The Focus is Results

Leading the 

Way to a Safer 

Transportation System

SHSP Leadership Briefing Packet

June 2016
The Focus is Results

Notice

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Technical Report Documentation Page

1. Report No.

FHWA-SA-16-096

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

4. Title and Subtitle

Leading the Way to a Safer Transportation System

SHSP Leadership Briefing Packet 

5. Report Date

July 2016

6. Performing Organization Code

7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No.

9. Performing Organization Name And Address

Cambridge Systematics 

100 Cambridge Park Drive, Suite 400 

Cambridge, MA 02140

10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)

11. Contract or Grant No.

DTFH61-10-D-00020

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address

Federal Highway Administration

Office of Safety

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

13. Type of Report and Period Covered

May 2014 to July 2016

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

HSSP

15. Supplementary Notes

FHWA: Jennifer Warren, Office of Safety 

16. Abstract

The purpose of this packet is to provide information to brief leaders on the importance of a state’s Strategic Highway 

Safety Plan (SHSP), its role as part of the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), and why their involvement in 

this effort is crucial. Leaders to be briefed include the Secretary or Director from departments of transportation, public 

health, education; Superintendents or Commissioners of the State Police or Highway Patrol; heads of the Highway 

Safety Office, Department of Motor Vehicles, Emergency Medical Services; Executive Directors of major metropolitan 

planning organizations (MPOs); mayors of major cities; and key legislators. The information, which can be used by 

FHWA Division office personnel, SHSP coordinators, and others, can be used at any time but after passage of major 

transportation legislation or when there are changes in a state’s administration are good opportunities to use the packet 

either as part of a larger briefing on safety or as a way to gain more support for the SHSP. The packet is flexible and 

includes opportunities for the user to adapt it to their specific needs. Each piece is designed to stand alone and can 

be left separately or in combination with some or all of the other pieces. Information in the packet includes a fact sheet 

that provides an overview of the HSIP and describes the SHSP; an SHSP Leadership Fact Sheet; an SHSP template 

where specifics on the state’s SHSP can be included (a web link is included to make it easier to obtain this information); 

an HSIP template where specifics can be included on such things as how much the state receives in safety funding 

(this information is available in the state’s annual HSIP report); and talking points for the discussion with state leaders. 

17. Key Words

Strategic Highway Safety Plan, Highway 

Safety Improvement Program, leadership 

18. Distribution Statement

No restrictions. This information is available to the public through the 

National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161.

19. Security Classif. (of this report)

Unclassified

20. Security Classif. (of this page)

Unclassified

21. No. of Pages

12

22. Price

N/A

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized
The Focus is Results

Instructions

Leaders are critical to the success of any traffic safety effort, but 

nowhere can that leadership have such an immediate and lasting 

impact than through the Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). 

We need your help to make sure leaders understand what a profound effect their involvement can have on the hundreds of safety 

stakeholders who, through the SHSP, are working hard to reduce 

traffic-related deaths and serious injuries.

This briefing packet can be used to brief leaders on the importance of the SHSP and its role as part of the Highway Safety 

Improvement Program (HSIP). Passage of major transportation 

legislation or changes in the state’s administration are good 

opportunities to use this packet either as part of a larger briefing 

on safety or as a way to gain more support for the SHSP. Some 

leaders to brief include:

• Secretary or Director from the departments of transportation, 

public health, education;

• Superintendent or Commissioner of the State Police;

• Heads of the Highway Safety Office, Department of Motor 

Vehicles, Emergency Medical Services;

• Executive Directors of major metropolitan planning organizations (MPO);

• Mayors of major cities; and

• Key legislators.

The packet is flexible and includes opportunities for the user to adapt it to their specific needs. Each piece is designed to stand 

alone and can be left separately or in combination with some or all of the other pieces. There are also templates to provide 

state-specific HSIP and SHSP information. 

This packet includes:

• A double-sided fact sheet that provides an overview of the HSIP and describes the SHSP;

• An SHSP Leadership Fact Sheet;

• An SHSP template where you can include specifics on the state’s SHSP (a web link is included to make it easier to obtain 

this information);

• An HSIP template where specifics can be included on such things as how much the state receives in safety funding (this information is available in the state’s annual HSIP report); and

• Talking points – this is a summary of information in the packet and is provided to help the user discuss the leadership issue.

If you have suggestions for this packet or need more information, please contact Jennifer Warren at the Office of Safety

jennifer.warren@dot.gov

“Safety is our 

number one priority 

and is the one area where 

everybody can say they saved a life today. 

Involvement in the SHSP is the opportunity to make a 

difference. When a leader gets involved it lets their staff, residents, 

and others know it is something important and worthy of their time 

and attention.” 

Vince Mammano, Division Administrator, 

Federal Highway Administration, 

California Division

Image courtesy of

helt2/iStock/Thinkstock
The Focus is Results

Few government services touch the lives of nearly every person as critically as the surface transportation system. Whether 

it is trips to the grocery store, a walk with the dog, the drive 

to work, or the move of goods and services, transportation is 

an integral part of daily life.

This briefing focuses on safety’s place within the roadway 

transportation system, the critical role of the Highway Safety 

Improvement Program (HSIP) and Strategic Highway Safety 

Plans (SHSP), and what leaders can do to champion safety 

through the state’s SHSP. 

Leaders are critical to the success of any traffic safety effort, 

but nowhere can that leadership have such an immediate 

and lasting impact than through the SHSP. SHSPs have transformed how states identify roadway safety needs and make 

investment decisions by using a data-driven, collaborative 

approach to achieve safety gains. 

Safety Matters 

Safety is an integral part of everything a state 

department of transportation (DOT) does. 

However, HSIP provides an opportunity to explicitly 

target safety issues and achieve significant reductions in traffic 

fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. Congress has designated the HSIP a core Federal-aid program, signifying its importance.

Leadership is particularly important in traffic safety because it is a complex field that requires direction and 

clarity, and innovations are constant which necessitates someone with vision. Leaders also create a statewide safety culture that 

turns roadway safety priorities and strategies into reality. 

But has transportation safety improved? Fortunately, much progress has been made. Over the past 10 years, there has been a 

reduction of nearly 25 percent in the number of fatalities on the Nation’s roadways.1 Still, much needs to be done to 

move our nation towards zero deaths and state SHSPs are charting the course.

1 NHTSA (2014). 2013 Motor Vehicle Crashes: An Overview, DOT HS 812 101, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C., 

December 2014.

Leading the Way 

to a Safer 

Transportation System

Traffic safety

also contributes to

overarching state goals. In

Washington State it is linked to the

Governor’s global goal of healthy people. “Keeping

people safe on the roadways is a critical component of 

overall health and well-being and is centric to our work.”

Chris Madill, Deputy Director

Washington State Transportation

Safety Commission (WTSC)

Image courtesy of

Monticello/iStock/Thinkstock
The Focus is Results

For more information on what safety leaders can do to champion the SHSP, visit 

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/resources/fhwasa1102/flyr2_ld.pdf 

For more information on SHSPs, go to

https://rspcb.safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp_cop.aspx

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/shsp/

For more information on HSIP, go to

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/

SHSPs Have Transformed Roadway Safety 

Through collaboration, SHSPs have transformed how states identify 

roadway safety needs and make investment decisions. The SHSP:

• Is a statewide-coordinated safety plan developed in consultation with a broad range of safety stakeholders and addresses 

the 4 Es of safety (engineering, enforcement, education, and 

emergency medical services).

• Uses data to identify a state’s key safety needs and guides 

investments toward strategies with the greatest potential to 

save lives and prevent injuries.

• Is approved by the Governor or designee and updated at least 

every five years, which ensures the plan is relevant to current 

safety challenges.

Preventing crashes and reducing fatalities and serious injuries 

requires the skills and knowledge of many disciplines. The success 

of the SHSP is about how well these groups work together to 

improve safety. As a leader, you can bring these various disciplines 

and partners together under the SHSP banner. 

Leadership Makes a Difference 

The diversity of the safety field, the importance of coordination 

among disciplines, and the need to advance safety among a host 

of competing public sector priorities all contribute to the need for strong 

safety leadership.

Active involvement and support of your state’s SHSP is a critical step towards positively impacting safety 

in your state. To start, you can communicate the state’s SHSP vision, goals, and objectives and support a collaborative framework that enables safety stakeholders to actively participate in the development and implementation of SHSP 

programs and activities.

“The State 

Strategic Highway 

Safety Plan continues to 

strengthen and improve collaboration and 

communication with safety stakeholder agencies. 

Participating engineers, law enforcement officers, EMS, and 

prevention professionals now view each other as critical partners in 

keeping citizens safe. Improving traffic safety is a cooperative effort 

and the SHSP is a key reason why Louisiana continues to make 

progress on reducing traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries.” 

Shawn Wilson, Ph.D., Secretary, 

Louisiana Department of Transportation 

and Development

“I became 

involved in the SHSP 

because I trusted the people who 

asked me. The SHSP is all about building 

relationships so I knew it was something worthwhile.”

Tom Gianni, Chief,

Maryland Highway Safety Office

Image courtesy of

Comstock Images
The Focus is Results

Strategic Highway Safety Plans (SHSP) are a true success 

story. Since these plans were first required by legislation 

in 2005, traffic fatalities have dramatically declined. In 

fact, over the past 10 years there has been a reduction of 

nearly 25 percent in the number of fatalities on our 

nation’s roadways.1 One of the key reasons SHSPs succeed is effective leadership. Strong leaders have drawn 

attention to the complex safety problems that afflict our 

nation’s roadways. Leaders also are instrumental in 

establishing a statewide safety culture and turning the priorities and strategies in SHSPs into reality.

What Can Safety Leaders Do? 

Know and Promote Your Safety Priorities 

Emphasis areas in the SHSP represent the most critical safety concerns 

within a state and are matched with strategies and action steps for eliminating 

roadway fatalities and serious injuries. This is an excellent starting point to focus leadership 

support. For instance, if work zone safety is an emphasis area, then a leader could champion a Work 

Zone Safety Week every year to bring awareness to the issue. Being visible, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic 

about safety issues identified in the SHSP generates and sustains continued motivation among all safety partners.

Get Your Partners Involved 

Leaders should ensure there is an organization, agency, or individual who is responsible for implementing the strategies and 

actions in the SHSP. Keep in mind it is just as important to have the “right” person on-board as the right organization. Take 

time to explore who will truly be a champion and get the job done. Leaders also should make sure action plans include 

timelines, potential options for funding and resources, and any formal agreements that are necessary to reinforce safety 

stakeholders’ commitment to saving lives. If one of the partners is reluctant to jump on-board, it may be necessary to meet 

one-on-one to explain the critical role each agency or organization plays in safety. 

Keep Your Partners Energized

It is not always easy to get people involved, but it can be even harder to keep people involved and energized. It helps to 

maintain regular communication with partners through various communication channels (such as newsletters, web sites, 

meetings, emails, etc.). Take the opportunity to share the results of SHSP efforts and celebrate successes. Do not underestimate how a leader’s position, personality, and prestige motivate others to join – and stay on – the journey.

1 NHTSA (2014). 2013 Motor Vehicle Crashes: An Overview, DOT HS 812 101, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C., December 2014.

“Maintaining 

a safe and efficient 

transportation system is the goal 

for every State department of transportation, 

but we realize we cannot effectively achieve that goal on 

our own. That is why involvement in the SHSP is so valuable. It gives 

transportation agencies an opportunity to actively work with and 

involve safety partners from throughout the State to achieve 

meaningful reductions in traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries.”

Malcolm Dougherty, Director

California Department of 

Transportation (Caltrans) 

Strategic Highway

Safety Plan

Leadership that Saves Lives
The Focus is Results

Organize for Success 

Become a champion for the statewide safety goal by spreading the 

message throughout the state. For example, at the completion of an 

SHSP update process, leaders can hold a press conference to 

announce the safety goal and continue to communicate safety issues 

at other speaking engagements. In addition, leaders should encourage agencies and partners to incorporate elements of the SHSP into 

other planning documents, which ensures funding is available for 

implementation. As appropriate, the emphasis areas and strategies 

in the state’s SHSP should be incorporated in the state’s Highway 

Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), Highway Safety Plan (HSP), 

and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan (CVSP), as well as longterm planning documents such as the Statewide Transportation 

Improvement Program (STIP), the Long-Range Transportation Plan. 

Maximize Resources 

A leader should help identify all revenue, personnel, and technical 

resources available for statewide safety initiatives, and influence allocation to optimize safety benefits. By working with other safety 

partners, a leader is able to combine resources and technical knowledge to advance safety. There are opportunities to use state, HSIP, 

and other safety funds, i.e., NHTSA highway safety grants, which 

also can serve as incentives to attract and maintain partnerships. 

Eliminate Roadblocks 

Leaders are in a unique position to remove barriers and overcome 

institutional boundaries within and between agencies and organizations. Many states have created an SHSP Executive Committee 

comprised of leaders from SHSP partner agencies and organizations. 

Arranging for these leaders to meet – usually once or twice a year – creates buy-in and 

support at all levels, breaks down barriers, supports SHSP implementation, and can result in new 

and innovative ideas and approaches. 

Leading a safety effort is a difficult task, but there are resources available to help every step of the way. The Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA) is located in every state plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Please contact them to learn how they 

can help. 

FHWA Division Offices

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/field.html

You also can visit the SHSP Community of Practice for SHSP information and resources

http://rspcb.safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp_cop.aspx

Highway Safety Improvement 

Program Data Driven Decisions

Pub #: FHWA-SA-15-049 SHSP

FHWA Office of Safety

202-366-2288

hsip@dot.gov

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov

Leadership 

In Action

• In Arizona, the SHSP established an 

executive-level partnership between seven agencies at the Director level. This Executive Committee (EC) meets 

regularly and provides consistent and visible support throughout the SHSP process. 

• Vermont has created the Vermont Highway Safety Alliance 

(VHSA), which collaboratively promotes SHSP strategies to 

reduce crashes on Vermont’s public highways through the 

development and support of partnerships and coalitions. 

• California’s SHSP Executive Leadership has identified several key 

policy initiatives, including promoting traffic safety culture, and 

increasing involvement of regional, local, and Tribal agencies. 

• In Michigan, leaders from the member agencies of the 

Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission 

(GTSAC) also are represented on 

HSP emphasis area 

action teams.

Image courtesy of

IvelinRadkov/iStock/Thinkstock
The Focus is Results

Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP)

State-Specific Information

For more information visit the state SHSP web site at

or FHWA Communities of Practice SHSP web site at 

https://rspcb.safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp_cop.aspx

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/shsp

For more information about your State’s SHSP, contact

DATE PLAN PUBLISHED AND EFFECTIVE

TIME PERIOD COVERED

VERSION

LEAD AGENCY

CONTACT PERSON

VISION

MISSION

GOAL

EMPHASIS AREAS 

Following is a template for you to include summary information on your SHSP. You must fill out the document first before giving it to 

your State DOT or other SHSP safety stakeholders. The tip box gives you information on where to find the state’s SHSP and contact 

person. Once you finish filling in the document, just click on the Safe Roads for a Safer Future logo and the instructional information 

will be removed from the document. When giving this information to your state, you may also want to include a copy of your most 

recent SHSP, any press releases, charters, etc. Use this information to inform DOT leadership and others on how the SHSP improves 

safety in your state.

TIP: Use the State Profile Map on FHWA’s Communities of Practice 

SHSP web site (https://rspcb.safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp_cop.aspx) 

to get a summary of your state’s SHSP and fill in the template.
The Focus is Results

Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)

State-Specific Information

For more information visit the state HSIP report at

or FHWA Office of Safety HSIP web site at

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip

For more information about your State’s HSIP, contact

$41.5 Billion/Year in Formula Funding 

From 2016 to 2020

National Highway

Performance Program

Surface Transportation Block

Grant Program (STBGP)

HSIP

Railway-Highway Crossing

CMAQ

Metro Planning

National Highway 

Freight Program

STBGP Set-Aside (Formerly 

Transportation Alternatives)

$23.3 $10.8

$2.3

$0.2

$2.4

$0.3 $1.2 $0.8

State HSIP Funds: HSIP Apportionment _________________________ State Obligation Rate _________________________

Overview of Highway Safety Trends (General highway safety trends in the state for the past five years)

PERFORMANCE MEASURE BASELINE (YEAR) CURRENT (YEAR)

NUMBER OF FATALITIES 

FATALITY RATE 

NUMBER OF SERIOUS INJURIES

SERIOUS INJURY RATE 

HSIP/SAFETY SUCCESS STORIES FOR STATE

National Highway

Performance Program

Surface Transportation Block

Grant Program (STBGP)

HSIP

Railway-Highway Crossing

CMAQ

Metro Planning

National Highway 

Freight Program

STBGP Set-Aside (Formerly 

Transportation Alternatives)

$23.3 $10.8

$2.3

$0.2

$2.4

$0.3 $1.2 $0.8

Following is a template for you to include summary information on your HSIP. You must fill out this page first before giving it 

to your State DOT or other SHSP safety stakeholders. The tip box gives you information on where to find the state’s HSIP report 

contact person along with data and other information. Once you finish filling in the document, just click on the Safe Roads for 

a Safer Future logo and the instructional information will be removed from the document. When giving this information to your 

state, you may also want to include a copy of your most recent HSIP annual report. Use this information to inform DOT leadership and others on how the SHSP improves safety in your state.

TIP: Refer to your state’s HSIP Annual Report to fill in the 

template. Also, use FHWA’s data dashboard for additional 

state-specific safety data, charts, and more: https://rspcb.

safety.fhwa.dot.gov/SafetyCOP.aspx.
The Focus is Results

Briefing Talking Points

Safety is an integral part of everything a state department of transportation (DOT) does, but the HSIP provides an opportunity to explicitly 

target safety issues and achieve significant reductions in traffic fatalities 

and serious injuries on all public roads.

Leaders can make such a positive difference for safety and the proof is 

evident in the states where leaders are active participants in the 

state’s SHSP. 

SHSPs are a central requirement of HSIP and have transformed how 

states identify roadway safety needs and make investment decisions. 

These plans:

• Provide a comprehensive framework for reducing highway fatalities 

and serious injuries on all public roads.

• Use crash and other safety data analyses to identify a state’s key safety needs and guide investments toward strategies with the 

greatest potential to save lives and prevent injuries.

• Are developed in consultation with a broad range of safety stakeholders.

• Address the 4 Es (engineering, enforcement, education, and emergency medical services) of safety through a 

multidisciplinary approach.

• Consider other state highway safety plans and processes.

Leadership can get involved with the SHSP by:

• Communicating the state’s SHSP vision, goals, and objectives.

• Bringing key stakeholders together under the SHSP banner. 

• Supporting a collaborative framework that enables safety stakeholders to actively participate in the development and implementation of SHSP programs and activities.

• Eliminating barriers and overcoming institutional boundaries within and between agencies.

• Maximizing revenue, personnel, and technical resources available for SHSP and safety initiatives.

Active involvement in the SHSP is also 

beneficial because it:

• Reinforces that safety is a critical 

component of overall health and 

well-being.

• Offers opportunities for visibility with 

an issue everyone understands.

• Provides an opportunity for leaders to 

communicate the importance of 

adopting safe driving behaviors and 

everyone’s role in reducing injuries 

and fatalities.
The Focus is Results

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Federal Highway Administration

Office of Safety

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, D.C. 20590

FHWA-SA-16-096

June 2016

This material is based upon work supported by the FHWA under contract number DTFH61-10-D-00020.

Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) 

and do not necessarily reflect the views of the FHWA.