Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 1

A Message from FHWA Associate

Administrator for Safety Beth Alicandri

HSIP: Helping Turn Facts into Knowledge

Did you know that States obligated a total of $4.3 billion on over 

4,600 highway safety improvement projects in 2017 as part of the 

Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)? The States 

receive about $2.5 billion annually to help them implement lifesaving highway safety improvement projects through a strategic, 

performance-driven process designed to reduce the number of 

fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads, including local 

and Tribal roadways—a unique feature of the HSIP, as most other Federal-aid 

Highway Programs cannot be used on local roads. 

The HSIP establishes the foundation for a successful safety management program in 

each State, beginning with the Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), a coordinated 

statewide safety plan that identifies a State's key safety needs and guides investment 

decisions. A State’s HSIP primarily addresses the infrastructure needs identified in the 

SHSP and uses data-driven safety analysis to identify highway safety improvement 

projects. Through Safety Performance Management, States are held accountable, 

ensuring that their program of highway safety improvement projects meets the safety 

performance targets established as part of their HSIPs.

HSIP projects come in all shapes and sizes. Some are high-value reconstruction 

projects, while others consist of low-cost countermeasure installations across multiple 

sites. Speaking of which, did you know that there are fewer urban projects than rural 

projects, but the average total cost per project among urban projects is greater than 

the average total cost per project of the rural projects? This is just a sample of the 

many interesting pieces of information that we’ve discovered that improve our 

understanding of the safety challenge, and others are scattered throughout the 

issue—a treasure hunt, of sorts. If you want to learn more about how your peers and 

colleagues across the Nation are using this valuable funding tool to improve road 

safety, the 2017 HSIP National Summary Report is now available.

While you hunt for the additional fun facts, take a moment to learn about some other 

treasures in this issue, all of which support the HSIP. For example, the NHI’s new 

Safety Data and Analysis Fundamentals course (p. 6) supports the data-driven 

requirements of the States HSIP. The two safety innovations adopted in Round 5 of 

the Every Day Counts Initiative (p. 10) address two of the primary infrastructurerelated emphasis areas in many States’ SHSPs, and the Turner-Fairbank Highway 

Research Center’s newest test bed for vehicle-to-pedestrian technology (p. 14) will 

identify some of the Highway Safety Improvement Program projects of the future. As 

always, we encourage you to review our extensive online tools and resources at the 

Office of Safety web page and leverage these tools to save lives.

A Publication of the Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3

In This Issue:

Safety Data and Analysis

The Calibrator—Calibrate, Critique, 

CURE.................................................... 2

MIRE FDE and 2.0: What You Need to 

Know..................................................... 5

New Training! Safety in Numbers......... 6

New Video! Applying, Calibrating, and 

Developing SPFs.................................. 7

Federal Aid Programs

Eight States Awarded ASAP Funding .. 9

Vulnerable Road Users

Safety Innovations Featured in 

EDC-5................................................. 10

Interim Approval of RRFB Brings 

Updated Pedestrian Resources ......... 12

New! Test Bed for V2P Technology ... 14

MAC in Action..................................... 15

Updates from States and Localities

VSL, Ramp Metering, & Part-Time 

Shoulder Use in Maine...................... 16

New Video! LRSPs Made Simple....... 18

New Resource Roundup

New! Guide Helps Practitioners 

Achieve Zero Deaths Vision ............... 19

Taking the Guesswork Out of 

Assessing Injury Severity ................... 19

Learning Together

New Training! Roadway Lighting........ 22

States Share DDSA Practices at Peer 

Exchange............................................ 23

New! Intro to Safety Data Analysis for 

Tribes.................................................. 25

Awards News

FHWA’s Kelly Morton Wins FRA 

Spike Award!............................................... 26

Announcements and Events ..................26

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Subscribe Today!
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 2

IN MEMORIAM

Ray Krammes

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our dear colleague and friend, Dr. 

Ray Krammes, who served as Team Leader of the Safety Data and Analysis Tools Team 

in the Office of Safety and Technical Director for the Office of Safety R&D. Ray passed 

away on July 30, 2018, after retiring from a storied 20-year career at FHWA. The 

recipient of dozens of achievement awards, Ray led the way in developing, managing, 

and evaluating programs to improve State and local agencies’ safety data systems and 

analysis capabilities. He was passionate about using data and analysis to save lives. 

Among his many accomplishments, Ray contributed significantly to the development and 

implementation of the Highway Safety Manual, including participating in AASHTO and TRB Highway 

Safety Manual Task Forces; leading the TRB HSM Task Force Software Work Group; and coordinating

with AASHTO, NCHRP, and TRB. In addition, it was Ray’s vision and commitment to finding innovative 

solutions for improving safety that led to the development of the Interactive Highway Safety Design 

Model. 

In addition to his technical and leadership roles, Ray served as a mentor and coach to many safety 

engineers, specialist and advocates, inside and outside FHWA. “Ray’s brilliant mind was surpassed 

only by his giant heart,” said Associate Administrator for Safety Beth Alicandri. “He made us all smarter, 

made everyone feel special and valued, and convinced one and all that we can save lives. He will be 

sorely missed.”

BY THE NUMBERS: SAFETY DATA AND ANALYSIS

THE CALIBRATOR—CALIBRATE,

CRITIQUE, CURE

By: Frank Gross (VHB), Craig Lyon (Persaud & Lyon), 

and Stuart Thompson (FHWA)

Safety performance functions (SPFs) are integral to

the roadway safety management process and 

Highway Safety Manual (HSM) predictive method

because they project crash frequency for a given 

set of site conditions. SPFs are fundamental in 

several activities: 

1. Screening roadway networks to identify sites 

with potential for safety improvement.

2. Estimating the safety performance of design 

alternatives.

3. Estimating the safety effects of completed 

projects.

These activities are critical components of the 

roadway safety management process, the purpose 

of which is to reduce fatalities and serious injuries 

on all public roads. Given the nature of these 

decisions, and the value of information from SPFs, 

it is important to understand the reliability of an 

SPF. To help agencies gauge this, the FHWA has 

developed The Calibrator, a spreadsheet-based 

tool to help analysts calibrate and assess the 

performance of SPFs. 

Why Use The Calibrator?

Calibration is important, because SPFs are 

produced using data from specific locations and 

times. The Calibrator can update (i.e., calibrate) 

SPFs to reflect local and temporal conditions.

SPFs are produced using different functional forms, 

which relates to the shape of the SPF. The 

Calibrator generates cumulative residual (CURE) 

plots and provides goodness-of-fit measures to 

determine how well the SPF performs over the 

range of data.
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 3

The Calibrator’s cumulative residual (CURE) plots help analysts assess how well an SPF fits a range of data. In this 

example, the SPF is performing relatively well based on the general pattern and the 95 percent confidence interval. The 

pattern shows the cumulative residuals oscillating above and below zero. The cumulative residuals also remain within the 

95 percent confidence limits over most of the range, only exceeding the lower confidence limits for a short range of AADT. 

The areas outside the confidence limits indicate a poor fit as indicated in the figure. Another notable observation is the 

sharp increase in the value of cumulative residuals at an AADT of approximately 175,000 vehicles per day. This may 

indicate the presence of an outlier in the data.

Source: FHWA

Summary of improvements available in The Calibrator Version 3.0, available this fall.

Version 2.0 Version 3.0

Calculates and provides a single 

calibration factor for each SPF

Calculates and provides a single calibration factor or a calibration 

function for each SPF

Calibrates the dispersion parameter 

as a constant or inverse linear 

function of segment length

Calibrates the dispersion parameter as a constant, inverse linear 

function of segment length, or nonlinear function of segment length

Provides goodness-of-fit measures to 

assess and compare calibration 

factors between two or more SPFs

Provides goodness-of-fit measures to assess and compare 

calibration factors and/or functions between two or more SPFs

Provides default SPFs for the 

following facility types:

• Rural, 2-lane roads

• Rural, multilane roads

• Urban and suburban arterials

• Freeways

Will provide default SPFs for the following facility types (fall 2018):

• Rural, 2-lane roads

• Rural, multilane roads

• Urban and suburban 

arterials

• Freeways

• Urban and suburban, 6-lane and 

one-way arterials

• Updated crash types and crash 

severities

• New intersection types

• Roundabouts

-400.00

-300.00

-200.00

-100.00

0.00

100.00

200.00

300.00

400.00

0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000

Cumulative Residuals

Major Road AADT

cumulative residuals upper 95% confidence limits

lower 95% confidence limits

Poor Fit
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 4

Screenshot of The Calibrator Version 3.0. The updated version of the tool includes capabilities to estimate and assess 

calibration functions (in addition to calibration factors) and an expanded list of default SPFs for different facility types.

Source: FHWA

The target audience for The Calibrator includes

those responsible for developing new SPFs or 

calibrating existing SPFs. Specifically, the tool will 

help these users:

• Assess the performance of the HSM Predictive 

Method on local data.

• Assess the performance of the uncalibrated 

HSM Part C SPFs on local data.

• Assess the performance of SPFs and crash 

modification factors (CMFs) from other sources 

on local data.

• Calibrate existing SPFs to local data.

• Calibrate the dispersion parameter of an existing 

SPF to local data.

• Compare the performance of multiple SPFs.

• Identify the most appropriate SPFs and CMFs to 

apply from a list of alternatives.

Version 3.0 Coming Soon!

Version 3.0 of The Calibrator will add functionality 

to allow users to estimate and assess calibration 

functions. A calibration function provides a 

calibration factor specific to each location. Version 

3.0 will also include new SPFs that will be included 

in the HSM second edition, which is currently under 

development. The new SPFs are not yet available, 

but will be added as the research is finalized; stay 

tuned for SPF updates in fall 2018. The table above

summarizes the enhancements (in bold text).

Did You Know?

For more fascinating findings, view the 2017 

Highway Safety Improvement Program 

National Summary Report
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 5

More Information

If you are an analyst interested in getting started 

with The Calibrator, visit The Calibrator information 

page—where you can download the software and

access a training webinar and a user guide—in the 

FHWA Roadway Safety Data and Analysis 

Toolbox. If you have additional questions about 

using the tool, please contact Stuart Thompson at 

stuart.thompson@dot.gov

MIRE FDE AND 2.0:

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

By: Robert Pollack, FHWA Office of Safety

If you’re curious about the Model Inventory of 

Roadway Elements Version 2.0 (MIRE 2.0) and the 

MIRE Fundamental Data Elements (MIRE FDEs), 

you’re not alone. The FHWA Office of Safety and 

Office of Safety Research and Development 

recently conducted a webinar to provide information 

about the release of the MIRE 2.0 and to provide 

an update on the MIRE FDEs. Entitled “MIRE FDE 

and 2.0: What You Need to 

Know,” the webinar was 

presented on June 5, 2018, to 

over 220 participants 

representing an array of data 

collectors, database 

managers, and data users 

from Federal, State, and local 

agencies. 

The webinar presented 

information about MIRE 2.0, 

which was released in January 

2018. The updated version is 

now more consistent with 

databases such as the 

Highway Performance 

Monitoring System (HPMS), 

Long-Term Pavement 

Performance (LTPP) program, 

and Second Strategic Highway 

Research Program Roadway 

Information Database (SHRP2 

RID). The webinar highlighted 

changes to MIRE 2.0 from MIRE 1.0 including:

• The process that FHWA used in developing 

MIRE 2.0.

• Changes to the individual MIRE data elements. 

• Changing the format of MIRE 2.0 from MIRE 1.0.

The MIRE FDE portion of the webinar covered key 

information pertaining to meeting the MIRE FDE 

regulation and how States appear to be 

progressing towards compliance with the MIRE 

FDE regulation. This included:

• Critical dates for MIRE FDE compliance.

• The status of State MIRE FDE strategies.

• Inclusion of an interactive MIRE FDE graphics 

application on the FHWA Office of Safety 

website.

For those unable to participate in the “MIRE FDE 

and 2.0: What You Need to Know” webinar, visit the 

Roadway Safety Data Program’s MIRE web page

for more information. For more information on the 

webinar or any questions pertaining to MIRE 2.0 or 

MIRE FDEs, contact Bob Pollack at 

robert.pollack@dot.gov.

To assist practitioners, FHWA developed a set of interactive graphic images to 

depict the MIRE FDEs for each of three roadway categories: segment, intersection, 

and interchange. By clicking one of the tabs with data element names on them, the 

user can view the data element name, element definition, and attributes suggested 

to describe the data element. The roadway graphic visually depicts the element and 

provides sample information that could be collected to describe that data element 

within a roadway inventory database.
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 6

SAFETY IN NUMBERS

Get Up to Speed on Key Safety Data and 

Analysis Methods

By: Mary Burke, CHIEF, Inc.

A new web-based course from the Office of Safety, 

available from the National Highway Institute (NHI), 

equips transportation professionals with the 

knowledge they need to effectively interpret safety 

data and use it to support critical decision-making 

efforts. 

By taking part in this innovative online training, 

participants will learn key safety data types and 

terms and will walk away with strategies for both 

identifying data weaknesses and strengthening the 

way safety data is used in their programs, projects, 

and communities.

“Data-driven safety analysis has been shown to 

quantitatively measure and even predict reductions

in fatal and serious injury crashes,” said the Office 

of Safety’s Esther Strawder, who developed the 

course. “As such, FHWA recently put safety data 

system requirements in place for States to develop 

performance-based targets and measures. This 

course will help States better understand why and 

how data-driven safety analysis leads to safer 

roadways for everyone.”

In explaining the course’s unique curriculum model, 

Strawder noted that, “to help safety professionals 

get the most from this training, we developed an 

interactive curriculum that serves targeted content 

based on participant goals and the role they play in 

transportation safety.” The NHI’s Safety Data and 

Analysis Fundamentals (FHWA-NHI-380122A-D) 

course offers four tracks based on the student’s 

professional goals and responsibilities:

Data Analysts – For professionals in charge of 

integrating and analyzing datasets—including 

highway safety engineers, specialists, traffic 

engineers, highway designers, and technical 

analysts. This track emphasizes the applicability, 

uses, strengths, limitations, and requirements of 

safety data and collection methods, and is a mustmake for anyone whose responsibility it is to 

analyze safety data to identify causes and potential 

patterns that contribute to crashes and other 

systemic safety issues.

Data Collectors – For professionals responsible 

for collecting, coding, and managing data to 

support analysis and decision making. This track 

emphasizes the ways data collectors support the 

needs of data analysts and helps managers use 

data to make strategic, informed decisions about 

safety priorities. Recommended for law 

enforcement officers, emergency medical service 

providers, trauma registrars, driver and vehicle

service clerks, roadway data collectors, and anyone 

responsible for collecting crash, traffic, roadway, 

behavioral, injury, or other safety data.

Project/Program Managers – For transportation 

professionals responsible for using safety analytics 

to identify and prioritize safety issues, develop and 

implement safety countermeasures, and evaluate 

project/program effectiveness. This track 

emphasizes the tradeoffs of project alternatives in 

terms of costs and benefits, including safety 

impacts of the project/program, as well as the 

individual components. Recommended for 

transportation planners, traffic records coordinating 

committee members, highway safety online 

directors, and State and local mid-level managers 

(such as division and district program managers in 

highway safety, design, traffic, engineering, 

enforcement, and public health).

Senior Managers/Safety Advocates – For anyone 

looking to bridge the gap between the public and 

practitioners and who is responsible for developing 

or influencing policies and practices, setting 

budgets, allocating resources, and making safety 

investments. This track emphasizes understanding 

the needs of data collectors, data managers, and 

data analysts in terms of equipment, human 

resources, and organizational structure. 

Recommended for State and local senior 

One agency is using MIRE to look at its systems of record (namely, the linear referencing system, or LRS) with the 

goal of finding ways to “make things once, then use them a bunch.” To learn more, visit “DDOT Using Centerlines 

for Safety and Beyond,” by James Graham, GIS and Applications Manager at District Department of Transportation, 

in FHWA’s GIS in Transportation newsletter.

The author notes that “The [MIRE 1.0] report states unequivocally: simply having high-quality crash data is not 

enough. Detailed GIS roadway and traffic data are essential elements, enabling a more comprehensive safety data 

analysis and providing more context and understanding to the entire safety picture.”
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 7

managers, such as division heads/chiefs of 

transportation, planning, civil engineering, and 

public health.

From safety advocates to data analysts, make sure 

the numbers are on your side by registering to learn

how safety data can be better leveraged for the 

public good.

For more information about this course or the Office 

of Safety’s Safety Data and Analysis program, 

please contact Esther Strawder at 

esther.strawder@dot.gov.

Did You Know?

For more striking snippets, see the 2017 Highway Safety Improvement Program National Summary 

Report 

NEW VIDEO! APPLYING, CALIBRATING,

AND DEVELOPING SPFS

By: Frank Gross, VHB, and Stuart Thompson, FHWA

Office of Safety

How much do you know about safety performance 

functions, or SPFs? Did you know you can use 

SPFs to screen roadways for sites with potential for 

safety improvement? Did you know you can employ 

SPFs to estimate and compare the safety 

performance of design alternatives? SPFs are also 

critical in using more reliable methods to estimate 

the safety effects of completed projects. 

If you want to brush up on your knowledge of these 

versatile functions and learn how you can use them 

to enhance safety-related decisions, view FHWA’s 

new training video, Safety Performance 

Functions—Application, Calibration, and 

Development. This free, interactive training video is 

designed to improve your knowledge of SPFs. New 

to SPFs? The video will provide all the information 

you need to get started. Familiar with SPFs? This 

video is still for you, because it will help you to 

understand the quality of SPFs and decide if it is 

more appropriate to calibrate existing SPFs or 

develop new agency-specific SPFs. No matter your 

level of knowledge, after completing the training, 

you will be able use SPFs more effectively in the 

roadway safety management process. 

From start to finish, you can complete the entire 

training in approximately 60 minutes, covering SPF 

application, calibration, development, and decision 

making. The video starts with a brief quiz to find out 

how much you already know about SPFs and to 

help you decide which training topics to focus on. 

The material is conveniently divided into four 

modules, allowing you to skip around and focus on 

the desired content. 
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 8

Module 1: SPF Application

The first module covers the basics of SPFs and 

SPF application. It answers questions such as:

• What are SPFs?

• How do I use SPFs?

• How do I obtain SPFs?

Do you know how to interpret the SPF in the image 

below? If not, complete Module 1 to learn more, 

including how to use the results in network 

screening, project-level design decisions, and 

safety effectiveness evaluation.

Module 2: SPF Calibration

The second module covers SPF calibration, 

answering questions such as:

• Why do I need to calibrate SPFs?

• How do I calibrate SPFs?

• What are the limitations of SPF calibration?

If the solid curve in the images below represents 

the SPF, and the individual points represent your 

local data, do you know which scenario would be 

most conducive to calibration? If not, complete 

Module 2 to learn more, including how to calibrate 

SPFs and determine if the calibration is 

satisfactory. This module features an Excel-based 

tool, The Calibrator (see related story on page 2),

that will help you calibrate and assess the reliability 

of SPFs.

SPF calibration is appropriate for shifting the magnitude of predictions up or down. Calibration is not 

appropriate to change the shape of the SPF. Source: FHWA

Module 3: SPF Development

The third module covers SPF development, 

answering questions such as:

• How do I develop SPFs?

• What should I consider when developing SPFs? 

Do you know if you can use an SPF for total 

crashes to estimate the number of crashes by type 

or severity? Can you use the SPF for one facility 

type (e.g., rural, four-legged, signalized 

intersections) to estimate crashes on another 

facility type (e.g., urban, three-legged, stopcontrolled intersections)? What about using the 

same SPF for network screening and safety 

effectiveness evaluation? Complete module 3 to 

learn more, including why the answers to these 

questions are “yes,” “no,” and “maybe.”

Module 4: SPF Decision Process

The final module covers the SPF decision process, 

answering the following question:

• Is it more appropriate to calibrate existing SPFs 

or develop new SPFs?

Do you know what it would take in terms of time 

and resources to calibrate or develop an SPF? 

Complete Module 4 to learn how to compare these 

options in terms of reliability and the typical 

required resources as shown in the following table.

SPFs typically represent a nonlinear relationship 

between crashes and traffic volume. As shown in this 

example, SPFs predict crash frequency for a given 

facility type based on the traffic volume. Source: FHWA
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 9

Resource and data requirements for calibrating and developing SPFs

Intended

Use Process Sample Needed

Staff Hours per SPF

Data Collection

and Preparation

Statistical

Analysis

Network

screening Calibrate Must use entire network to be screened. No

minimum sample specified. 24 to 40 n/a

Network

screening

Develop

Must use entire network to be screened.

Minimum sample 100-200 intersections or

100-200 miles; at least 300 crashes per

year for total group.

24 to 40 8 to 24

Design 

decisions Calibrate 30-50 sites; at least 100 crashes per year

for total group.

150 to 350 n/a

Design 

decisions Develop 100-200 intersections or 100-200 miles; at

least 300 crashes per year for total group.

450 to 1050 16 to 40

Source: FHWA, Safety Performance Function Decision Guide: SPF Calibration vs SPF Development, SA-14-004,

September 2013.

Related Resources

Throughout the modules, you will learn about 

several related resources, including guides, 

software, and websites. Primary resources include 

the SPF Calibration Guide, The Calibrator, the SPF 

Decision Guide, and the SPF Development Guide. 

Given the nature of roadway safety management 

decisions, and the value of information from SPFs, 

we hope that you will complete this one-hour 

training to enhance your knowledge and 

understanding of SPFs. The video will help you 

identify opportunities to use SPFs throughout the 

roadway safety management process, hopefully 

improving decisions and more effectively reducing 

fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads.

For more information, training, and technical 

assistance on SPFs, you can:

1. Find additional SPF resources on the FHWA 

Roadway Safety Data and Analysis Toolbox.

2. View a recorded webinar on How to Use The 

Calibrator.

3. Request technical assistance or training 

through the FHWA Roadway Safety Data 

Program.

4. Contact Stuart Thompson at 

stuart.thompson@dot.gov. 

SUPPORTING THE STATES AND TRIBES: FEDERAL AID PROGRAMS

ASAP UPDATE: EIGHT STATES 

AWARDED FUNDING FOR SAFETY 

PROJECTS IN FY 2018

By: Esther Strawder, FHWA Office of Safety

The Accelerating Safety Activities Program (ASAP) 

specifically supports the goal of promoting safety 

innovation through training, outreach, and education 

focusing on roadway departure, intersection, 

pedestrian, and bicycle safety. The program also 

promotes partnerships between the FHWA, State 

and local transportation agencies, and Local and 

Tribal Technical Assistance Programs. Currently,

ASAP funding is limited to the 23 States that are

eligible to participate in the Focused Approach to 

Safety. 

The Office of Safety awarded ASAP funding in the 

amount of $164,103 to 11 projects from 8 States for 

FY 2018. FHWA received a total of 13 proposals, 

which were evaluated by a technical panel and 

ranked based on their merit. The recipient States 

also contributed at least 20 percent of their own 

funds, bringing the total investment or the projects up 

to $244,248. This is the twelfth consecutive year in 

which ASAP is assisting States with implementing 

innovations in safety. 

An announcement for the FY 2019 round of ASAP 

will be sent out in February. For more information on 

the ASAP program, please contact Esther Strawder 

at esther.strawder@dot.gov. 
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 10

ASAP funding was awarded to a total of 11 projects from 8 States for FY 2018. Source: FHWA

SAFETY FOCUS AREA: VULNERABLE ROAD USERS

TWO SAFETY INNOVATIONS TAKE THE 

STAGE IN EDC-5

One for an Encore Performance

By: Cate Satterfield and Becky Crowe, FHWA Office of 

Safety

According to national traffic data from the U.S. 

Department of Transportation, severe and fatal 

crashes are on the rise across the country, 

increasing 5.6 percent from 2015 to 2016. 

Two crash types in 

particular pose a 

significant 

challenge – those resulting from roadway lane 

departures and pedestrian-involved incidents. In 

fact, these two crash types combined account for 

more than 65 percent of roadway fatalities 

nationwide. 

To help reduce these crashes, the fifth round of the 

FHWA Every Day Counts (EDC-5) program 

includes innovations dedicated to helping State and 

local agencies address these crash types. 

The Reducing Rural Roadway Departures 

innovation is new for EDC-5 and the Safe 

Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) effort 

was so successful in EDC-4 that it was selected to 

continue in round 5. The deployment teams that 

support these innovations will spend the next 2 

years promoting proven safety countermeasures 

and best practices to help reduce these crash types 

through technical assistance, outreach, training, 

and more.

A rural curve with multiple low-cost roadway departure 

countermeasures applied. Source: FHWA
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 11

Reducing Rural Roadway Departures

In 2016, 18,590 lives were lost on rural roads—

more than half of all traffic deaths—even though 

only 19 percent of the U.S. population lived in rural 

areas. However, substantial safety improvements 

can be difficult to make because of the sheer size 

of the rural road network. There are almost three 

million miles of rural roadway in America, 

accounting for approximately 70 percent of public 

road mileage. That network is most often operated 

by local agencies with limited resources in safety 

analysis or planning.

Two-thirds of all rural roadway fatalities involve a 

roadway departure, where a vehicle crosses a 

center line, an edge line, or leaves the traveled way 

where there are no pavement markings. But with so 

many miles of rural roadways, it can be difficult to 

select the locations where applying roadway 

departure countermeasures will do the most good. 

The Reducing Rural Roadway Departures

innovation includes multiple analysis, diagnostic, 

and countermeasure selection tools that can help 

agencies identify areas on their network that are at 

highest risk for rural roadway departures. 

Practitioners can then systemically apply safety 

treatments that mitigate these crashes and are in 

sync with their State’s Strategic Highway Safety 

Plan (SHSP).

For example, no agency can afford to widen or 

pave shoulders on its entire roadway network, but a 

rural district of a State department of transportation 

(DOT) may find that widening shoulders at the 

highest risk curves results in an extremely high 

benefit-cost ratio. Edge lines have shown crash 

reductions on roads with traffic volumes as low as 

400 vehicles per day, but a rural County may only 

be able to maintain edge lines on a small portion of 

its roads. In this case, the agency can still expect to 

see improved safety if edge lines are systemically 

applied to areas of high risk for roadway departure. 

Roadway departure countermeasures that can be 

applied systemically include:

• Signing and markings to delineate lane edges 

and alignment changes, helping drivers 

navigate.

• Rumble strips to alert drowsy and distracted 

drivers drifting from their lane.

• Friction treatments at curves or other at-risk 

locations to reduce loss of control.

• Shoulders, the SafetyEdgeSM, and clear zones to 

provide opportunities for a safe recovery when 

drivers leave the roadway.

• Crashworthy roadside hardware to help reduce 

the severity of roadway departure crashes.

This initiative seeks to help rural districts in State 

DOTs as well as regional planning organizations 

and rural local agencies to analyze which 

countermeasures will be most effective in improving 

the safety of their roadways, where to apply those 

countermeasures, and how to apply them 

effectively.

Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian 

(STEP)

In 2016, the Nation witnessed the most pedestrian 

fatalities since 1990, with pedestrians accounting

for approximately 16 percent of all roadway 

fatalities (5,987). The vast majority of these deaths 

(72 percent) occurred while people crossed a 

roadway at mid-block (or other locations away from 

intersections), while 18 percent of these fatalities 

occurred at intersections.

Did You Know?

For more intriguing information, view the 2017 

Highway Safety Improvement Program 

National Summary Report
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 12

By focusing on both urban and rural pedestrian 

crossing locations, agencies can comprehensively 

address a significant national safety problem and 

improve the quality of life for pedestrians of all ages 

and abilities. The STEP innovation deployment 

team will promote and help agencies implement the 

following cost-effective countermeasures. These 

countermeasures can also be applied using a 

systemic approach to reduce these crashes and 

bring measured safety benefits at uncontrolled and 

signalized pedestrian crossing locations.

• Rectangular rapid flash beacons (RRFBs) are 

active (user-actuated) or passive (automated 

detection) amber LEDs that use an irregular 

flash pattern. They can be placed at mid-block or 

uncontrolled crossing locations and significantly 

increase driver yielding behavior.

• Leading pedestrian intervals (LPIs) at signalized 

intersections allow pedestrians to walk—usually 

3 to 4 seconds—before vehicles get a green 

signal to turn left or right. The LPI increases 

visibility for pedestrians, reduces conflicts, and 

improves vehicular yielding.

• Road diets can reduce vehicle speeds and the 

number of lanes pedestrians cross, and they can 

create space to add new pedestrian facilities 

such as pedestrian crossings and refuge islands.

• Pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHBs) provide 

positive stop control in areas with high 

pedestrian traffic volumes. The PHB is an 

intermediate option between a flashing beacon 

and a full pedestrian signal.

• Pedestrian crossing/refuge islands allow 

pedestrians a safer place to stop at the midpoint

of the roadway before crossing the remaining 

distance. This is particularly helpful for older 

pedestrians or pedestrians with limited mobility. 

• Raised crosswalks can serve as a traffic calming 

measure and reduce vehicle speeds.

• Crosswalk visibility enhancements, such as 

crosswalk lighting and enhanced signage and 

markings, help drivers detect pedestrians—

particularly at night.

With more and more drivers and pedestrians on the 

roads every year, and roadway fatalities on the rise, 

now is a key time to address two of our most 

persistent roadway safety issues. 

For more information about the Reducing Rural 

Roadway Departures innovation, please contact 

Cate Satterfield at cathy.satterfield@dot.gov. For 

more information about the STEP innovation, 

please contact Becky Crowe at 

rebecca.crowe@dot.gov. To learn about the full 

series of EDC-5 innovations, please visit the EDC-5 

web page.

INTERIM APPROVAL OF RRFB BRINGS 

UPDATED PEDESTRIAN RESOURCES...

AND A FEW NEW ONES, TOO!

By: Becky Crowe, FHWA Office of Safety

Transportation and safety professionals now have 

access to updated guidance to improve pedestrian 

safety at uncontrolled crossings. FHWA recently 

updated the Guide for Improving Pedestrian Safety 

at Uncontrolled Crossing Locations and posted 

additional resources through the Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) program. The 

newest resources include guidance for considering 

the Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon (RRFB), 

since FHWA issued a new Interim Approval (IA-21)

for the device in March 2018. Research has shown 

that the RRFB can increase instances of motorists 

yielding to pedestrians at marked crosswalks by 

rates as high as 98 percent, and may reduce 

pedestrian crashes by 47 percent. 

Transportation planners and designers began 

consulting the FHWA Guide for Improving

Mid-block pedestrian crossing location with crosswalk 

visibility enhancements. Photo courtesy of VHB.
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 13

Pedestrian Safety at Uncontrolled 

Crossing Locations when it was 

first released in January 2018. 

The Guide is a tool for selecting 

countermeasure options based 

on roadway conditions and noted 

safety issues, and it is an 

important supplement to previous 

pedestrian safety research. The 

updated version incorporates the 

RRFB into tables that assist with 

countermeasure selection and 

text that further explains special 

considerations for installation. 

The Guide explains that State 

and local agencies must request 

and receive permission from 

FHWA, through IA-21, before 

installing the RRFB.

The Guide for Improving 

Pedestrian Safety at Uncontrolled 

Crossing Locations also clarifies the conditions 

where certain countermeasures (such as highvisibility crosswalk markings) should be installed in 

conjunction with other pedestrian safety 

improvements. For example, at multi-lane roadway 

crossings with high traffic volumes (i.e., >10,000), a 

marked crosswalk is supplemented with more 

substantial improvements like a PHB or pedestrian 

refuge island to improve pedestrian safety. 

In addition to updates to the Guide, the STEP “tech 

sheets” now include the RRFB. These tech sheets, 

which also describe considerations for installing 

crosswalk visibility enhancements, pedestrian 

refuge islands, raised crosswalks, and Road Diets, 

provide information to transportation planners, 

traffic safety engineers, and other decisionmakers 

about the safety benefits and design considerations 

for the STEP countermeasures. Each tech sheet is 

a two-page, full-color summary that includes 

example illustrations, cost estimates, and safety 

statistics. 

FHWA has also prepared a series of case studies 

and videos to describe how the STEP countermeasures have been installed nationwide. The 

case studies highlight policies and installation 

examples by 10 local and State agencies. For 

example, one case study describes the safety 

benefits noted from Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons 

(PHBs) installed in Tampa, Florida. The five videos 

illustrate the importance of installing 

countermeasures, such as raised crosswalks and 

Road Diets, along roadways with uncontrolled 

crossing locations. The videos showcase local

experts and community champions involved in 

improving pedestrian safety. 

In addition, FHWA is releasing new complementary 

guidance for when and where to consider marking 

crosswalks—a decision that is the foundation for 

installing other countermeasures. This guidance 

emphasizes the role that crosswalks play in 

completing pedestrian networks, establishing 

visible crossings, and supporting other pedestrian 

crossing improvements. The document also 

corrects crosswalk marking “myths” and helps 

transportation and safety professionals plan for, 

design, and improve crosswalks. 

For more information, visit the FHWA Office of 

Safety’s STEP web page or contact Becky Crowe 

at rebecca.crowe@dot.gov.

Rendering of a pedestrian crossing from FHWA’s new RRFB Tech Sheet.
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 14

FHWA WORKS TO ESTABLISH NEW

TEST BED FOR VEHICLE TO 

PEDESTRIAN TECHNOLOGY

By: Karen Timpone, FHWA Office of Safety, and 

Mafruhatul Jannat, Stephanie Roldan, and Stacy 

Balk, Leidos

Incidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists 

comprise a large proportion of traffic fatalities. In 

2016, pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities accounted 

for 18 percent of total traffic fatalities with nearly 

7000 deaths occurring that year. Based on the data 

available to us, we know that dangerous vehiclepedestrian conflicts tend to occur more frequently 

under conditions in which the pedestrian is difficult 

to detect, such as in crowded urban settings and 

under low visibility. 

One possible means of mitigating the risk 

associated with these conflicts is the use of 

external sensors and communication devices 

capable of detecting and communicating the 

presence of at-risk pedestrians or bicyclists to 

vehicles and drivers. The recent surge of 

connected vehicle technology has led to the 

development of vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) 

systems that show great potential for improving the 

safety of vulnerable road users through augmented 

sensors and communications. These systems take 

many forms and include a variety of methods such 

as radar and LIDAR sensors, optical cameras, and 

direct wireless communications. 

In an attempt to leverage this proliferation of new 

technologies to improve pedestrian safety, FHWA 

initiated a project to conceptualize the first phase of 

a two-phase effort: to identify V2P systems 

currently available on the consumer market and to 

assess their capabilities with a focus on real-world 

implementation. Now that phase one is completed, 

a V2P test bed at Turner-Fairbank Highway 

Research Center (TFHRC) is under development to 

execute phase two; the expected completion date 

for this next phase is early 2019.

Pedestrian incident reports indicate that pedestrian 

and bicyclist incidents frequently occur in one of 

four scenarios: pedestrian making a perpendicular 

crossing as the vehicle travels straight, turns left, or 

turns right, and pedestrian traveling adjacent to the 

vehicle (as in the case of bicyclists passing along 

the side of the vehicle). These test cases were 

included in the assessment plan to evaluate system 

safety effectiveness. 

As part of phase one, the study team performed a 

technology scan to identify all known V2P 

technologies, resulting in a detailed database of a 

wide variety of systems. The technology scan 

revealed that, out of 80 V2P products identified, 

very few were market-ready and accessible to the 

public. Based on the common features of available 

products, a general assessment plan was 

developed to target key system functionalities, 

including accuracy and reliability of detection, user 

interface, and response selection following 

detection. Factors related to user accessibility such 

as market readiness and institutional and 

infrastructure requirements were also included in 

the assessment plan, as these components were 

thought to be essential for achieving potential 

safety benefits.

The study team decided that each of the three to 

five systems to be evaluated would be tested in 

multiple trials over a selection of various speeds, 

with specific measurements tailored to each 

system’s functionality. Systems eligible for testing 

would be required to perform in at least one of the 

four defined test case scenarios, provide some 

measurable communication output delivered to the 

driver/vehicle or pedestrian/bicyclist, and function 

within the environment provided. Using these 

criteria, and due to funding restrictions, a single 

V2P system was selected and procured for testing 

at TFHRC to develop an assessment approach and 

determine the capabilities of the test bed. 

Preliminary results will be presented that support 

the feasibility of the assessment approach and 

reveal several limitations of current V2P 

technology; for example, known situations in which 

Pedestrian and bicyclist crashes most commonly occur 

during these four scenarios. Source: FHWA
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 15

V2P technologies are non-functional will include 

low-light or nighttime conditions, periods of low 

visibility (e.g., fog), when vehicles are traveling 

more than 31 mph, or when cameras are in direct 

sunlight. Three more market-ready V2P systems 

have been identified and will be tested using this 

assessment approach to evaluate their safety 

effectiveness. FHWA anticipates that using the new 

test bed to assess multiple systems will be helpful 

in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of 

existing V2P technologies and may be used to 

guide the development of future V2P systems that 

maximize road user safety.

MAC IN ACTION AND ADDRESSING

MOTORCYCLE FATALITIES HEAD ON

By: Guan Xu, FHWA Office of Safety

Over the last 20 years, the number of motorcyclerelated fatalities has increased significantly, from 

2,116 in 1997 to 4,576 in 2005 and rising to 5,286 

in 2016, an overall increase of 250 percent. To 

address this safety issue, Congress, through 

Section 1426 of the Federal Advisory Committee 

Act (FACA), authorized the Secretary of 

Transportation to establish a Motorcyclist Advisory 

Council (MAC) to provide advice and make 

recommendations concerning infrastructure issues

related to motorcyclist safety including barrier 

design; road design, construction, and maintenance 

practices; and the architecture and implementation 

of intelligent transportation system technologies. 

The MAC is administered through FHWA.

Following the requirements provided in FACA and 

with the approval of the Secretary, the MAC 

Charter was created, and a 10-member MAC was 

established on July 28, 2017. Since then, MAC has 

held two meetings, both of which were announced 

in advance in the Federal Register and were open 

to the public. The most recent MAC meeting was 

held on Thursday, June 7, 2018 via web 

conferencing, and a total of 36 people attended the 

meeting, including 10 MAC members.

During the 4-hour meeting, the attendees first 

heard three presentations that delivered information 

covering the latest research on infrastructure-based 

motorcycle crash countermeasures, an 

investigation of roadside barrier concepts to 

mitigate motorcycle injuries to riders who are 

vertical upon impact, and the results of a review of 

State Strategic Highway Safety Plans that outlined 

actions that States are planning to improve 

motorcycle safety. Following each of these 

presentations, MAC members and other attendees 

discussed the information presented and 

exchanged ideas for actions MAC members should 

research for follow up. MAC members also 

discussed goals and next steps as to how the MAC 

would proceed with developing final 

recommendations on infrastructure-based safety 

solutions to USDOT. Meeting minutes with detailed 

information from this second MAC meeting will be 

posted on the FHWA MAC webpage. 

Members tentatively agreed to hold the third MAC 

meeting, which will be held in-person in 

approximately 6 months, likely in December 2018, 

in the Washington, DC area. An announcement for 

the meeting will be posted in the Federal Register

around mid-November 2018. 

For more information about the MAC or its 

activities, please contact Guan Xu at 

guan.xu@dot.gov.

Did You Know?

If you find these results riveting, check out the 

2017 Highway Safety Improvement Program 

National Summary Report

Per vehicle miles traveled in 2016, motorcyclist 

fatalities occurred nearly 28 times more 

frequently than passenger car occupant 

fatalities in traffic crashes. 

Source: NHTSA, Traffic Safety Facts, 2016 Data: 

Motorcycles. DOT HS 812 492. February 2018.
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 16

STATE OF THE PRACTICE: UPDATES FROM STATES AND LOCALITIES

VARIABLE SPEED LIMITS, RAMP 

METERING, & PART-TIME SHOULDER 

USE IN MAINE 

By: Wayne R. Emington P.E., FHWA Maine Division

In 2010, MaineDOT published the I-295 Corridor 

Study to evaluate the long-term needs of the 

I-295 corridor between Scarborough and Brunswick 

and make recommendations for safe and reliable 

transportation. Eight years later, prompted by 

increases in crashes, decreases in reliability, and 

the availability of new transportation technologies, 

MaineDOT has updated this study. The update is a 

technical analysis of I-295 between Scarborough 

and Brunswick focused on improving safety and 

reliability with short-term, mid-term, and long-term 

recommendations. As a part of the update, a broad 

range of strategies to manage speed, harmonize 

traffic flow, and improve safety at merge areas

were analyzed, including variable speed limits, 

ramp metering, and part-time shoulder use.

The research conducted as part of the updated I295 Corridor Study focused on examining new 

congestion-mitigating mechanisms and proven 

speed management approaches and technologies 

now available to assist State DOTs in establishing

safe speeds, because effective speed management

programs have a direct link to reduced crashes on 

higher speed facilities. In reviewing FHWA’s

Guidelines for the Use of Variable Speed Limit 

Systems in Wet Weather, and FHWA’s Synthesis of 

Variable Speed Limit Signs, MaineDOT recognized 

that the use of VSL has potential safety and 

reliability benefits. The agency also realized that 

VSL systems have been deployed widely in the 

United States (for congestion-based active traffic 

management, work zones, and in response to 

severe weather events). In reviewing FHWA’s 

Ramp Metering Website and Guide for Planning, 

Evaluating, and Designing Part-Time Shoulder Use 

as a Traffic Management Strategy, MaineDOT 

realized that ramp metering and part-time shoulder 

use have reliability and safety benefits as well.

Strategies and Safety Improvements Analyzed for the I-295 Corridor Study

Strategies Characteristics Safety Improvements

Auxiliary Lanes • Relatively low cost

• Targeted toward specific

interchange ramps or short 

highway segments

• For improved efficiency and 

safety at on-ramps and offramps

• Increase acceleration and/or deceleration 

lengths at interchange ramp junctions, reducing 

the number of conflicts between slower moving 

and faster moving vehicles

• Install auxiliary lanes between closely spaced 

interchanges, allowing entering traffic to 

accelerate to the proper speed before merging.

• Install pull-off areas for law enforcement and 

emergency stops

Intelligent 

Transportation 

Systems (ITS)

• Relatively low cost

• Applies corridor-wide or to 

portion of the corridor

• For improved efficiency of 

existing facilities

• Reliable travel time information in advance of 

major interstate decision points to avoid lastminute maneuvers that can result in crashes

• Install ramp metering at critical on-ramps to 

smooth flow during peak periods

• Safety/service patrols

• Variable speed limits to smooth flow and 

reduce severe congestion-related crashes 

Interchange

Improvement

• Major improvements at specific 

interchanges

• Ramp reconfigurations to facilitate safer 

vehicle movements
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 17

Although MaineDOT discovered several 

innovations and approaches during the research 

phase, the agency determined that it needed to 

learn more from its peers before including specific 

recommendations in the update to the I-295 study. 

As a result, the agency reached out to the Maine 

FHWA Division Office for technical assistance. 

MaineDOT was interested in understanding the 

lessons other State DOT’s had learned from their 

deployments. Working with the local FHWA Safety 

& Operations Engineer, MaineDOT successfully 

pursued three separate avenues of technical 

assistance:

• State Transportation Innovation Council 

(STIC) Project – In 2017, MaineDOT proposed 

to use STIC funds to provide training and 

develop standard operating procedures to 

implement new operational strategies. The 

proposal was approved by the Maine State 

Transportation Innovation Council in November 

2017. Work to develop standard operating 

procedures, technical guidance, decision 

matrices, a public outreach plan, training for 

internal/external partners, and an implementtation plan is planned for 2018 and 2019.

• VSL Peer Exchange with WSDOT – To gain 

the experience of seeing a VSL deployment 

firsthand, MaineDOT wanted to visit a successful 

deployment in another state. Working with staff 

having technical experience with VSL in FHWA’s 

Office of Transportation Management (HOTM), a 

short list of potential locations was developed 

and Washington State was determined to be the 

best choice for MaineDOT. A series of 

conference calls between WSDOT, the FHWA 

Washington Division Office, HOTM, MaineDOT 

and the Maine Division led to a collaboratively 

developed peer exchange agenda that included 

presentations, a transportation management 

center (TMC) observation during operational 

periods, a field tour of area deployments, an indepth tour of the TMC during off-peak hours, and 

a roundtable discussion.

• Multi-State Speed Management/VSL Peer 

Exchange – In collaboration with technical 

experts from both HOTM and HSST, a peer 

exchange on speed management was held at 

the Maine Turnpike on April 24th and 25th. A 

Participants were solicited based on geographic 

location, interest in VSL, and experience level 

with VSL to ensure a broad range of experiences 

were represented. Participants included

representatives from transportation agencies in 

WA, MN, MI, ME, CO, SC, NJ, VT, CT, NH, and 

UT. The event structure included presentations, 

a field tour of the corridor of potential 

deployment (I-295), a Maine Turnpike TMC tour, 

and a Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/

Threats exercise culminating in a State action 

plan. A pre-event webinar was provided to 

ensure participants had a base level of 

understanding and were aware of available 

FHWA resources.

Lessons Learned

The results of the technical assistance have proven 

valuable as MaineDOT seeks to improve safety on 

the I-295 corridor. Some of the lessons learned 

from this experience include the following:

• VSL can be an important component of a larger 

advanced transportation demand management 

(ATDM) strategy or an independent system.

• VSL can have safety and/or reliability benefits 

depending on circumstances (adverse weather, 

heavy traffic, unplanned events such as traffic 

incidents).

• VSL systems should only be deployed when 

identified as a strategy that supports corridor 

goals.

• VSL deployment should follow the systems 

engineering process to clearly identify and 

communicate objectives, requirements, and 

anticipated costs/benefits.

• It is important to include law enforcement 

partners early to discuss concerns and 

processes for enforcing the VSL system, if 

enforcement is required.

• VSL systems can have a valuable end-of-queue 

warning effect for travelers, which may lead to 

fewer rear-end crashes.

• When calculating the system's cost, 

maintenance, operations, staffing, evaluations, 

and end-of-life replacement costs must be 

considered.

• VSL systems may be less suitable in areas with 

high traffic volume and closely spaced 

interchanges, but ramp metering may be 

advantageous in those areas.

Potential synergies exist when deploying both VSL 

and Part-Time Shoulder Use systems together, and 

additional research on that topic may be beneficial.
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 18

Next Steps

The June 2018 update to the I-295 Corridor Study

includes short-term, mid-term, and long-term 

recommendations. The next step for MaineDOT is 

to finish drafting a larger scope (statewide) ITS 

strategic plan. After learning about the important 

role such a guiding document can play in VSL and 

ATDM deployment, and after seeing examples from 

peer agencies, MaineDOT is aiming to complete 

this plan in October 2018.

In addition, now having a better understanding of 

how VSL can fit into a State’s transportation 

systems management and operations (TSM&O) 

efforts, MaineDOT is also considering developing a 

TSM&O strategic plan to complement the ITS 

strategic plan. Through the STIC project,

MaineDOT will develop standard operating 

procedures, technical guidance, decision matrices, 

a public outreach plan, and/or an implementation 

plan for the use of VSL and other ATDM strategies 

as needed throughout 2018 and 2019.

Finally, the FHWA Maine Division worked with 

FHWA to bring a workshop on part-time shoulder 

use and ramp metering to Maine on July 18, 2018.

A peer exchange follow up webinar will be held in 

fall 2018.

For more information about MaineDOT’s 

experience and future directions, please contact 

Wayne Emington at wayne.emington@dot.gov.

LOCAL ROAD SAFETY PLANS

MADE SIMPLE

By: Hillary Isebrands, FHWA Resource Center – Safety 

and Design Technical Services Team, and Jerry Roche, 

FHWA Office of Safety

People hear the words “Local Road Safety Plan,” 

and they start to think that it needs to include 

rigorous analysis, have lots of pages, take a lot of 

time, or that they need a consultant to write it. But 

the truth is, LRSPs are scalable and, often, starting 

with plan as short as 10 or 15 pages that can be 

enhanced over time is the best way to gain 

experience and perspective. 

To address local agency concerns about how much 

time, effort, and cost may be involved in developing 

an LRSP, the FHWA Data Driven Safety Analysis 

(DDSA) Team developed an LRSP video to give a 

brief overview of why LRSPs can be important and 

to explain how easy the four-step process is.

The simple video, which runs just under 2.5 

minutes, explains that all an agency needs to get 

started is a small group of stakeholders—from law 

enforcement, EMS, public health and elected 

officials, for example. And an agency doesn’t need

comprehensive data to create an effective plan, 

either. Data sources can include crash data, 

maintenance logs, details of safety audits, and 

even traffic violations. Then, the stakeholder team 

selects proven, low-cost countermeasures to 

address these locations—for example, placing 

chevrons at a subset of an agency’s curves or a 

installing a leading pedestrian interval at certain 

signalized intersections. Finally, the solutions are 

implemented to reduce crashes and fatalities on 

local roads. One way this has been accomplished 

is by bundling the application of multiple 

countermeasures into one project, even including 

locations within multiple agencies. And, local 

agencies don’t need to wait to develop 

improvement projects; many strategies can be 

undertaken by maintenance and enforcement 

partners in short order. 

FHWA developed the video in partnership with the 

National Association of County Engineers (NACE) 

and the National Local Technical Assistance 

Program Association. Both groups provided 

feedback on the video and are using it to promote 

safety within their own programs and initiatives. In 

fact, as part of the Every Day Counts Round 4 

initiative, the DDSA team partnered with NACE on 

a pilot project to help 25 counties in California, 

Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Ohio, and Wisconsin

develop LRSPs (see related story in the spring

2018 issue of Safety Compass). The video was

developed with the first group of NACE pilot 

A screenshot from FHWA’s new LRSP video illustrates 

the key steps for putting together an LRSP.
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 19

counties in mind, and was debuted with them to 

determine whether it was effective. At present, the 

DDSA team is identifying States and corresponding 

counties for a second round of the pilot as well.

For more information on the Local Road Safety 

Plan initiative, or to find out more about how to 

develop an LRSP for your community, contact Jerry 

Roche at jerry.roche@dot.gov.

NEW RESOURCE ROUNDUP

NEW GUIDE HELPS LOCAL, REGIONAL 

PRACTITIONERS ACHIEVE ZERO 

DEATHS VISION

By: Chimai Ngo, FHWA Office of Safety

As an increasing number of local and regional 

transportation agencies 

across the country are 

committing to the vision 

of eliminating traffic 

fatalities and serious 

injuries on their 

roadways, many local 

agencies and 

metropolitan planning 

organizations (MPOs) are 

developing and 

implementing their own transportation safety plans. 

To assist these and the many others that are 

considering adopting the same vision, FHWA is 

pleased to share a new resource, Transportation 

Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: A 

Guide for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and 

Local Communities, which will be available in 

September on the Transportation Safety Planning 

web page.

This Guide is designed to assist MPOs, local 

communities, and stakeholders in using the safety 

planning process to work toward the zero deaths 

vision. It provides a step-by-step process to 

develop, implement, and evaluate a regional or 

local safety plan and highlights noteworthy 

practices. The Guide also presents safety 

considerations necessary in the safety planning 

process in order to reach the zero deaths goal. In 

addition, it offers suggestions on how safety 

practitioners can engage in safety planning efforts, 

analyze data, set goals and targets to facilitate 

performance-based planning, identify strategies to 

address safety challenges, prepare a document 

that presents the plan, and evaluate the 

effectiveness of the plan. 

The most important lesson in the Guide, however, 

is that together, we can save lives!

For more information on how Transportation Safety 

Planning can help your locality or MPO reduce 

traffic fatalities, please contact Chimai Ngo at 

chimai.ngo@dot.gov.

TAKING THE GUESSWORK OUT OF 

ASSESSING INJURY SEVERITY 

By: Danielle Betkey, FHWA Office of Safety

Let’s imagine for a moment that you are a law 

enforcement officer on the scene of a single vehicle 

crash. You observe that the driver of the vehicle 

has a head wound that is bleeding profusely. As 

you complete the crash report, you suspect that the 

driver’s injuries are serious and document 

accordingly. However, after emergency medical 

services personnel evaluate the driver, the head 

wound turns out to just be a minor cut. Some 

wounds, particularly head wounds, tend to bleed 

more, but that does not necessarily mean it is a 

Did You Know?

For more striking statistics, see the 2017 Highway 

Safety Improvement Program National 

Summary Report
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 20

serious injury. So how do you classify this injury? 

And why does assessing the severity of an injury—

and accurately and consistently reporting it—

matter? 

Transportation safety professionals, law 

enforcement, and healthcare practitioners use 

crash data to help identify and solve critical 

highway safety issues. An estimated 2.5 million 

people are injured in motor vehicle crashes on our 

Nation’s roadways every year. Traffic injuries 

represent a significant loss to individuals and 

society. However, many States report serious 

injuries using different coding conventions and 

definitions. For example, one State might classify 

any individual who is transported to a hospital as 

having a suspected serious injury (regardless of the 

type of injury sustained), while another State might 

classify an injury as a suspected serious injury only 

if an individual is transported to a trauma center. 

Therefore, due to this inconsistent reporting, the 

Nation’s serious injury trends are challenging to 

compare and analyze. 

But that is all about to change. In response to the 

need to improve serious injury reporting, the FHWA 

and NHTSA established a single, national definition 

for reporting serious injuries. The definition will aid 

in aligning injury classification systems and injury 

coding nationwide for reporting and analysis. The 

definition is codified in FHWA’s Safety Performance 

Management Measures Final Rule (23 CFR 490)

and NHTSA’s Uniform Procedures for State 

Highway Safety Grants Program Interim Final Rule 

(23 CFR 1300). These Final Rules require that 

serious injuries be reported using the Model 

Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC) 4th

Edition definition and attribute for “Suspected 

Serious Injury (A)” as defined in the “P5. Injury 

Status” person data element. While States are 

required to comply with this regulation beginning 

April 15, 2019, it is recommended that they adopt 

the new definition by January 1, 2019, to have a 

complete and consistent crash data file for the 

entire 2019 calendar year.

So, thinking back to the single vehicle crash 

scenario, how would a law enforcement officer 

know whether an injury was serious or not when 

completing the crash report? The officer could ask 

an emergency medical professional and/or refer to 

the MMUCC definition that defines a “Suspected 

Serious Injury (A)” as any injury other than fatal 

which results in one or more of the following:

• Severe laceration resulting in exposure of 

underlying tissues/muscle/organs or resulting in 

significant loss of blood.

• Broken or distorted extremity (arm or leg).

• Crush injuries.

• Suspected skull, chest or abdominal injury other 

than bruises or minor lacerations.

• Significant burns (second and third degree burns 

over 10 percent or more of the body).

• Unconsciousness when taken from the crash 

scene.

• Paralysis.

Crash reports are the main source of injury data 

that can be linked directly to the crash scene, so 

accurate and consistent injury classification on the 

crash report is important. What does the serious 

injury reporting requirement mean for States? To 

be considered compliant with the regulation, each

State must ensure the following requirements are 

met:

The statewide crash database accurately 

aggregates the MMUCC 4th Edition injury status 

attribute for “Suspected Serious Injury (A)”;

(a) The State crash database, crash data dictionary, 

and crash report user manual employs the 

terminology and definitions for the MMUCC 4th 

Click on the embedded link to view a training video that 

provides the MMUCC, 4th Edition injury types for 

reporting suspected serious injuries using the new 

standardized definition for serious injuries.
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 21

FHWA, in partnership with NHTSA, created a quick reference card for law enforcement officers to help them identify 

suspected serious injuries.

(b) Edition injury status attribute for “Suspected 

Serious Injury (A)”;

(c) The police crash report employs the MMUCC 4th 

Edition injury status attribute for “Suspected 

Serious Injury (A)”; and

(d) The seven serious injury types specified in the 

injury status attribute for “Suspected Serious 

Injury (A)” are not included in any of the other 

attributes listed in the States’ injury status data 

elements. 

The adoption of the “Suspected Serious Injury (A)” 

definition and attribute by April 15, 2019, will greatly 

improve the accuracy of serious injury reporting 

nationwide. It will help safety professionals to better 

assess highway safety issues and determine 

effective strategies and countermeasures to reduce 

such injuries in the future and save lives. Safety is 

the top priority at FHWA and NTHSA, and this new 

requirement will help move us one step closer to 

the goal of reducing traffic injuries and fatalities on 

our Nation’s roadways.

State personnel should keep in mind that many 

stakeholders need to be involved to achieve 

compliance with the new serious injury reporting 

requirement, some of which include the State 

department of transportation (DOT), State highway 

safety office, and law enforcement agencies—all of 

which play a key role. Additional stakeholders may 

also include traffic records coordinating committee 

members and State DOT administrators.

FHWA and NHTSA developed several resources to 

help States and law enforcement understand the 

new serious injury definition. These resources 

include the following:

• NEW! Serious Injury Reporting Planning Tool

• Serious Injury Reporting Fact Sheet

• MMUCC Serious Injury Reporting Video

• MMUCC Serious Injury PowerPoint Presentation

• Serious Injury Reporting Visor Card

• FHWA Safety Performance Management 

webpage

For more information on the new definition for 

serious injuries, please contact Danielle Betkey at 

danielle.betkey@dot.gov. 
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 22

LEARNING TOGETHER

FHWA OFFERS NEW WEB-BASED

TRAINING FOR ROADWAY LIGHTING

By: Joseph Cheung P.E., FHWA Office of Safety

The advent of light-emitting diode (LED) has 

initiated a major transition in the way agencies are 

approaching and using roadway lighting. LEDs offer 

the potential for savings in energy and maintenance 

costs, improved visibility, and easier control of

lighting intensity. However, along with these

potential advantages, questions have also arisen 

about the possibility of increased glare, light 

pollution, and impacts on human circadian rhythms.

In recent years, many transportation agencies have 

begun to experience a lack of "in-house" expertise 

about lighting design due to retirements or 

personnel reassignments. To address this 

knowledge gap, and to help answer agency 

questions about how and when to use new lighting 

technologies such as LEDs, FHWA developed a

new training course entitled “Web-based FHWA 

Roadway Lighting Workshop,” which is now 

available as a web-based, on-demand training 

program. The course is based on a combination of 

guidance from the Roadway Lighting Handbook as 

well as a series of workshops held around the 

country and other, more recent technical 

advancements on roadway lighting design.

FHWA is now offering no-cost, web-based training 

to help practitioners get a refresher on the basics of 

nighttime lighting concepts and to learn about the 

latest technologies for safely and effectively lighting 

roadways at night.

Other topics include basic terminology, practices

for determining whether and how lighting should be 

installed and controlled, measurement issues, and

more.

The course is divided into four modules to enable 

practitioners to view each module in convenient 

one-hour periods: 

• Module 1: Overview of Roadway Lighting Design 

• Module 2 Lighting Hardware Design and Light

Source Considerations for Roadway Lighting

• Module 3: Street and Roadway Lighting Design

• Module 4: Special Topics (including Lighting

Equipment Location, Special Locations, Ambient

Environments, and Spectral Effects)

Individuals who complete this course will gain a 

greater understanding of the basics of roadway 

lighting, its potential benefits, and how decisions 

are made regarding its installation. They will also

Screenshot from FHWA’s new web-based roadway lighting training, which provides an overview of 

nighttime lighting workshops.
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 23

learn about the technology and hardware used in

roadway lighting and adaptive control systems and 

be able to take into consideration the criteria and 

calculations that underlie roadway lighting design 

and measurement. They will be equipped to 

address special situations, like the level and type of 

lighting needed for crosswalks and roundabouts 

and how to address visual perception issues and 

light pollution. They will also gain insight into the 

possible impacts of lighting on human circadian 

rhythms.

The primary intended audience for this training 

includes traffic safety engineers from transportation 

agencies whose responsibilities include making 

design decisions about roadways and roadway 

safety systems, those who work with the public and 

communicate about agency decisions regarding 

roadway lighting, and lighting contractors for the 

design and specification of roadway lighting 

systems. The initial module may also be of interest 

to the general public wishing to learn more about 

roadway lighting.

This web-based training is openly available free of 

charge. We urge you to take the “Web-based 

FHWA Roadway Lighting Workshop” to improve 

your understanding of the many important elements 

that should be taken into account when designing, 

installing, and maintaining roadway lighting. For 

more information about this course or FHWA’s 

Nighttime Visibility initiative, please contact Joseph 

Cheung at joseph.cheung@dot.gov.

NATIONAL PEER EXCHANGE FOCUSES 

ON SHARING NOTABLE STATE DDSA

PRACTICES 

By: Jerry Roche, FHWA Office of Safety, and Betsey 

Tramonte, FHWA Louisiana Division 

Over the last few years, many States have 

increased their use of tools to quantify the safety 

impacts of project investment decisions, which is 

the primary concept behind FHWA’s Data-Driven 

Safety Analysis (DDSA) initiative—promoted as an 

Every Day Counts Round 4 (EDC-4) innovation. 

The mission of the DDSA Initiative is to integrate 

safety performance into all highway investment 

decisions with the ultimate goal of reducing fatal 

and serious injury crashes. To share these 

noteworthy advances, FHWA and the Highway 

Safety Manual (HSM) Implementation Pooled Fund 

hosted a large peer exchange entitled “DDSA 

Applications in Performance-Based Project 

Development” in Dallas, TX July 10-12, 2018. 

More than 150 attendees from 31 States 

participated, with representation from a range of 

project development disciplines, including planning

and programming, environment, design, traffic 

operations, and safety. FHWA invited States to 

attend based on two factors: their membership in 

the HSM Pooled fund and their notable activities in 

implementing DDSA in their State’s project 

development process. The two major objectives of 

the peer exchange were 1) to share leading 

practices in the use of DDSA throughout project 

development and 2) to develop a roadmap to guide 

States’ future DDSA activities as the EDC-4 period 

concludes in December 2018. 

The structure of the peer exchange included 

plenary sessions for topics of interest to the entire 

audience as well as more-detailed breakout 

sessions tailored to specific disciplines. 

Demonstrations of five safety analysis tools were 

also conducted in a round-robin format. 

Session topics included: 

• DDSA in the Project Development Process

(PDP)

• Fundamentals of Data-Driven Safety Analysis

• Leading Practices in the use of the HSM

• HSM 2nd Edition Preview

Did You Know?

Based on a sample of 2017 HSIP projects, FHWA 

estimates that the benefits of the HSIP 

outweigh the costs on a scale ranging 

from 5.3 to 9.8. For more fascinating findings, 

see the 2017 Highway Safety Improvement 

Program National Summary Report
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 24

The July 2018 DDSA National Peer Exchange drew a large crowd of engaged participants and included a road-mapping 

exercise, in which participants from each State met as a group to discuss and develop their individual State roadmaps.

Source: FHWA

• Scale and Scope of Safety Analysis in the PDP

• Benefit Cost Analysis Guide and Tool

• Safety Design-Build Project

• Implementation and Integration of DDSA

• MIRE FDE Collection Methods and Tools

• CMF/SPF Calibration and Development

• Safety Performance in Planning and 

Programming

• Safety Analysis in Environmental Review

• Performance-Based Practical Design and

Design Exceptions

• Intersection Control Evaluation

• Using Crash Modification Factors and 

developing CMF Lists

• Safety Performance of TSMO Strategies

After hearing brief presentations 

from State DOTs in the breakout 

sessions, attendees participated 

in facilitated discussions, which 

helped them identify noteworthy 

practices and opportunities 

within their organizations as well 

as possible challenges and 

steps needed for 

implementation. This breakout 

session format set the stage for 

a road-mapping exercise in 

which participants from each 

State met as a group to discuss 

and develop their individual 

State roadmaps. These plans 

reflected current DDSA activities 

as well as documented next 

steps to further the 

implementation of DDSA within the phases of the 

project development process. State representatives 

will share a copy of their plans with the DDSA team 

in order to identify any remaining needs that would 

help States progress in implementation. 

The complete evaluations from the peer exchange 

are still being tabulated, but when asked if the peer 

exchange was something the attendee would 

recommend to a peer, a significant number of 

attendees said they would. A few highlights noted 

by participants include very knowledgeable 

presenters, the diversity of professionals, State 

examples of successful projects and programs, the 

variety of viewpoints from States, and the energy of 

the group. A final report documenting the peer 

exchange will be available in the coming months.

Participating States included those in the HSM Implementation Pooled Fund and 

others that have been applying DDSA in the project development process.
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 25

NEW! FHWA LAUNCHES 

INTRODUCTION TO SAFETY DATA 

ANALYSIS FOR TRIBES

By: Adam Larsen, Federal Lands Highways

When properly analyzed and displayed, safety data 

can help improve the effectiveness of transportation 

decision making, grant applications, and safety 

programs. To help Tribal employees gain the skills 

and knowledge needed to process transportation 

safety data, FHWA is hosting a series of training 

sessions. 

Safety data can be analyzed using various methods 

depending on what the analyst is trying to 

accomplish. This web series introduces several 

concepts and ends with an opportunity for Tribes to 

meet one-on-one with FHWA staff at the National 

Transportation in Indian Country Conference to 

discuss specific applications. 

The free training sessions focus on four topics: 

• Contributing Factors Analysis – produces 

simple statistics about a data set. This training 

session included a demonstration on using pivot 

tables to analyze data and a crash tree to 

organize the results. Adam Larsen, FHWA Office

of Tribal Transportation, led this session, and a 

recording is now available. 

• Network Screening Analysis can identify 

locations that may be good candidates for 

improvement. Tori Brinkley, FHWA Resource 

Center Safety & Design Team, presented this 

material and the recording is now available.

• Site Safety Analysis includes Road Safety 

Audits, reading crash reports, and constructing 

collision diagrams. The presenter for this session 

was Bruce Drewes of the Tribal Technical 

Assistance Program (TTAP), and the recorded 

webinar is now available on the Tribal 

Transportation Safety Data Analysis page.

• The Systemic Safety Method allows 

improvements to be made to address high risk 

roadway features across a road network. This 

session will be led by Hillary Isebrands of the 

FHWA Resource Center Safety & Design Team, 

and a recording of the session will be available 

on the Tribal Transportation Safety Data 

Analysis page in mid-September. 

The series launched on June 20, 2018. If you would 

like to attend the September 5 session, please visit 

our registration page. 
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 26

AWARDS NEWS

FHWA’S KELLY MORTON WINS FRA SPIKE AWARD!

Congratulations to the Office of Safety’s Kelly Morton, the recipient of 

the Spike Award for Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Highway 

Grade Crossing Technical Leadership class! After attending and 

participating in the class, students voted Kelly as the participant who 

best contributed to the course. “Kelly’s presentation on Section 130 

Program Overview and her thorough responses to questions during the 

class helped create an exceptional learning environment,” said Alisa 

Paton, the course instructor. Alisa works for FRA’s Technical Training 

Standards Division (TTSD) which is led by Staff Director, Pat McFall.

The TTSD Spike is awarded based on classmates’ and instructor’s 

observations, and is determined by class vote. 

Way to go, Kelly! 

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

THIS FALL, “BRIDGE THE GAP” IN RURAL ROAD SAFETY

In 2016, the National Working Summit on Transportation in Rural America helped 

define the future for moving rural America forward by articulating the key 

transportation safety issues facing these areas. The summit culminated in a call to 

address rural roadway safety as an integral element of the Road to Zero initiative.

The theme for the second summit, which will be held in Savannah, Georgia, in 

December 2018, is “Bridge the Gap." Attendees will continue to identify ways to 

move the rural conversation forward, focusing on identifying safety solutions and 

addressing such questions as: 

• How do we create awareness and a unified voice for rural areas?

• What rural-specific solutions exist and how do you implement them within rural 

constraints?

• How do we look at rural safety without peering through an "urban lens?"

• More importantly, how do we shift rural safety culture to get us to zero?

To join this conversation, register today!

NEW! INTERACTIVE HIGHWAY SAFETY DESIGN MODEL (IHSDM) USER GROUP

FHWA is very pleased to announce the establishment of a new Interactive Highway Safety Design Model 

(IHSDM) User Group, which has been established to: 

• Provide FHWA with a formal mechanism for obtaining input from IHSDM users regarding IHSDM, including 

current capabilities (functionality, user-friendliness, etc.) and potential future enhancements/extensions of 

the software. Input from User Group members will help FHWA establish priorities for future IHSDM software 

development. 

• Foster communication between IHSDM users by providing a forum for users to share their experiences with 

the software (e.g., success stories and case studies, challenges and solutions, how they have built support 

for using IHSDM within an agency). 

Kelly Morton (left) receives Spike award 

from FRA certified technical trainer 

Alisa Paton (right). Photo courtesy of

Thomas Woodhams, FRA
Fall 2018: Volume 12 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 27

• Provide a forum for discussions and presentations on specific IHSDM-related topics. 

• Serve as a beta test group for additions and enhancements to IHSDM before the release is made available 

to the public. 

A recorded User Group kick-off meeting (web conference) was held on Wednesday August 15, 2018, and the 

slideshow presentation is now available. For more information on IHSDM, please contact Abdul Zineddin at 

abdul.zineddin@dot.gov. 

U.S. DOT BEGINS A NEW ERA OF PUBLIC TRANSIT SAFETY

Issuance of Two Final Safety Rules Completes Foundation of a National Public Transportation 

Safety Program 

This July, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued two final 

regulations to strengthen the safety of public transportation systems, the Public Transportation Agency Safety 

Plan rule and the Safety Certification Training Program rule. With these actions, FTA has completed the 

regulatory framework for the National Public Transportation Safety Program as authorized by Congress.

The Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan rule requires transit agencies to incorporate Safety 

Management System (SMS) policies and procedures as they develop safety plans to better manage their 

safety risks. SMS is a comprehensive and collaborative approach to safety—one that many transit agencies 

have not previously used. The safety plan rule takes effect on July 19, 2019, and compliance with the rule is 

required within 1 year of that date. In the coming months, FTA anticipates making guidance available to transit 

agencies that will assist in their development of safety plans and implementation of SMS. The FTA is deferring 

action on applicability of the rule for small and/or rural transit systems in order to evaluate the safety risks 

posed by these systems and to determine the need for future regulatory action.

The requirements of the Public Transportation Safety Training Certification Program rule establish a basic 

training curriculum to enhance the technical competencies and capabilities of individuals responsible for the 

safety oversight of rail transit systems. The rule takes effect on August 20, 2018. The publication of this final 

rule reduces the burden to the transit industry from the interim training requirements by eliminating a course 

requirement and allowing for equivalency training credit. 

For more information, visit the FTA’s Transit Safety & Oversight (TSO) web page.

The Safety Compass Newsletter

is a publication of the U.S. 

Department of Transportation, 

Federal Highway Administration.

The Federal Highway 

Administration publishes the Safety 

Compass newsletter three times a 

year. We can be reached at:

FHWA Office of Safety

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

Room E71-320

Washington, DC 20590

The Safety Compass is available online at the FHWA Office of Safety 

website at: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/newsletter/safetycompass/.

We welcome your comments and highway safety-related articles. The 

purpose of this newsletter is to increase highway safety awareness and 

information and to provide resources to help save lives.

We encourage readers to submit highway safety articles that might be of 

value to the highway safety community. Send your comments, questions 

and articles for review electronically to Tara McLoughlin at:

tara.mcloughlin@dot.gov.