PRIMER ON 

SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH 

FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

i 

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. The U.S. Government does not endorse products or 

manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this report only because they are 

considered essential to the objective of this document. The contents of this report reflect the views of 

the authors, who are responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents 

do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the U.S. Department of Transportation. This report does 

not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Images in the report are intended to serve as 

examples of the range of real-world existing conditions; they are not limited to best practices or 

approved designs or behaviors and, in some cases, may reflect conditions that are not recommended. 
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

ii

Technical Documentation Page

1. Report No.

FHWA-SA-21-065

2. Government Accession 

No.

3. Recipient's Catalog No.

 

4. Title and Subtitle

Primer on Safe System Approach for Pedestrians and Bicyclists

5. Report Date

May 2021

6. Performing Organization Code

7.Author(s) 

Elissa Goughnour 0001-6675-2713, Kara Peach 0002-4179-0243, 

Michael Dunn 0002-6701-4189, Meghan Mitman 0002-3878-4854, and 

Dan Gelinne 0003-4141-0252

8. Performing Organization Report No.

9. Performing Organization Name and Address

Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc (VHB)

940 Main Campus Drive, Suite 500

Raleigh, NC 27606

10. Work Unit No.

11. Contract or Grant No.

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address

Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety 

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

Washington, DC 20590

13. Type of Report and Period

 

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

FHWA

15. Supplementary Notes

This report was produced under the direction of Tamara Redmon (FHWA Office of Safety). 

16. Abstract

Historically, crashes have been viewed as the result of an error on the part of the individual roadway user—a law or rule 

was broken, a wrong decision made. The Safe System approach acknowledges that humans make mistakes and, 

importantly, are vulnerable to the forces that occur during a crash. By focusing on eliminating fatal and serious injuries the 

Safe System approach inherently places a priority on pedestrians and bicyclists, who are at a higher risk of fatal or serious 

injury than a person driving or traveling in a motor vehicle. The purpose of this primer is to provide transportation agencies 

a baseline understanding of the Safe System approach and how it relates to bicycle and pedestrian safety.

17. Key Words: 

Safe System, Pedestrians, Bicyclists, Ped, Bike, 

Vision Zero, Road to Zero, Speed, Safety, 

18. Distribution Statement

No restrictions.

19. Security Classif. (of this report)

Unclassified

20. Security Classif. (of this 

page) Unclassified

21. No. of Pages

29 

22. Price

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed pages authorized 
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

iii
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

iv

Table of Contents

Introduction and Background ....................................................................................................................... 1 

What is the Safe System Approach? ............................................................................................................. 2 

Safe System for Pedestrians and Bicyclists................................................................................................... 3 

Safe Speeds............................................................................................................................................... 4 

Safe Roads................................................................................................................................................. 6 

Safe Vehicles............................................................................................................................................. 7 

Safe Road Users ........................................................................................................................................ 9 

Post-Crash Care......................................................................................................................................... 9 

Implementing a Safe System Approach Now.............................................................................................. 11

Broader Strategies .................................................................................................................................. 11

Federal Programs.................................................................................................................................... 11

State and Local Safety Efforts – Policies, Plans, and Programs............................................................... 12

Safety Culture and Agency Structure...................................................................................................... 12

Research.................................................................................................................................................. 13

Ongoing Work and Upcoming Resources ................................................................................................... 14

References .................................................................................................................................................. 15

Appendix A: Safe System Benchmarking Tool ............................................................................................ 18
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

v 

List of Figures 

Figure 1. Graphic. The five elements of the Safe System approach and their relevance to pedestrians and 

bicyclists (FHWA, 2020a)............................................................................................................................... 4 

Figure 2. Graphic.Risk of pedestrian fatality based on vehicle speed, based on research from Tefft (2011).

...................................................................................................................................................................... 5 

Figure 3. Graphic. Risk of severe injury and fatality based on impact speed in relation to vehicle type and 

pedestrian age (Tefft, 2011). ........................................................................................................................ 5 

Figure 4. Graphic. Proportion of U.S. traffic fatalities occurring inside and outside of vehicles, 1975-2017 

(NHTSA, 2019)............................................................................................................................................... 7 

Figure 5. Graphic. Fatal pedestrian crashes (left axis) overlaid against the volume of light trucks sold in 

the U.S. (right axis), showing a visual correlation between vehicle size/fleet make up and pedestrian 

fatalities. Taken from Toward a Shared Understanding of Pedestrian Safety (Sandt et al, 2020)............... 8 
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

1 

Introduction and Background

Technological advances in vehicle safety features and enhanced infrastructure have contributed to 

decreases in some crash types over the past decade. However, pedestrian and bicycle crashes have 

generally risen during the same period of time (NHTSA, 2020a; NHTSA 2020b). 

Historically, crashes have been viewed as an error on the part of the driver or individual roadway user—

a law or rule was broken, a wrong decision made. While this may be true to some extent, many agencies 

are rethinking roadway design to be more forgiving. This has become particularly relevant as State and 

local agencies have increasingly adopted goals of zero fatalities on their roadway systems and 

acknowledged that no fatality is acceptable. 

The Safe System approach recognizes that humans make mistakes and, importantly, are vulnerable to 

the mechanical forces that occur during a crash. In any crash, the mass and speed of the objects 

involved, combined with the angle of collision, produce kinetic energy which is then transferred 

between the objects, in this case vehicles or roadway users. Managing the kinetic energy transferred 

among road users is a key principle of Safe System—this means designing and operating a 

transportation system that accounts for and accommodates the users most likely to be injured or 

killed. 

When you consider the vulnerability of a pedestrian or bicyclist without the protection of a vehicle—

especially one equipped with safety technologies design to protect the passengers—reduced speeds and 

increased visibility have significant impacts on the severity of injuries and likelihood of surviving a crash. 

Consider that pedestrian crashes accounted for 17 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2018 but only 3 

percent of total people injured (NHTSA, 2020a). Reducing vehicle speeds by 10 miles per hour (mph) can 

increase survivability of pedestrians by 40 percent (ITE, 2019). 

With 81 percent of pedestrian and 79 percent of bicycle fatalities occurring in urban settings (NHTSA, 

2020a; NHTSA 2020b), context matters. A Safe System is designed to encourage vehicles to operate at 

speeds appropriate to the context. For example, urban areas would have lower speeds due to the 

different types of users interacting in a space with many uses (e.g., parked vehicles, driveways, 

intersections). 

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), States, and Tribal and local agencies have made strides of 

setting goals for zero roadway fatalities, engaging multidisciplinary teams, and developing policies and 

plans to improve safety. These efforts are often siloed approaches where partners work toward the 

same goal but in different spaces, with limited communication and collaboration between groups. The

Safe System approach is not is a program, policy, or plan, but rather a shift towards a more forgiving 

roadway environment. 

The purpose of this primer is to provide transportation agencies a baseline understanding of the Safe 

System approach and how it relates to bicycle and pedestrian safety. This is a brief overview of the 

existing literature and will set the stage for future work to come. FHWA is fully committed to this 

approach and encourages transportation agencies to keep abreast of this paradigm shift.
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

2 

What is the Safe System Approach?

A Safe System is one in which there are many safeguards in place to prevent fatalities or serious injury. 

The Safe System approach was pioneered in Sweden throughout the 1990s and has since been applied 

and further developed elsewhere in Europe as well as Australia and New Zealand. It is the primary 

method for realizing Vision Zero, the goal of eliminating fatalities and serious injuries from the roadway 

system.

The Safe System approach is built around six key principles (FHWA, 2020a):

• Death/serious injury is unacceptable. Ideally, all crashes would be prevented. But the Safe 

System approach prioritizes focusing on crashes that produce fatal and serious injuries.

• Humans make mistakes. Humans will continue to make mistakes and the transportation system 

must accommodate and prepare for these mistakes. Death or serious injury should not be the 

consequence of user errors.

• Humans are vulnerable. There are known physical limits to the amount of force the human 

body can withstand before serious injury. System planners, designers, and operators should 

therefore consider the physical limits of the human body in planning, designing, and maintaining 

roads and vehicles and in managing speeds.

• Redundancy is critical. All parts of the transportation system need to be strengthened so that if 

one part fails the others still protect road users. 

• Safety is proactive. Identify and mitigate risks rather than react to crashes that have already 

occurred.

• Responsibility is shared. All stakeholders (road users, system managers, vehicle designers, etc.) 

must work together to prevent crashes leading to fatal or serious injuries.

Tingvall & Haworth (1999) proposed two methods for realizing a Safe System:

1. Eliminate harmful events (i.e., crashes).

2. Manage the events that do occur such that the resulting forces do not reach the limit of human 

tolerance. 

Applying the first method of eliminating crashes, road users and road user movements can be separated 

in space (e.g., grade separation, buffered bike lanes) or in time (traffic signal phasing, traffic demand 

management). These forms of separation may not eliminate crashes but can lower the likelihood of 

crash occurrence by decreasing road user workload and movement complexity. Safe System literature 

suggests that temporal separation should receive a lower weight than spatial separation (Jurewicz et al., 

2015; Johansson, 2009) because temporal separation relies on user compliance with traffic control 

devices or other constructs. 

Since the Safe System principles detailed above assume that humans make mistakes and crashes are 

inevitable, the second method, managing crashes and their resulting forces, becomes the focus of the 

Safe System approach. Planning and design of the roadway system should revolve around the level of 

kinetic energy transfer the human body can tolerate without being killed or seriously injured in the 

event of a crash. Because of this, the Safe System approach inherently prioritizes nonmotorized road 

users due to their vulnerable nature when compared to their counterparts traveling in motor vehicles. 
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

3 

Safe System for Pedestrians and Bicyclists 

Transportation agencies face the challenge of improving safety for all road users, and have generally 

developed mode-specific programs within their departments to develop solutions related to specific 

modes and identified safety problems. This is especially true for nonmotorized road users. Given the rise 

in pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities across the U.S. in the past decade, many agencies are interested in 

taking steps to improve safety for the most vulnerable road users. These agencies are faced with 

diverging choices: push more investment into the program areas they have used in the past, or reshape 

their programs to more completely address crash risks for pedestrians and bicyclists. The latter 

approach reflects a shift away from traditional paradigms of road safety programs (e.g., separating 

roadway and behavioral programs and building programs around the E’s of road safety) and toward a 

Safe System framework for addressing pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

At its core, the Safe System approach emphasizes reducing the risk of fatal and serious injuries to road 

users, regardless of how they choose to get around. By focusing on eliminating death and injuries the 

Safe System approach inherently places a priority on pedestrians and bicyclists, who are at a higher risk 

of death and serious injury than a person driving or traveling in a motor vehicle. Pedestrians and 

bicyclists make up a growing share of U.S. traffic fatalities compared with those traveling inside of 

vehicles, a trend which can be corrected by setting goals based on death and serious injuries, rather 

than crashes. 

The following section examines the ways in which pedestrians and bicyclists are accounted for in each of 

the five distinct elements of action that comprise the Safe System approach, illustrated in figure 1.
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

4 

Figure 1. Graphic. The five elements of the Safe System approach and their relevance to pedestrians and bicyclists 

(FHWA, 2020a). 

Safe Speeds 

“HUMANS ARE UNLIKELY TO SURVIVE HIGH-SPEED CRASHES. REDUCING SPEEDS CAN ACCOMMODATE HUMAN 

INJURY TOLERANCES IN THREE WAYS: REDUCING IMPACT FORCES, PROVIDING ADDITIONAL TIME FOR DRIVERS TO 

STOP, AND IMPROVING VISIBILITY” (FHWA, 2020A). 

As mentioned previously, the transfer of kinetic energy onto vehicles and human bodies is the primary 

factor that influences the severity of injuries sustained in a crash. As speeds increase, this energy 

transfer is more likely to result in a serious or fatal injury when a crash occurs. Figure 2 illustrates the 

relationship between vehicle speed and pedestrian risk of death.
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

5 

Figure 2. Graphic.Risk of pedestrian fatality based on vehicle speed, based on research from Tefft (2011).

Several other researchers have developed models to predict the risk of pedestrian fatality or serious 

injury based on vehicle impact speed (Tefft, 2011; Tefft, 2013; Garder, 2003; Rosen & Sander, 2009; 

Richards, 2010). The risk of injury or death also increases if the vehicle is larger or if the person struck is 

either young or old, as shown in figure 3 (Tefft, 2011). 

Figure 3. Graphic. Risk of severe injury and fatality based on impact speed in relation to vehicle type and pedestrian 

age (Tefft, 2011). 
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

6 

Speed also plays a critical role in the ability of a driver to detect a pedestrian or bicyclist and then avoid 

a crash. As speed increases, a driver will focus more on the road ahead than the roadside environment, 

where pedestrians, bicyclists, or other vehicles may be entering their path. By keeping operating speeds 

low, drivers are able to better detect pedestrians and bicyclists and have more time to avoid a collision. 

In the Safe System approach, operating speed is a central factor in determining the design of a roadway 

and the need to separate different road users. Leaders in international road safety, including Claes 

Tingvall and Narelle Haworth (Tingvall & Haworth, 1999) and Roger Johansson (Johansson, 2009) 

identified that vulnerable road users should not be exposed to motor vehicles at speeds exceeding 20 

mph (30 km/h). If this cannot be satisfied, the recommendation is to separate the movements. 

Safe Roads 

“DESIGNING TO ACCOMMODATE HUMAN MISTAKES AND INJURY TOLERANCES CAN GREATLY REDUCE THE SEVERITY 

OF CRASHES THAT DO OCCUR. EXAMPLES INCLUDE PHYSICALLY SEPARATING PEOPLE TRAVELING AT DIFFERENT 

SPEEDS, PROVIDING DEDICATED TIMES FOR DIFFERENT USERS TO MOVE THROUGH A SPACE, AND ALERTING USERS 

TO HAZARDS AND OTHER ROAD USERS” (FHWA, 2020A). 

The design and operation of the transportation network itself—the streets and intersections that carry 

motor vehicle drivers and passengers, pedestrians, and bicyclists—plays a critical role in a Safe System 

approach. Though roadway design and engineering has traditionally been the focus of State 

Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and local transportation agencies, the Safe System approach 

presents opportunities to reconsider the assumptions and paradigms that drive the planning and design 

of our transportation system, beginning with the methods used to plan the transportation system. 

Functional classification systems traditionally used in transportation planning have been revised to 

reflect the context and purpose of a corridor in the new Expanded Functional Classification System for 

Highways and Streets (National Academy of Sciences, 2018). This new classification system allows 

planners and engineers the flexibility to select a roadway design that can achieve its safety and mobility 

goals. Previous iterations of the functional classification system limited designers to arterials, collectors, 

and local roads in either urban or rural settings. A designer working on an Urban Arterial, for example, 

might be dealing with many different land use contexts, user groups, and other characteristics. Yet, the 

standard category of Urban Arterial would likely dictate important design decisions such as lane width, 

design speed, multimodal facilities, and other important outcomes without considering these additional 

details. The expanded functional classification system provides more nuanced approach to design 

decisions. It includes five, rather than two, context settings: Rural, Rural Town, Suburban, Urban, and 

Urban Core. There are more roadway types, as well, with an overall emphasis on the role of the corridor 

within the transportation network. For the example cited earlier, a designer would now have the option 

to make design decisions for a Principal Arterial in the Urban Core, rather than simply an Urban Arterial. 

This nuanced definition sets up a design process that can more completely account for road user types, 

land use contexts, and other factors that should be considered when making important design decisions.

When making these design decisions in a Safe System framework, agencies emphasize the role of user 

expectations and the consistency and continuity of the transportation network. Rather than making 

standalone changes to individual segments and intersections, agencies should consider the needs of all 

users throughout the network and identify opportunities to mitigate factors that can increase 

complexity or crash risks for the most vulnerable, including:
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

7 

• Nonintuitive motor vehicle movements: Motor vehicle movements arriving from an unexpected 

direction. 

• Indirect or unusual pedestrian or bicyclist paths: Pedestrian or bicyclist facilities that require or 

result in out-of-direction travel, such as sidewalks and bicycle facilities that end or exist only on 

one side of the roadway. 

• Undefined crossings at intersections: Conflict zones where multiple users operate in the same 

space, whether turning or traveling through an intersection. 

• Multilane crossings without refuge: Long crossing distances across multiple lanes present multithreat issues and often exhibit higher vehicle speeds and traffic volumes.

• Bicyclist and motor vehicle paths crossing: Intersection approaches and conflict zones along the 

roadway where bicyclists are not fully separated from motor vehicles.

Several of these factors are expanded upon in NCHRP Research Report 948: Guide for Pedestrian and 

Bicyclist Safety at Alternative and Other Intersections and Interchanges (Schroeder et al., 2021).

Safe Vehicles 

“VEHICLES ARE DESIGNED AND REGULATED TO MINIMIZE THE OCCURRENCE AND SEVERITY OF COLLISIONS USING 

SAFETY MEASURES THAT INCORPORATE THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY” (FHWA, 2020A). 

Vehicle technology and design has a major role to play in a Safe System approach for pedestrians and 

bicyclists. Manufacturers and designers have rolled out numerous technological advancements in recent 

years that protect those driving and traveling inside of motor vehicles. These technologies, termed 

“advanced driver assistance” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), include blind spot 

detection, lane departure prevention, adaptive cruise control, and both front and rear crash prevention 

(IIHS, 2021). The U.S. DOT also has plans to test Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) communications that can 

sense the environment around them and communicate that information to other vehicles, 

infrastructure, and personal mobile devices as noted in the 2020 Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (USDOT, 

2020). Considering the effect of these advances alongside more established technologies like seat belts 

and airbags, it is no wonder that national statistics show a decreasing share of traffic deaths from those 

individuals traveling inside of vehicles (NHTSA, 2019). 

Figure 4. Graphic. Proportion of U.S. traffic fatalities occurring inside and outside of vehicles, 1975-2017 (NHTSA, 

2019). 
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

8 

A major factor influencing the safety of those outside of vehicles is the size and mass of vehicles. 

Coupled with high speeds, a larger and heavier vehicle colliding with another vehicle or person will 

transfer more kinetic energy during a crash and increase the likelihood of a serious injury or death, 

especially when that energy is transferred directly from the vehicle to a human body. Passenger vehicles 

have increased in both size and mass over the past decade, a period in which U.S. pedestrian fatalities 

have increased significantly. The figure below illustrates the increase in annual pedestrian fatalities 

alongside the rise in sales of “light trucks” and larger sport utility vehicles (SUVs).

Figure 5. Graphic. Fatal pedestrian crashes (left axis) overlaid against the volume of light trucks sold in the U.S. 

(right axis), showing a visual correlation between vehicle size/fleet make up and pedestrian fatalities. Taken from 

Toward a Shared Understanding of Pedestrian Safety (Sandt et al, 2020).

The size and weight of vehicles is a complicated factor to address in a Safe System approach, and 

requires cooperation and collaboration with vehicle manufacturers. A shared understanding of the 

connection between vehicle size and safety outcomes can lead to the development of vehicle fleets that 

allow for safe and efficient travel while protecting all users of the road. 

Vehicle technology plays a key role as well. A Safe System approach emphasizes the importance of 

expanding the use of proven technologies, such as those developed for vehicle drivers and passengers, 

as well as developing new technologies to protect those outside of vehicles. While manufacturers and 

designers point to pedestrian and bicyclist detection and avoidance technologies, there are numerous 

documented limitations to these technologies (Sandt and Owens, 2017). Under a Safe System approach, 

technologies that reduce injury risks for individuals inside of vehicles should be expanded to protect 

individuals outside of vehicles. 

 
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

9 

Safe Road Users 

“THE SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH ADDRESSES THE SAFETY OF ALL ROAD USERS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO WALK, BIKE,

DRIVE, RIDE TRANSIT, AND TRAVEL BY OTHER MODES” (FHWA, 2020A). 

The concept of “shared responsibility,” is central to a Safe System approach. In the context of pedestrian 

and bicyclist safety, this means that there will be a need to rebalance responsibility that has largely been 

placed on individual road users themselves. Researchers have demonstrated the tendency of media 

coverage to single out the unsafe actions of pedestrians or bicyclists as the cause of a crash, which 

influences public perception of these road users (Ralph et al., 2019). Oft-cited statistics claiming that 

more than 90 percent of crashes are the fault of road user behaviors can de-emphasize the role of the 

physical environment in influencing human behavior (Carter et al., 2017).

Emphasizing the need of individual road users to be safe and responsible has only limited success in 

achieving desired road safety outcomes. NHTSA’s Countermeasures that Work (NHTSA, 2017), a 

definitive guide to behavioral road safety countermeasures, assigns only limited effectiveness to 

countermeasure strategies that simply communicate roles and responsibilities to pedestrians and 

bicyclists. Without accompanying policy or environmental modifications to influence safe behaviors, 

individual behaviors are not easily changed. 

A Safe System offers a solution to rebalance the distribution of responsibility for road safety outcomes. 

While individual users play a role and their behavior is wrapped into the design of vehicles and 

roadways, a systems approach assigns responsibility to those who plan, build, and maintain the 

transportation system and the vehicles that travel upon it. When a person dies or is seriously injured, it 

reflects a failure of the transportation agency, the vehicle manufacturer, the policy makers, and others 

who make decisions that affect safety outcomes. This distributed responsibility helps stakeholders 

identify the elements of the system that can be further strengthened to improve safety. 

Post-Crash Care 

“WHEN A PERSON IS INJURED IN A COLLISION, THEY RELY ON EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONDERS TO QUICKLY LOCATE 

THEM, STABILIZE THEIR INJURY, AND TRANSPORT THEM TO MEDICAL FACILITIES. POST-CRASH CARE ALSO INCLUDES 

FORENSIC ANALYSIS AT THE CRASH SITE, TRAFFIC INCIDENT MANAGEMENT, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES” (FHWA,

2020A). 

Emergency Medical Services (EMS), emergency departments, post-admit hospital care, and 

rehabilitation each have an important role to play in a Safe System approach to road safety. EMS 

response is characterized by its post-crash timing, at-scene and in-transit care, and transport to 

appropriately staffed and equipped facilities. EMS response goals often reference the “golden hour” as a 

benchmark for the rapid transport of trauma victims to a treatment facility. The distance (in time and 

miles) from a trauma center is clearly a factor in meeting the goal for timely arrival at the care facility. 

Equally important is having access to the right facility—one with the required mix of staff and 

equipment. As such, having sufficient trauma care resources in a geographic area is vital. Data from 

State Injury Surveillance Systems can help practitioners assess gaps in a State’s post-crash trauma 

system relate to access of immediate treatment, hospitalization, and longer-term rehabilitation. 
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

10

Technological advancements and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) can offer solutions that shave 

seconds or even minutes off of EMS response and transit times. Shorter delays in arrival at treatment 

facilities can decrease the likelihood of death or lasting injuries. Beyond the response and care itself, 

Safe System approaches must consider the forensic and aggregate analysis of crashes in order to 

properly prepare for treatments and resources needed. Advanced trauma centers track cases and 

compile data to know how best to fill the needs of their likely patients. This can happen in real time as 

EMS and other first responders communicate locus and extent of injuries to the medical teams awaiting 

the patient’s arrival. Even a simple piece of information like knowing that the injured person was a 

pedestrian or bicyclist can help medical staff ask appropriate questions of EMS to assess likely injuries 

and get ready to treat the patient immediately upon arrival. It can also be a part of a trauma plan at the 

regional and State level designed to allocate resources effectively. Ultimately, State and regional 

practitioners can integrate post-crash investigations and injury surveillance system data. This helps 

decision makers understand their resource needs and align trauma responses to the types of cases they 

are most likely to see. 

In addition to medical care, post-crash care also includes other aspects of roadway and safety 

management, such as Traffic Incident Management (TIM) technologies, strategies, and programs, as well 

as the judicial system components that are associated with traffic infraction adjudication. TIM is any 

combination of strategies designed to decrease the amount of time it takes emergency personnel to 

respond to and clear traffic incidents, with the objective of preventing secondary crashes, protecting the 

safety of emergency responders, and restoring traffic flow.
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

11

Implementing a Safe System Approach Now

While research and information regarding the Safe System approach specifically for bicycle and 

pedestrian needs continue to emerge, agencies can use existing structures as conduits for taking action 

now. National organizations, statewide and local plans, and agency practices are all opportunities to 

start the conversation and work towards formalizing Safe System approaches. Many of the approaches 

described in the following section rely on feedback from multiple stakeholders, which already lays the 

framework for cross collaboration and buy-in. 

Broader Strategies 

The Safe System approach was born from international Vision Zero efforts, and is based in the belief that 

all fatalities resulting from roadway crashes are preventable (Johansson, 2009; Tingvall & Haworth, 

1999). Cities, counties, and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) across the country are 

committing to Vision Zero and developing plans that detail strategies for eliminating all roadway 

fatalities. The primary focus of managing speeds and prioritizing the safety needs of vulnerable road 

users align with the Safe System concepts, and the action plans allow transportation agencies to 

formalize the strategies into planning, design, and policy initiatives. 

Similarly, the National Safety Council’s Road to Zero (RTZ) Coalition seeks to eliminate traffic fatalities in 

the U.S. by 2050, detailed in an extensive report with three main initiatives: double down on what works 

through proven, evidence-based strategies; advance life-saving technology in vehicles and 

infrastructure; and prioritize safety by adopting a Safe System approach and creating a positive safety 

culture (2021). The RTZ plan aligns with the growing movement of Vision Zero goals, efforts, and action 

plans adopted across the country and provides a national context and motivation for implementing and 

formalizing a Safe System approach in the U.S. RTZ understands that to be fully effective, all agencies 

need to adopt a culture of safety. 

Federal Programs 

The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is a core Federal-aid program that requires States to 

adopt a data-driven, strategic approach to improving highway safety with the purpose of reducing traffic 

fatalities and serious injuries (FHWA, 2021a; Finkle et al., 2020). HSIP requires States to identify and 

dedicate funding to projects addressing safety, taking a proactive approach to safety management. 

States also send annual safety performance targets for addressing fatalities and serious injuries. The 

annual targets must align with the State’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), a component of the 

HSIP. SHSPs are data-driven, strategic plans developed in partnership with multidisciplinary teams that 

identify the State’s key safety needs and detail actions to address the safety concerns (FHWA, 2021c). 

Many States include specific Emphasis Areas for pedestrians, bicyclists, and vulnerable users that detail 

countermeasures, data, and stakeholders working toward statewide goals. 

As a whole, both the HSIP and SHSP components either partially or fully align with a Safe System 

approach and can provide a foundation for fully incorporating the approach into the State’s processes. 

Both HSIP and SHSP can act as the foundation for institutionalizing the Safe System tenets in a State’s 

safety processes. California, Washington State, and others explicitly discuss the topic as a fundamental 

theme in their SHSPs (Caltrans, 2020; Washington State DOT, 2019).
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

12

State and Local Safety Efforts – Policies, Plans, and Programs 

There are several ways that the Safe System principles have already begun to be applied to roadway 

design in the U.S. to reduce the transfer of kinetic energy resulting from crashes. One primary method is 

speed management, accomplished through speed limit reductions or various roadway and intersection 

features that encourage slower interactions between roadway users. For example, many local agencies 

across the U.S. have adopted Complete Streets policies that support the implementation of separated 

bike facilities, road diets, protected intersections, and other measures that lower speeds, separate 

movements, and reduce crash severity. Alternative and emerging intersection designs may incorporate 

Safe System principles through removal of conflict points and reduction of vehicle speeds or movement 

complexity. Additionally, kinetic energy management metrics can be incorporated into performancebased planning and design. Tingvall & Haworth (1999) noted that one of the first steps road planners, 

designers, and operators might take—even in the absence of a broader political commitment for 

achieving a Safe System—is to analyze and/or rank infrastructure from a kinetic energy management 

perspective. Addressing speed at the contextual level can result in significant safety improvements. 

At a planning level, many State and local transportation agency safety-related plans embody Safe 

System principles (Boodlal et al., 2021). Mode-specific Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Action Plans are 

specifically directed at improving safety for non-motorized road users. More broadly, local roads have 

higher rates of fatalities and serious injury crashes than their more traveled State highways, and Local 

Road Safety Plans (LRSP) provide transportation agencies a framework for identifying, analyzing, and 

prioritizing safety improvements on such roads (FHWA, 2017; FHWA, 2021b).

Through each of these types of plans, multidisciplinary and collaborative teams address safety with 

data-driven approaches to match safety problems and locations with improvements. In alignment with 

the Safe System approach, the plans evaluate interaction between transportation modes, traffic laws, 

and the corridor and community context.

Safety Culture and Agency Structure 

A Safe System requires broad, sustained political commitment. The Safe System approach provides the 

background for these efforts but also requires working towards actionable programs and tools that 

impact design, investments, and strategies that also encourage safer user behaviors. This often requires 

establishing a safety culture by adjusting internal agency cultures to align with the Safe System

principles and elements. 

The system aspect of the Safe System approach requires strong partnerships and collaboration across 

departments and between agencies. This means integrating safety needs across departments or units 

instead of in confining them to a separate group. For example, the North Carolina SHSP includes Safety 

Culture as the fifth Focus Area, which explores how safety can be included in all statewide practices 

from considering land use, road function, and context to enforcement and adjudication policies and 

practices (NCDOT, 2019). The Ohio Department of Transportation leverages its HSIP to fund bicycle and 

pedestrian projects by connecting multimodal needs with safety. Locally, Vision Zero cities are leaders in 

safety culture and are typically supported by a strong, and very public, political commitment to 

improving transportation safety. Through San Francisco’s Vision Zero efforts, departments across the 

City collaborate to eliminate traffic deaths and reduce serious injuries on City streets. One example of 
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

13

this is San Francisco's Vision Zero SF Injury Prevention Research (VZIPR) Collaborative which brings 

together epidemiologists, trauma surgeons, emergency physicians, nurses, geospatial analysts, and 

other staff from the San Francisco Department of Public Health. The VZIPR Collaborative highlights the 

use of public health data and evidence to support traffic safety initiatives (Vision Zero SF, 2019).

Research 

Finally, agencies can conduct, support, and invest in research to better inform implementation of the 

Safe System approach. Potential topics may include user-specific research, such as pedestrian and 

bicyclist risk of fatal or serious injury, road user characteristics, and human factors considerations (e.g., 

traffic control compliance, fatigue, distraction). Speed may be researched through kinetic energy 

transfer, classification of crashes, vehicle speed prediction, and the effectiveness of speed management. 

Equity and the Safe System approach is a broader topic that impacts all other research topics. The 

Virginia DOT analyzed pedestrian crashes with respect to the State Department of Health’s Health 

Opportunity Index and ultimately quantified the strong connection between pedestrian crashes and 

other socio-economic determinants of health (FHWA, 2020b). 

While not all-inclusive, the research topics presented here cover foundational topics and the core of the 

Safe System approach as it relates to pedestrians and bicyclists. Research should continue to evaluate 

the impact of Safe System approaches that are being institutionalized through HSIP, SHSPs, local 

planning efforts, and agency-level policies and practices. Lessons learned and best practices are 

essential tools for widespread adoption and implementation.
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

14

Ongoing Work and Upcoming Resources 

While the Safe System approach has been a common framework for road safety programs in many parts 

of the world for decades, it has only become part of U.S. practice in recent years. For that reason, there 

is an ever-evolving collection of research, tools, and resources that can support agencies in their efforts 

to integrate a Safe System approach in their practices. The following resources can serve as a starting 

point for agencies having these conversations. 

A Safe System-Based Framework and Analytical Methodology for Assessing Intersections (Federal 

Highway Administration) 

This report provides a technical basis that practitioners can apply Safe System principles to inform 

intersection planning and design decisions. It relies on commonly-available project-level data and results 

in objective performance metrics (Porter et al., 2021). 

Safe System Framework (Institute of Transportation Engineers)

This resource lays out a concise framework that reflects key principles of a Safe System approach to road 

safety programs (ITE, 2019). 

Implementing Safe Systems in the United States: Guiding Principles and Lessons from International 

Practice (Collaborative Sciences Center for Road Safety)

This research report explains the concept of Safe System and draws connections between established 

programs in international settings and opportunities for implementation in the United States

(Dumbaugh et. al, 2019). 

Guide to Developing a Vision Zero Plan (Collaborative Sciences Center for Road Safety)

This resource lays out a comprehensive strategy for developing a plan of action to drive a community’s 

Vision Zero program. It focuses on critical steps to develop a high-quality, action-oriented plan, including 

public participation, analysis of trends, development of goals and objectives, and methods for measuring 

implementation (LaJeunesse et. al, 2020). 

Vision Zero Safety Procedures (North Carolina Vision Zero)

This brief, practitioner-oriented guide synthesizes a short list of the most effective ways to improve road 

safety through a Vision Zero program (NC Vision Zero, 2020b).

Vision Zero Implementation Milestone Checklist (North Carolina Vision Zero)

This checklist allows communities to consider the resources and timeline needed to implement their 

adoption and implementation of Vision Zero programs (NC Vision Zero, 2020a).
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

15

References 

Boodlal, L., Garimella, D., Weissman, D., & Shahum, L. (2021). Lessons Learned from Development of Vision Zero 

Action Plans [FHWA-SA-20-073]. Federal Highway Administration, Washington, DC. 

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/zerodeaths/docs/FHWA-SA-20-

073_Lessons_Learned_from_Development_of_Vision_Zero_Action_Plans.pdf

Caltrans. (2020). California Safe Roads: 2020 – 2024 Strategic Highway Safety Plan. https://dot.ca.gov/-

/media/dot-media/programs/safety-programs/documents/shsp/2020-2024-shsp-report.pdf 

Carter, D., Gelinne, D., Kirley, B., Sundstrom, C., Srinivasan, R., & Palcher-Silliman, J. (2017). Road Safety 

Fundamentals: Concepts, Strategies and Practices that Reduce Fatalities and Injuries on the Road (Unit 2: Human 

Behavior and Road Safety) [FHWA-SA-18-003]. Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C. 

Dumbaugh, E., Merlin, L., Signor, K., Kumfer, W., LaJeunesse, S., & Carter, D. (2019). Implementing Safe Systems in 

the United States: Guiding Principles and Lessons from International Practice. Collaborative Sciences Center for 

Road Safety, Chapel Hill, NC. https://www.roadsafety.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/CSCRS_R3_FinalReport.pdf

Ecola, L., Popper, S.W., Silberglitt, R., & Fraade-Blanar, L. (2018). The Road to Zero: Achieving Zero Roadway Deaths 

by 2050. National Safety Council, Itasca, IL. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2333.html

FHWA. (2020a). The Safe System Approach [FHWA-SA-20-015]. Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C. 

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/zerodeaths/docs/FHWA_SafeSystem_Brochure_V9_508_200717.pdf

FHWA (2020b). Virginia Puts Award-Winning Plan Into Action to Improve Pedestrian Safety. Federal Highway 

Administration, Washington, D.C. 

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/step/resources/docs/step_case_studies_VDOT_systemic.pdf

FHWA. (2021a). Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C. 

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

FHWA. (2021b). Local Road Safety Plans: Your Map to Safer Roadways. Federal Highway Administration, 

Washington, D.C. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/LRSPDIY/

FHWA. (2021c). Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C. 

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/ 

FHWA. (2017). Proven Safety Countermeasures - Local Road Safety Plans [FHWA-SA-17-069]. Federal Highway 

Administration, Washington, D.C. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/local_road/

Finkle, E., McCormick, C., Mitman, M., Abel, S., & Clark, J. (2020). Integrating the Safe System Approach with the 

Highway Safety Improvement Program: An Informational Report [FHWA-SA-20-018]. Federal Highway 

Administration, Washington, D.C. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/docs/fhwasa2018.pdf 

Garder, P.E. (2003). The Impact of Speed and Other Variables on Pedestrian Safety in Maine. Accident Analysis and 

Prevention, 36(4), 533-542. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001-4575(03)00059-9

IIHS. (2021). Advanced Driver Assistance. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Ruckersville, VA.

https://www.iihs.org/topics/advanced-driver-assistance

ITE. (2019). Safe Systems Framework. Institute of Transportation Engineers, Washington, D.C. 

https://www.ite.org/pub/?id=C8B1C6F9-DCB5-C4F3-4332-4BBE1F58BA0D

Johansson, R. (2009). Vision Zero – Implementing a Policy for Traffic Safety. Safety Science, 47(6), 826-831. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2008.10.023

Jurewicz, C., Tofler, S., Makwasha, T., & Matta, J. (2015). Improving the Performance of Safe System Infrastructure 

[Report No. AP-R498-15]. Austroads Ltd., Sydney, Australia. 
16

PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

Kumfer, W., LaJeunesse, S., Sandt, L., & Thomas, L. (2019). Speed, Kinetic Energy, and the Safe Systems Approach 

to Safer Roadways. ITE Journal, April 2019. https://www.ite.org/publications/ite-journal/speed-kinetic-energy-andthe-safe-systems-approach-to-safer-roadways/

LaJeunesse, S., Naumann, R.B., Sandt, L., Spade, C., & Evenson, K.R. (2020). Guide to Developing a Vision Zero Plan. 

Collaborative Sciences Center for Road Safety, Chapel Hill, NC. https://www.roadsafety.unc.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2020/08/CSCRS_VZGuide_FINAL.pdf

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). An Expanded Functional Classification System

for Highways and Streets. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/24775. 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). (2020a). Traffic Highway Safety Facts: 2018 Data

Pedestrians. U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C.

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812850

NHTSA. (2020b). Traffic Highway Safety Facts: 2018 Data Bicyclists and Other Cyclists. U.S. Department of

Transportation, Washington, D.C. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812884

NHTSA. (2017). Countermeasures That Work: A Highway Safety Countermeasure Guide For State Highway Safety 

Offices, Ninth Edition, 2017. https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/812478_countermeasuresthat-work-a-highway-safety-countermeasures-guide-.pdf

NHTSA. (2019). 2018 Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview. 

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812826

National Safety Coalition. (2021). Road to Zero: A Plan to Eliminate Roadway Deaths.

https://www.nsc.org/road/resources/road-to-zero/road-to-zero-home

NC Vision Zero. (2020a). Vision Zero Implementation Milestone Checklist. https://ncvisionzero.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/06/NCVZ_ImplementationChecklist.pdf

NC Vision Zero. (2020b). Vision Zero Safety Procedures. https://ncvisionzero.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/06/NCVZ_SafetyProcedures.pdf

North Carolina Department of Transportation. (2019). 2019 North Carolina Strategic Highway Safety Plan.

https://connect.ncdot.gov/groups/echs/Documents/2019/2019%20NC%20SHSP.pdf

Porter, R.J., Dunn, M., Soika, J., Huang, I., Coley, D., Gross, A., Kumfer, W., & Heiny, S. (2021). A Safe System-Based 

Framework and Analytical Methodology for Assessing Intersections [FHWA-SA-21-008]. Federal Highway 

Administration, Washington, D.C.Ralph, K., Iacobucci, E., Thigpen, C. G., & Goddard, T. (2019). Editorial Patterns in

Bicyclist and Pedestrian Crash Reporting. Transportation Research Record, 2673(2), 663–671.

https://doi.org/10.1177/0361198119825637

Richards, D.C. (2010). Relationship Between Speed and Risk of Fatal Injury: Pedestrians and Car Occupants.

Department for Transport. London. https://vegvesen.brage.unit.no/vegvesenxmlui/bitstream/handle/11250/192781/relationship_between_speed_and_risk.pdf?sequence=1

Rosen, E. & Sander, U. (2009). Pedestrian Fatality Risk as a Function of Car Impact Speed. Accident Analysis and 

Prevention, 41(3), 536-542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2009.02.002

Sandt, L. & Owens, J.M. (2017). Discussion Guide for Automated and Connected Vehicles, Pedestrians, and 

Bicyclists. Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. Chapel Hill, NC. 

http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/cms/downloads/PBIC_AV_Discussion_Guide.pdf

Sandt, L., Brookshire, K., Heiny, S., Blank, K., & Harmon, K. (2020). Toward a Shared Understanding of Pedestrian 

Safety: An Exploration of Context, Patterns, and Impacts. Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, Chapel Hill, 

NC. 

Schroeder, B., Rodegerdts, L., Bugg, Z., Jenior, P., Warchol, S., Alston, M.,..., & Chlewicki, G. (2021). Guide for

Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety at Alternative and Other Intersections and Interchanges [NCHRP Research Report

948]. Transportation Research Board. Washington, D.C. http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/181781.aspx
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

17

Schultheiss, W., Goodman, D., Blackburn, L., Wood, A., Reed, D., & Elbech, M. (2019). Bikeway Selection Guide

[FHWA -SA-18-077]. Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C. 

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/tools_solve/docs/fhwasa18077.pdf

Tefft, B.C. (2011). Impact Speed and a Pedestrian’s Risk of Severe Injury or Death. AAA Foundation for Traffic 

Safety. Washington, D.C. https://aaafoundation.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/02/2011PedestrianRiskVsSpeedReport.pdf

Tefft, B.C. (2013). Impact Speed and a Pedestrian’s Risk of Severe Injury or Death. Accident Analysis and 

Prevention, 50, 871-878.

Tingvall, C. & Haworth, N. (1999). Vision Zero – An Ethical Approach to Safety and Mobility. Presented at the 6th 

ITE International Conference on Road Safety & Traffic Enforcement: Beyond 2000, Melbourne, Australia, 1999. 

https://www.monash.edu/muarc/archive/our-publications/papers/visionzero

United States Department of Transportation. (2020). USDOT 2020 Pedestrian Safety Action Plan. 

https://highways.dot.gov/sites/fhwa.dot.gov/files/2020-11/FHWA_PedSafety_ActionPlan_Nov2020.pdf

Vision Zero SF. (2019). Vision Zero Action Strategy Eliminating Traffic Deaths in San Francisco. 

https://www.visionzerosf.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/VZAS_040419_web.pdf

Washington State Department of Transportation. (2019). Washington State Strategic Highway Safety Plan 2019: 

Zero Deaths and Zero Serious Injuries by 2030. http://targetzero.com/wpcontent/uploads/2020/03/TargetZero2019_Lo-Res.pdf 
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

18

Appendix A: Safe System Benchmarking Tool

The following is a tool to help agencies investigate ways to incorporate the Safe System approach into 

their business practices. This tool is not all encompassing, but is a collection of ideas and some potential 

resources derived in part from recommendations included in the FHWA resource, Integrating the Safe 

System Approach with the Highway Safety Improvement Program (Finkle et al., 2020). This tool is meant 

to be adapted and edited as more information becomes available or as agencies identify new 

opportunities to incorporate the Safe System approach.
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

19

Core Element Category Benchmark 

Assessed Level of Commitment/Implementation

Not a Current 

Practice Occasional Practice Institutionalized Practice Resource

Safe Users

Education 

Perform outreach through educational programs on rules of the road and the use of 

protective equipment, with a focus on those behaviors and target audiences most linked to 

death and serious injuries.

 

NHTSA. (2017). Countermeasures That Work: A Highway Safety Countermeasure Guide For State Highway 

Safety Offices, Ninth Edition, 2017. 

https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/812478_countermeasures-that-work-a-highwaysafety-countermeasures-guide-.pdf

Install advisory signs for curves and speed zones, as well as speed feedback signs and 

chageable message signs, to provide warnings and encourage safe behavior. 

Use demonstration projects to raise awareness of new designs and encourage support for 

controversial safety projects among stakeholders. ITF, Zero Road Deaths and Serious Injuries. (2016). 45, http://www.towardszerofoundation.org/wpcontent/uploads/2016/10/Zero_road_deaths-SafeSystems.pdf. 

Enforcement

Investigate and document the impacts of traffic safety enforcement and traffic safety 

surveillance on minority communities. Pryor, M., Goff, P.A., Heydari, F., and Friedman, B. (2020). Collecting, Analyzing, and Responding to Stop Data: A Guidebook for Law Enforcement Agencies, Government, and Communities. Center for Policing Equity.

Reallocate enforcement activities to target those behaviors and locations most linked to 

death and serious injury. 

Example: City of Sacramento, Vision Zero Sacramento: Action Plan. 2018, August. 

https://www.cityofsacramento.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/Public-Works/Transportation/VisionZero/VisionZero-Action-Plan-Adopted-August-2018.pdf?la=en. 

Research Develop and implement strategies for robust demographic data collection in crash 

reporting. 

Safe Roadways

Collision avoidance

Systemically install proven countermeasures to separate users in space, separate users in 

time, and increase attentiveness and awareness, such as: protected signal phases, clear 

zones, and vertical and horizontal separation for pedestrians and bicyclists.

 

Example: Caltrans, 2016 Pilot Pedestrian Collision Monitoring Program, retrieved from https://dot.ca.gov/-

/media/dot-media/programs/safety-programs/documents/ped-bike/f0018144-2016-pilot-pedestriancollision-monitoring-program-fact-sheet-version-1-a11y.pdf. 

Complete infrastructure connectivity for pedestrians and bicyclists and make progress 

toward providing separation where needed based on crash exposure, crash history, and 

characteristics of the roadway and adjacent land use associated with higher levels of use.

 Example: Washington Traffic Safety Commission, Washington State Strategic Highway Safety Plan 2019 

(2019), http://targetzero.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/TargetZero2019_Lo-Res.pdf. 

Kinetic energy 

reduction

Systemically install proven countermeasures to manage motor vehicle speed and collision 

angles, such as roadside appurtenances, roundabouts, refuge islands, hardened center lines, 

and road diets.

 

Hawkins, N., and Hallmark, S. (2020). Noteworthy Speed Management Practices. Federal Highway 

Administration and Institute of Transportation Engineers. FHWA-SA-20-047. 

https://www.ite.org/pub/?id=BCD0260A-BF52-D7D0-44BD-1C3CBE531AE8 

Evaluate intersection design and control decisions in the planning or scoping stage for 

opportunities to reduce kinetic energy transfer, following new FHWA guidance. FHWA (forthcoming), A Safe System-Based Framework and Analytical Methodology for Assessing Intersections.

Policies and 

tradeoffs 

Designate functional class and modal priority for roadways to pinpoint the most effective 

safety countermeasures and streamline tradeoff decisions. 

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). An Expanded Functional Classification 

System for Highways and Streets. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 

https://doi.org/10.17226/24775. 

Ensure safety for all users is prioritized, and accessibility maintained, during construction 

and road maintenance projects. Webinar: Improving Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety in Work Zones. (2019). http://pedbikeinfo.org/webinars/webinar_details.cfm?id=92

Innovation 

Provide infrastructure for smarter roadways and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) in 

support of data collection and analysis, as well as proactive system management. 

Use pilot projects to measure safety effects, and encourage innovation and design flexibility. ITF, Zero Road Deaths and Serious Injuries. (2016). 45, http://www.towardszerofoundation.org/wpcontent/uploads/2016/10/Zero_road_deaths-SafeSystems.pdf. 

Form design innovation working groups to initiate and research new interventions to safety 

challenges. 

Texas Transportation Researcher, Two Decades of Super 2 Research and Implementation for TxDOT Continue 

to Produce Benefits, retrieved from https://tti.tamu.edu/researcher/two-decades-of-super-2-research-andimplementation-for-txdot-continues-to-produce-benefits/. 
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

20

Core Element Category Benchmark 

Assessed Level of Commitment/Implementation

Not a Current 

Practice Occasional Practice Institutionalized Practice Resource

Safe Vehicles

Supportive 

infrastructure

Enable infrastructure-to-vehicle communication to provide warnings to drivers that support 

safe behavior. 

1) D. McTiernan and A. Rensen, “The Safe System Hierarchy of Control Framework for Local Roads,“ in 

Australasian Road Safety Conference (Canberra, ACT, Australia: September 2016).

2) Example: Caltrans, Strategic Highway Safety Plan, 58, retrieved from https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dotmedia/programs/safety-programs/documents/shsp/2020-2024-shsp-report.pdf.

Provide supportive infrastructure for autonomous vehicles to enable active safety 

technology. Example: Washington Traffic Safety Commission, Washington State Strategic Highway Safety Plan 2019 (2019), 190–191, http://targetzero.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/TargetZero2019_Lo-Res.pdf. 

Vehicle design

If applicable, collaborate with or lobby the automobile industry to prioritize safety 

technology including active and passive strategies, such as: 1) active: autonomous 

emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, speed alerts, bicyclist 

and pedestrian detection, vehicle size and design, and 2) passive: seatbelts and airbags, 

crumple zones, emergency braking, electronic stability control, and pedestrian airbags.

 

Sandt, L. and Owens, J.M. (2017). Discussion Guide for Automated and Connected Vehicles, Pedestrians, and 

Bicyclists. Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. Chapel Hill, NC. 

http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/cms/downloads/PBIC_AV_Discussion_Guide.pdf. 

Data Collect data about the involvement of AVs in crashes for future data analysis, and to inform 

design and policies. Example: Washington Traffic Safety Commission, Washington State Strategic Highway Safety Plan 2019 (2019), 190–191, http://targetzero.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/TargetZero2019_Lo-Res.pdf.

Safe Speeds

Design and 

operations

Adopt roadway design standards that are focused on speed management, such as target 

speed-based design. Adjust roadway geometries for context-appropriate speeds. 

1) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), “USLIMITS2,” page last modified April 28, 2020, 

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/uslimits/. 

2) Institute of Transportation Engineers, ITE Recommended Practice on Designing Walkable Urban 

Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach (2010), https://www.ite.org/pub/?id=E1CFF43C-2354-D714-

51D9-D82B39D4DBAD. 

3) Example: City of Sacramento, Vision Zero Sacramento: Action Plan (August 2018), 

https://www.cityofsacramento.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/Public-Works/Transportation/VisionZero/VisionZero-Action-Plan-Adopted-August-2018.pdf?la=en. 

Use speed harmonization strategies to achieve safe speeds in congested areas. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/operations/15012/15012.pdf. 

Enforcement Deploy automated speed enforcement, with a focus on equitable fee structures. 

Poole, B., Johnson, S., and Thomas, L. (December 2017). An Overview of Automated Enforcement Systems 

and Their Potential for Improving Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety. Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. 

Chapel Hill, NC. 

http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/cms/downloads/WhitePaper_AutomatedSafetyEnforcement_PBIC.pdf. 

Policy and training

Follow speed limit setting methodologies that determine appropriate speeds based on 

roadway context and modal priority, rather than the historic behavior of road users. Set 

speed limits based on the human body’s ability to tolerate crash forces. 

 

1) FHWA, Speed Management: A Manual for Local Rural Road Owners, FHWA-SA-12-027 (November 2012), 

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/local_rural/training/fhwasa010413spmgmt/. 

2) FHWA, Speed Management Toolkit, FHWA-SA-15-017, 

https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/ref_mats/docs/speedmanagementtoolkit_final.pdf. 

Provide speed management training to staff focused on injury minimization. Example: Washington Traffic Safety Commission, Washington State Strategic Highway Safety Plan 2019 

(2019), http://targetzero.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/TargetZero2019_Lo-Res.pdf. 

Post Crash Care

Traffic incident 

management 

Provide infrastructure to support emergency services equipment at crash sites for quick 

response and proper triage (this is especially important in rural communities). 

Crash investigation

Enhance reporting practices to ensure complete and accurate data collection and 

documentation of road user behavior and infrastructure. 

Create a feedback loop such that key insights from crash investigations are shared with 

roadway designers and/or influence outreach and education. 

Partnerships

Share data across agencies and organizations, including first responders and hospitals, to 

develop a holistic understanding of the safety landscape and improve accuracy. Vision Zero SF, “Evaluating & Monitoring Our Progress,” retrieved from https://www.visionzerosf.org/visionzero-in-action/evaluating-monitoring-our-progress/. 

Connect with victims' families and the advocacy community to offer support and resources, 

and encourage partnerships with outreach and education. 
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

21

Core Element Category Benchmark 

Assessed Level of Commitment/Implementation

Not a Current 

Practice Occasional Practice Institutionalized Practice Resource

Safety Planning 

and Culture

Redundancy When deploying safety interventions, define primary and secondary countermeasures as 

packages across the Safe System elements to provide redundancy.

Austroads, Safe System Roads for Local Government (April 2016), 

https://austroads.com.au/publications/road-safety/ap-r518-16/media/AP-R518-

16_Safe_System_Roads_for_Local_Government.pdf. 

Data and analysis

Apply a proactive and transparent approach to data-driven safety analysis, including the use 

of systemic profiles, roadway and roadside condition, and modal specific condition 

assessments (e.g., bicycle network stress or distance between marked crossings). 

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2018. Systemic Pedestrian Safety Analysis. 

Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25255. 

Example: Seattle Department of Transportation. (2016). City of Seattle Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Analysis. 

Phase 1. 

https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/SeattleBicycleAdvisoryBoard/presentations/BPSA_Draft_

Public_093016.pdf. 

Example: Seattle Department of Transportation. (2020). City of Seattle Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Analysis. 

Phase 2. 

https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/SDOT/VisionZero/SDOT_Bike%20and%20Ped%20Safety%

20Analysis_Ph2_2420(0).pdf

Focus network screening and benefit/cost calculations on fatal and serious injuries, instead 

of all collisions, to identify the core safety issues for human vulnerability.

1) Example: Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), Arizona Highway Safety Improvement Program

Manual (2018), 12, https://azdot.gov/sites/default/files/2019/06/2015-hsip-manual.pdf. 

2) Example: Caltrans, 2016 Pilot Pedestrian Collision Monitoring Program, retrieved from https://dot.ca.gov/-

/media/dot-media/programs/safety-programs/documents/ped-bike/f0018144-2016-pilot-pedestriancollision-monitoring-program-fact-sheet-version-1-a11y.pdf. 

Connect each emphasis area in a Safety Plan to roadway or contextual safety contributing 

factors, such as the disproportionate number of fatalities and serious injuries among 

pedestrians in communities of color, and recognize this specific factor for pedestrian 

crashes—higher rates of crashes in minority communities—where transportation system 

gaps (e.g., sidewalks/bike lanes/crossing opportunities) can help proactively inform 

recommendations. 

1) Safe Routes to School National Partnership, At the Intersection of Active Transportation and Equity,

retrieved from https://www.saferoutespartnership.org/sites/default/files/resource_files/at-the-intersectionof-active-transportation-and-equity.pdf. 

2) Example: Washington Traffic Safety Commission, Washington State Strategic Highway Safety Plan 2019

(2019), 126, http://targetzero.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/TargetZero2019_Lo-Res.pdf. 

Use innovative data collection and analysis approaches, such as crowdsourcing or video 

detection data, to identify emphasis areas related to near misses or crashes previously 

unreported by vulnerable communities. 

Example: Loewenherz, F., Bahl, V., and Wang, Y. (2017). Video Analytics towards Vision Zero. ITE Journal. 

Volume 87, Issue 3. https://trid.trb.org/view/1459592. 

Leadership and 

commitment 

Organize a Safety Plan around the Safe System Core Principles and Elements OR perform a 

Safe System assessment to determine how well each Safety Plan emphasis area aligns with 

the Safe System elements and principles, and make adjustments as necessary.

LaJeunesse, S., Naumann, B., Sandt, L., Spade, C., and Evenson, K. (2020). Guide to Developing a Vision Zero 

Plan. Collaborative Sciences Center for Road Safety. https://www.roadsafety.unc.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2020/08/CSCRS_VZGuide_FINAL.pdf. 

Example: Vision Zero Implementation Milestone Checklist (North Carolina Vision Zero). 

https://ncvisionzero.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NCVZ_ImplementationChecklist.pdf. 

Commit to a “Zero” Goal and establish performance management strategies. 

Backcast to establish the rate of decrease in fatalities and serious injuries needed to achieve 

zero by the target year. This approach will show the level of investments necessary to reach 

long-term goals. 

J. Holmberg and K-H Robèrt, "Backcasting from Non-overlapping Sustainability Principles – a Framework for

Strategic Planning," International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology 7 (2000): 291-308. 

Implement a monitoring process to measure against the backcasting trend and force 

intervention changes the agency is not on track. 

John Whitelegg and Gary Haq, Vision Zero: Adopting a Target of Zero for Road Traffic Fatalities and Serious 

Injuries (Stockholm Environment Institute: 2006). 

Establish key performance indicators (KPIs). These key performance indicators could be tied 

to each of the five Safe System elements or a particular strategy.

European Commission, EU Road Safety Policy Framework (2019): 5-10. 

https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/sites/roadsafety/files/1_en_document_travail_service_part1_v2

.pdf. 
PRIMER ON SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS

22

Core Element Category Benchmark 

Assessed Level of Commitment/Implementation

Not a Current 

Practice Occasional Practice Institutionalized Practice Resource

Safety Planning 

and Culture 

(cont.)

Public relations Safety leaders show buy-in for the Safe System approach through media, public events, and 

support for related policies and programs. 

Funding

Change project evaluation methods for funding to primarily focus on fatal and serious injury 

crash reduction opportunities. 

Use equity considerations in project prioritization, with a change to benefit-cost analysis or 

through a set-aside program. 

Instutionalize safety considerations in all project types to systematically fund projects 

through operations and mainteance efforts (such as repaving projects). 

Development 

review

Conduct safety impact assessments of new developments to identify mitigation and cost 

sharing opportunities. 

Equity first

Clearly define equity in Safety Plans and include equity considerations throughout the 

emphasis areas and strategies. 

1) FHWA, Environmental Justice, Title VI, Non-Discrimination, and Equity, retrieved from 

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/environmental_justice/equity/

2) Example: New Jersey Department of Transportation, New Jersey 2020 Strategic Highway Safety Plan, 

retrieved from https://www.saferoadsforallnj.com/resources. 

Incorporate equity considerations in implementation and assessment plans, such as goals 

related to safety improvements for populations that are traditionally underserved. 

1) FHWA, Environmental Justice, Title VI, Non-Discrimination, and Equity, retrieved from 

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/environmental_justice/equity/

2) Example: Virginia Department of Transportation, 2019 Pedestrian Safety Action Plan Analysis Update - User 

Guide (December 2019).

Stakeholder 

engagement

Meaningfully engage populations that are traditionally underserved in shared decisionmaking for the SHSP and subsequent safety programs, policies, or infrastructure projects. 

Research

Prioritize research for countermeasures focused on bicycle and pedestrian safety. 

National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Performance Functions for 

the Highway Safety Manual, paragraph 1, retrieved from 

https://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=4203. 

Conduct CMF research that specifically focuses on fatal and serious injury crashes. Example: Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), Arizona Highway Safety Improvement Program 

Manual (2018), 12, https://azdot.gov/sites/default/files/2019/06/2015-hsip-manual.pdf. 

Develop safety performance functions specifically for fatal and serious injury crashes. 

Review existing crash data records to estimate the crash magnitude, in terms of kinetic 

energy, that was carried by involved parties prior to the crashes. After determining the 

range of kinetic energy magnitudes, make safety intervention and prioritize decisions with 

this in mind. 

 

Austroads, Safe System Infrastructure on Mixed Use Arterials (2017), 

https://austroads.com.au/publications/road-safety/ap-t330-17/media/AP-T330-

17_Safe_System_Infrastructure_on_Mixed_Use_Arterials.pdf.

 
For More Information:

Visit https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/

FHWA, Office of Safety

1200 New Jersey Ave. SE

Washington, DC 20590

FHWA-SA-21-065