Columbia, Missouri Vision Zero. https://www.como.gov/city-manager/city-columbia-vision-zero/

121 Vision Zero Network. https://visionzeronetwork.org/joint-departmental-vision-zero-budget-requests-an-l-a-casestudy/
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

48 

Develop Tracking Tools and Dashboards

MPOs and local communities can use dashboards and tracking tools to 

provide decisionmakers and the public with up-to-date information on 

the progress of safety plan implementation and serves as inputs for 

evaluation procedures in the next step of the safety planning process. It 

may be useful to show data by geography. MPOs can provide filters for 

users to aggregate information at region-wide, county, or local 

community levels. Local communities similarly can show information by 

district, ward, or neighborhood. The MPO or local community can 

provide access to the tracking spreadsheets or web-based tools used to 

document progress on the safety plan by uploading them to the safety 

plan website. If there are concerns related to the access of sensitive 

information, implementing password protections for the dashboards or 

tools is an option. FHWA hosts a visualization resource webpage that 

shows procedures and techniques to make information clear and understandable to the public or to 

decision makers.

122

North Carolina Statewide Vision Zero provides data and dashboards for communities to use for their local 

efforts.

123

Source: North Carolina Vision Zero

Figure 14. Example dashboard. 

 

122 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/visualization/

123 North Carolina Vision Zero. https://ncvisionzero.org/visualizations/safety-dashboard/ 124 City of Washington, DC. http://opendata.dc.gov/datasets/70392a096a8e431381f1f692aaa06afd_24

DC’s Data Portal

Washington, D.C. 

provides access to its 

crash data through its 

Vision Zero Safety 

portal as part of its open 

data policy to 

streamline internal data 

sharing and encourage 

transparency.

124
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

49 

Continue Stakeholder and Public Meetings and Market the Plan

The success of safety plan implementation involves continued stakeholder 

engagement and should continue the early efforts in the safety planning 

process to market the plan. The continued public meetings can help 

maintain or grow momentum in changing the safety culture in the 

community but also can help build awareness of the final adopted safety 

plan. Continued stakeholder engagement can be accomplished through 

regularly scheduled meetings. MPOs and local communities who have 

successfully implemented safety plans report that frequent meetings 

facilitate discussion on the progress of safety plan implementation and 

promotes continued accountability in the implementation process.

Proactive planning and scheduling will help provide a foundation for 

engaging and open discussions. MPOs and local communities can 

consider the following steps for stakeholder meetings:

 Communicate the value and need of stakeholder attendance and 

engagement. 

 Set regular meeting dates and times.

 Select a venue(s) that allow for the most stakeholders to attend.

 Consider using tools to allow “virtual” participation to increase 

attendance.

 Provide advanced meeting and post meeting notes to 

stakeholders. 

 Use existing communication channels, where possible.

Stakeholder Engagement After adoption of the Fremont Vision Zero plan, staff met with existing civic 

organizations to seek input on priorities, specific projects, and partnerships.

125 A Vision Zero presentation and 

discussion was held with the city’s Planning Commission, Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, Environmental 

Sustainability Commission, Youth Commission, and Senior Commission. Vision Zero information and feedback 

opportunities were integrated into the city’s website and quarterly newsletter (sent to all city residents). Vision 

Zero was highlighted as part of a city booth provided at community festivals and fairs.

 

125 Fremont Vision Zero. https://fremont.gov/2594/Fremont-Vision-Zero-2020

126 Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. https://www.dvrpc.org/Transportation/Safety/RSTF/

Partnering 

Responsibility

The DVRPC Regional 

Safety Task Force

documents the persons 

responsible for actions 

identified during 

quarterly meetings.126

At each subsequent 

meeting the status of 

the action is reviewed. 

DVRPC also polls 

attendees on the 

effectiveness of its 

meetings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

50 

Prepare and Implement a Safety Plan Checklist

 Develop the public-facing safety plan document:

o Identify and present trends (safety data as well as demographic), hotspots, emphasis areas, 

and impact of strategies.

o Consider the use of visually-stimulating graphics. 

o Develop factsheets or pamphlets to accompany the safety plan. 

o Consider resources needed to support a website for the safety plan.

 Prioritize actions.

o Identify leader(s) to monitor specific action in the safety plan.

o Work with stakeholders to identify cost and implementation timeframes.

 Assign responsibilities for actions.

 Identify funding sources for each action and encourage departments and agencies to jointly submit 

project requests. 

 Develop tracking tools.

 Continue public engagement with scheduled meetings and build awareness of the completed plan.
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

51 

3.F – EVALUATE AND UPDATE THE PLAN

Establishing an evaluation framework for the safety plan 

is an important step for updating constituents on

implementation progress and effectiveness. In this step, the MPO or 

local community will need to establish regular opportunities to 

review progress, identify success, determine challenges to 

implementation, and identify opportunities for improvement. As 

emphasized throughout the Guide, transparency is critical for 

accountability. Transportation agencies will use the results of an 

evaluation process to improve safety plan implementation and 

ultimately, overall performance. MPOs and local communities can 

also use the results to inform agency executives, other elected 

officials, stakeholders, and the public on the performance of the 

plan as a measure of transparency. Documented evaluations 

formalize reporting procedures, maintain a focus on original 

objectives, establish a level of accountability, and serve as a 

reference for new leadership and staff.

Most transportation agencies already perform some level of evaluation. Organizing and institutionalizing 

these elements into a comprehensive program evaluation, such as that of the SHSP Evaluation Process 

Model (EPM) developed for State-level plans, provide additional benefits.127 Program evaluation considers

the overall safety plan and will identify where overall plan and strategic goals are met or unmet; and point 

toward likely strengths or shortcomings. 

Agencies can use the evaluation results to update individual elements or the whole plan and improve 

implementation and performance. The evaluation results are provided to leadership to prioritize funding 

and support for changes to correct deficiencies. As a State is required to update its SHSP every 5 years, 

there may be opportunities to align a full update of the MPO or local community safety plan within a 

similar timeframe.

Plan for Evaluation

MPOs and local communities should have already considered evaluation practices during prior steps in 

the safety planning phases, particularly with the development of output and outcome performance 

measures. Stakeholders will want updates on the chosen measures as they will learn about the actions 

resulting in the best outcomes for the cost. 

When setting up evaluation of the safety plan, consider the following steps: 

 Assign roles and responsibilities that identify who will report on progress during evaluation for each 

action in the plan.

 Set up data collection and analysis efforts on an ongoing basis that help provide current data for 

evaluation. 

 Establish safety plan implementation tracking to monitor progress toward reaching goals and 

objectives and use to populate an evaluation report. 

 

127 U.S. DOT, FHWA. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/epm/

128 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/downloads/CDC-Evaluation-Workbook508.pdf

The Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention’s 

workbook, Developing an 

Effective Evaluation Plan, 

provides guidance for 

developing a living 

“Evaluation Plan,” helping 

program administrators 

identify answers to the 

purpose, process, and 

rationale about their 

program.128

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

52 

While evaluation is typically conducted at fixed intervals (e.g., quarterly), it can take place at any time. 

Evaluation intervals may tie into the timing of a general safety plan update, the completion of significant 

implementation activities, or prompted by a status update request from agency leadership. 

MPO Perspective

As part of the Federal target setting requirements, an MPO will need to submit a system performance report 

to document progress achieved toward meeting the five safety performance targets. The frequency of 

reporting promotes a culture of consistent documentation of safety performance and provides transparency 

to the public. The MPO should also apply this manner of annual reporting to other performance metrics in 

the regional plan, including process and outcome measures. These metrics will also help inform future 

project prioritization efforts not only in the regional safety plan but also in the MTP, TIP, and UPWP. Annual 

reports can also stimulate competition between jurisdictions to generate investment for safety. 

Local Community Perspective 

The local community should report on performance metrics in the safety plan, including overall progress 

toward the stated goal, as well process and outcome measures. These metrics will help inform future project 

prioritization efforts in the local community transportation plan and feed into the MTP, TIP, and UPWP.

Perform Evaluation

Annual (or another desired interval) evaluation reports are not only a helpful product to document 

progress on the plan but are a good resource to influence leadership and the public. The MPO or local 

community can upload annual reports to an agency website or dedicated transportation safety plan page. 

 Process Evaluation

o A process evaluation provides insight into safety plan management elements, such as 

organizational structure; coordination; the use of data in determining emphasis areas, goals, 

objectives, strategies and actions; and the alignment of agency priorities. The following elements 

should be assessed for a comprehensive process evaluation as identified in the SHSP 

Implementation Process Model (IPM):

• Safety plan organizational structure. 

• Multidisciplinary, multimodal collaboration. 

• Safety plan goal and objective setting methods. 

• Data driven and evidence-based emphasis areas, strategies, and actions. 

• Aligned agency priorities.

 Output Evaluation

o This type of evaluation measures progress and productivity of the strategies and actions of the 

safety plan. It helps determine the status of or the extent to which safety plan strategies and 

actions are implemented. Actions that require multiple years for completion may need an interim 

progress milestone against which progress is tracked. These milestones serve as a measure on 

progress towards a meeting a performance measure.

 Outcome Evaluation

o Outcome evaluation is challenging because the link between safety plan implementation and 

crash reduction is indirect. Causality is difficult to establish because scientific evaluation 

conditions and controlled studies are simply not possible in the transportation safety field. 

However, while it is not possible to conclusively demonstrate that action A “caused” condition B, 

correlations between conditions A and B can be identified and used in outcome evaluation. As 

described earlier, outcome performance measures include primary, secondary, attitudinal, and 

awareness measures. These measures reveal the extent to which actions are affecting safety 
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

53 

outcomes. Performance evaluation compares the outcomes to baseline information to determine 

the degree to which objectives are met.

Data may not always be readily available to measure the desired measures. This lack of data should not 

preclude an evaluation. Transportation agencies can perform qualitative evaluations. 

While the MPO and local community safety plan document processes and outcome measures are based 

on the geographic boundaries of its jurisdiction, safety stakeholders should give additional consideration 

to equity within different regions of the community. An MPO may consider disaggregated measures at 

the local community level to identify intra-regional disparities. A local community can disaggregate 

information based on districts or neighborhoods.

Evaluation Progress Report Example. Seattle produces a Vision Zero Progress Report that shows 

improvements that have been made since the adoption of their original Vision Zero plan.

129 Other examples 

include the Mid America Regional Council (Kansas City) quarterly fatality reports, a New York City annual 

report webpage, and an Austin, Texas report card.

130,131,132

Update the Plan

Evaluation identifies successes and deficiencies in the safety plan as the guiding document for the overall 

safety effort. Evaluation products include the implementation of changes to correct deficiencies in the 

plan. It also informs elected and appointed officials so they consider additional funding and support for 

safety efforts.

MPOs are familiar with plan updates—MTPs, TIPs, and UPWPs are all updated on set schedules to reflect 

changes in priorities and policies in a region. Local communities also have comprehensive plans and other 

documents that are regularly updated. While some plans require updates within specific timeframes, a 

safety plan does not have the same requirement. However, it is beneficial to identify a timeframe for 

safety plan updates to reflect changes in conditions, priorities, and policies. As a comparison, State DOTs 

or the State SHSO update SHSPs every five years. The influence of safety in the projects and initiatives 

identified in the MTP, TIP, and UPWP and local plans is best achieved with scheduled updates to the 

safety plan. This way, the safety plan helps to inform safety priorities that require updates in other plans.

Evaluation and Update the Plan Checklist

 Plan for Evaluation:

o Report annually on the five or more safety performance measures.

o Report annually on the process and outcome measures identified in the safety plan.

o Develop a process to evaluate the impact of projects. 

 Perform Evaluation:

o Report on process, output, and outcome results for each overall performance metric as 

well as for each action in the plan.

 Update the Plan:

o Identify an established timeframe for the plan update.

o Ensure the updated safety plan informs updates to other plans.

 

129 City of Seattle. http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/beSuperSafe/VZ_2017_Progress_Report.pdf 130 Mid-America Regional Council. http://marc.org/Transportation/Safety/Research-and-Data/Regional-data 131 New York City Vision Zero. http://www1.nyc.gov/site/visionzero/index.page

132 Austin, Texas Vision Zero. 

https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Transportation/Vision_Zero_Annual_Report_2016-2017.pdf
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

54 

CONCLUSION

This Guide supports the development, implementation, and evaluation of performance-based strategic 

safety plans for MPOs, local communities, and affiliated transportation agencies and stakeholders. The 

Guide provides references to key information, noteworthy practices and examples, and links to detailed 

resources. 

As many MPOs and local communities adopt the vision of zero deaths in their unique ways, they can 

apply, as appropriate, the six steps of the safety planning process and other considerations presented in 

this Guide to develop and implement a safety plan to guide safety investments in an equitable and 

strategic manner. The data-driven and collaborative nature of the plan will help prioritize the greatest 

safety needs and identify a series of actions that will help save lives. By working together toward a 

common vision, stakeholders will have a successful safety plan to direct their efforts to move toward 

eliminating fatalities and serious injuries. 
55 

Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision:

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

The Safety Planning Resource Index

General Websites

General Zero Deaths Resources

Vision Zero Initiative (Sweden) http://www.visionzeroinitiative.com/

Road to Zero http://www.nsc.org/learn/NSC-Initiatives/Pages/The-Road-to-Zero.aspx

The Road to Zero: A Vision for Achieving Zero Roadway Deaths by 2050

https://www.nsc.org/Portals/0/Documents/DistractedDrivingDocuments/DriverTech/Road%20to%20Zero/The-Report.pdf?ver=2018-04-17-111652-263

Toward Zero Deaths http://www.towardzerodeaths.org/

Vision Zero Network (U.S.) https://visionzeronetwork.org/

Safe System Principles https://roadsafety.piarc.org/en/road-safety-management-safe-systemapproach/safe-system-principles

FHWA Zero Deaths https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/zerodeaths/

Federal Highway Administration General Safety and Planning Resources

Transportation Safety Planning https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tsp/

Strategic Highway Safety Plan https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/

Highway Safety Improvement Program https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/

Highway Safety Improvement Program State Reports https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/reports/

Transportation Planning Briefing Book https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/publications/briefing_book/

Developing Safety Plans: A Manual for Local Rural Road Owners 

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/local_rural/training/fhwasa12017/fhwasa12017.pdf

Other National General Resources

NHTSA Highway Safety Plan listing https://one.nhtsa.gov/links/StateDocs/pages/SafetyPlans.htm

GHSA State Highway Safety Office listing https://www.ghsa.org/about/shsos

Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) - Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP)

Process Based Resources

SHSP Quick Reference Guide https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/quick_ref_guide/

SHSP Champion’s Guidebook to Saving Lives https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/guidebook/

SHSP Implementation Process Model https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/fhwasa10024cd/

SHSP Evaluation Process Model https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/epm/

Building Links to Improve Safety: How Safety and Transportation Planning Practitioners Work Together

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tsp/fhwasa16116/index.cfm

NCHRP Report 811: Institutionalizing Safety in Transportation Planning Processes: Techniques, Tactics, 

and Strategies http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/172977.aspx
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

56 

Stakeholders

Minnesota Department of Transportation Traffic Safety Fundamentals Handbook 

https://www.dot.state.mn.us/stateaid/trafficsafety/reference/2015-mndot-safety-handbook-reduced.pdf

Coordination

Vision Zero Coordination case study https://visionzeronetwork.org/nyc_coordination/

MPOs and Vision Zero https://visionzeronetwork.org/mpo_safety/

Communications

Vision Zero Network, Communications Strategies to Advance Vision Zero 

https://visionzeronetwork.org/project/communications-strategies-to-advance-vision-zero/

NHTSA Traffic Safety Marketing https://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/

Data Analysis

AASHTOWare Safety Analyst http://www.aashtoware.org/Safety/Pages/Analyst.aspx?PID=1

Highway Safety Manual http://www.highwaysafetymanual.org/Pages/default.aspx

FHWA Applying Safety Data and Analysis to Performance Based Transportation Planning 

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tsp/fhwasa15089/

Alabama Creates Safety Planning Tools for MPOs 

https://rspcb.safety.fhwa.dot.gov/noteworthy/html/datacollect_al.aspx?id=200

Louisiana Data Portal http://datareports.lsu.edu/shsps.aspx

FHWA Roadway Safety Data Program https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/

FHWA Data Driven Safety Analysis https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/edc_4/ddsa.cfm

Setting Goals and Objectives

FHWA Safety Performance Management https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/spm/

FHWA MPO Target Setting Fact Sheet https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/spm/mpo_factsheet.cfm

NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/fatality-analysisreporting-system-fars

Washington State Target Setting http://wsdot.wa.gov/Accountability/MAP-21safety.htm

Equity

Vision Zero Equity https://visionzeronetwork.org/centering-equity-in-vision-zero/

Boston MPO “Boston Region MPO 2017 Triennial Title VI Report” June 2017 http://www.ctps.org/equity

Speed

NTSB Speed Study https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Pages/SS1701.aspx

Vision Zero Speed resources https://visionzeronetwork.org/resources/safety-over-speed/

Selecting Strategies and Countermeasures

FHWA Proven Safety Countermeasures https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/

NHTSA Countermeasures That Work https://www.ghsa.org/resources/countermeasures2015

NCHRP Report 500: Guidance for Implementation of the AASHTO Strategic Highway Safety Plan

http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/152868.aspx

NCHRP Report 622: Effectiveness of Behavioral Highway Safety Countermeasures

http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/160464.aspx
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

57 

FHWA Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse http://cmfclearinghouse.org/

ITE Safety Resources Toolbox http://toolkits.ite.org/visionzero/toolbox/default2.aspx

NACTO Urban Street Design Guide https://nacto.org/publication/urban-street-design-guide/

Complete Streets https://smartgrowthamerica.org/program/national-complete-streets-coalition/what-arecomplete-streets/

FHWA MPO Guidebook for Using Safety as a Project Prioritization Factor

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/transportation_safety_planning/publications/mpo_guidebook/

index.cfm

Evaluation

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Developing an Effective Evaluation Plan 

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/stateandcommunity/tobacco_control_programs/surveillance_evaluation/eva

luation_plan/index.htm

Vision Zero Evaluation https://visionzeronetwork.org/tag/evaluation/

SHSP Evaluation Process Model https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/epm/

Featured Safety Plan Websites

MPOs 

Central Lane MPO (Eugene, Oregon) http://www.lcog.org/566/Safety-and-Security

Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

https://www.dvrpc.org/transportation/safety/

Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (Norfolk, Virginia)

https://www.hrtpo.org/page/roadway-safety/

Houston-Galveston Area Council (Houston, Texas) http://www.h-gac.com/transportationsafety/default.aspx

Maricopa Council of Governments (Phoenix, Arizona) http://azmag.gov/Programs/Transportation/RoadSafety-and-Technology/MAG-Strategic-Transportation-Safety-Plan

Mid-America Regional Council (Kansas City, Missouri/Kansas) http://www.marc.org/Transportation/Safety

North Central Texas Council of Governments (Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas) 

http://www.nctcog.org/trans/safety/

Pima Council of Governments (Tucson, Arizona) https://www.pagregion.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1267

South Central Planning and Development Commission (Houma, Louisiana)

http://www.scpdc.org/programs/safe-communities/

Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (Detroit, Michigan) http://semcog.org/Safety

Sun Corridor MPO (Casa Grande, Arizona) https://scmpo.org/test/strategic-transportation-safety-plan/

Tri-County Regional Planning Commission (Lansing, Michigan) http://www.trico.org/Docs/2017/04/TCRPC%20RegTranspSafetyPlan.pdf

Local Communities 

Alexandria, Virginia https://www.alexandriava.gov/VisionZero

Austin, Texas http://www.austintexas.gov/visionzero

Chicago, Illinois http://visionzerochicago.org/

Columbia, Missouri http://www.comovisionzero.org/
Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: 

A Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities

58 

Denver, Colorado http://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/vision-zero.html

Eugene, Oregon https://www.eugene-or.gov/3239/Vision-Zero

Fremont, California https://fremont.gov/2594/Fremont-Vision-Zero-2020

Greensboro, North Carolina https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/transportation/vision-zerogreensboro-5557

Hillsborough County, Florida (Tampa, Florida) http://www.planhillsborough.org/vision-zero/

Los Angeles, California http://visionzero.lacity.org/

Montgomery County, Maryland (Rockville, Maryland) 

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/visionzero/index.html

New York, New York http://www.nyc.gov/visionzero

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania www.visionzerophl.com

Portland, Oregon https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/40390

San Antonio, Texas http://www.sanantonio.gov/TCI/Vision-Zero

San Francisco, California http://visionzerosf.org/

Seattle, Washington https://www.seattle.gov/visionzero

Washington, District of Columbia http://www.dcvisionzero.com/
For More Information:

Visit https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tsp/

FHWA, Office of Safety

Chimai Ngo 

Chimai.Ngo@dot.gov 

202-366-1231 

FHWA-SA-18-024