Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 1

A Message from FHWA Associate

Administrator for Safety Beth Alicandri

Engineering for Zero Deaths

I am pleased and honored to write to you as the new 

Associate Administrator for Safety, and I look forward to 

working with all of you to overcome the challenges we face 

in reaching our common goal of zero deaths on our Nation’s 

roads.

Tragically, the recent release of the 2015 fatality data 

indicates a 7.2 percent increase in motor vehicle traffic deaths for the year;

35,092 people died in 2015, up from the 32,675 reported fatalities in 2014. 

While these numbers are disappointing, they should also make us more 

determined than ever to do whatever we can to ensure this is a temporary 

setback, not a new trend. Nobody should have to die just because they drove, 

biked, or walked somewhere. 

We can make zero deaths a reality by recommitting ourselves to working with 

colleagues and stakeholders to explore and learn from their perspectives, 

expertise, and innovative approaches in order to make our roads safer. A 

recently completed Highway Safety Improvement Program scan tour did 

exactly that (see p. 2), as did two successful peer exchanges the Office of 

Safety sponsored earlier this summer (pages 4 and 6). 

Engineering is the first E in the 4Es of transportation safety. We have 

extensive proof that when we engineer for zero deaths, fewer crashes occur 

and fewer deaths result. For example, a recent study of 93 U-turn type 

alternative intersections installed in North Carolina between 1997 and 2012 

shows a 59 percent reduction in total crashes, a 71 percent reduction in fatal 

and injury crashes, an 88 percent reduction in fatal and severe injury crashes, 

and an 80 percent reduction in frontal impact crashes to date (see p. 21). 

The FHWA offers many forms of assistance to help reduce roadway fatalities, 

from experts who can provide technical assistance, to our extensive online 

tools and resources (see p. 7 for the latest offerings), to the workshops and 

peer exchanges we offer on an array of topics. I encourage you to 

visit http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov and learn more about how you can leverage 

these tools to help you better engineer safety into your roadways.

A Publication of the Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3

In This Issue:

Join us on an HSIP National Scan 

Tour! ....................................................2

NE Transportation Safety 

Conference Leads to Successful Peer 

Exchange .............................................4

FHWA Promotes Data-Driven Safety 

Analysis in Project Development 

Peer Exchanges ...................................6

Hot off the Press! Safety Publications 

Portfolio............................................... 7

Road Diets—Safer Roads, Safer 

Communities .......................................8

The Roadway Safety Data Program 

Toolbox – What’s New?.................... 10

Addressing Motorcycle Safety 

through Road Safety Audits............. 12

Wanted: New Statistical 

Methodologies to Support Vulnerable 

Road User Safety Research.............. 13

Connected Vehicles May Offer 

Important Benefits to Vulnerable 

Road Users ........................................ 14

FHWA Supports World Road 

Association in Launching New Road 

Safety Manual................................... 16

New Resources for States: Safety PM

Measures Final Rule!........................ 17

Making Local Roads Safe and 

Secure: A County Priority................ 17

Missouri Coalition for Roadway 

Safety Receives APWA Exceptional 

Performance Award for Safety ....... 19

North Carolina’s “Synchronized 

Streets” Demonstrate Whopping 88 

Percent Reduction in Fatal and 

Severe Injury Crashes ...................... 19

UMD Successfully Integrates

Multiple Data Sources to Help Save 

Lives ................................................... 21

Announcements and Events.............22

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Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 2

JOIN US ON AN HSIP NATIONAL SCAN 

TOUR!

By Karen Y. Scurry, FHWA Office of Safety

During the fall of 2015, FHWA led a national scan 

tour to learn more about various State Highway 

Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) implementation 

efforts. Joining me on the scan team were representatives from FHWA Division offices, State Departments of Transportation and our contractor support 

team. While FHWA establishes the requirements for 

HSIP under 23 CFR Part 924, each State develops 

and implements an HSIP that best meets its 

program’s needs. This results in 51 different State 

HSIPs containing informative and innovative 

approaches to improving roadway safety. Therefore, 

as part of the scan tour, we visited a diverse group of 

States based on geographic location, number of 

roadway miles, distribution of roadway ownership, 

HSIP apportionments, and safety performance. So, 

join me on a trip across the country as I highlight 

some of the noteworthy practices we learned on the 

scan tour.

Our first stop was Utah, one of several States that 

participate in the Zero Fatalities program

(http://ut.zerofatalities.com/). UDOT has undertaken 

a coordinated effort to send consistent messages 

related to Zero Fatalities. All public information 

campaigns are branded as a joint effort among the 

Zero Fatalities program partners to illustrate the 

cooperative atmosphere and are developed to 

address behavioral issues identified in the Strategic 

Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). In addition, the 

statewide crash database receives electronic input 

from all of Utah's police agencies. Utah DOT delivers 

its HSIP using several analysis tools: Numetric, 

FHWA Systemic Safety Project Selection Tool, 

usRAP, and the Utah Crash Prediction Model.

In Oregon, the HSIP is delivered through the AllRoads Transportation Safety Program (ARTS), 

which creates a jurisdictionally blind process for 

project nomination and selection. All public roads are 

included in the program regardless of agency 

ownership or responsibility. Funding is distributed to 

each region based on the number of fatalities and 

serious injury crashes. As part of the ARTS Program, 

ODOT developed a list of countermeasures, known 

as the ODOT Crash Reduction Factor (CRF) List,

which will be revised as new countermeasures 

become available.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and 

Public Facilities established the Alaska HSIP 

Handbook, which is evaluated and updated annually 

or on an as-needed basis to address changes in law, 

program and policy rules, and clarifications. The 

Handbook clearly 

defines the process of 

HSIP project development, the criteria for 

project selection, and 

handling of funds and 

project delivery activities. 

Other notable practices 

in Alaska include a 

project ranking process

that allows for a tiered 

list of projects, including 

ranked, non-ranked and 

systemic projects, as 

well as project evaluation 

worksheets that are 

completed by the regions

and reported to headquarters.

Illinois was the only State on the scan tour to set

aside HSIP funds (up to 20 percent) to support local 

road safety projects. In Illinois, all projects are subjected to the same criteria for evaluation by the Central Safety Committee, which meets annually to 

HSIP Scan Team Members from left to right: Ken 

Mammen, Nevada DOT; Michael Turpeau, Georgia 

DOT; Tracy Lovell, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet; 

Rick Drumm, FHWA Indiana Division; Nick Fortey, 

FHWA Oregon Division; Karen Scurry, FHWA Office of 

Safety, Bruce Ibarguen, Toxcel; Scott Kuzniki, Toxcel; 

Jessica Rich, FHWA Tennessee Division; and Steven 

Buckley, Kansas DOT.

Glacier Highway in Juneau,

Alaska
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 3

select projects for local roads and continuously reviews applications from the Districts for their projects.

IDOT uses several tools to help manage the HSIP—

safety performance functions, safer roads index, and 

safety tiers. They use safety performance functions 

developed through the University of Illinois to 

perform network screening and identify those 

roadway segments and intersections with high 

potential for safety improvement. The IDOT Safer 

Roads Index improves the integration of quantitative 

safety performance in transportation project planning 

and programming. Safety Tiers categorizes roadways segments and intersections based on their 

level of safety performance and opportunity for 

improvement, providing a rating for relative comparison which allow transportation officials to 

understand relative performance of a location compared to similar types of roadways or intersections.

Massachusetts DOT (MassDOT) conducts a datadriven selection of candidate projects using the 

Crash Analysis Tool, which produces a clustered 

crash map using GIS tools and the geo-coded crash 

system. MassDOT uses the tool to generate the 

HSIP-eligible projects list (i.e. the “5% List”). 

MassDOT requires road safety audits (RSAs) for all 

HSIP projects as part of the Functional Design 

Report. RSAs are incorporated into the project 

development process for all projects that encompass 

5% List locations and segments, even when not 

HSIP funded. MassDOT provides project funds for 

matching the HSIP contribution for local agency 

projects, eliminating the need for local agency 

matching funds, which many have noted as a major 

challenge in using Federal funds on local roads. 

In New Hampshire, the HSIP staff is a part of the 

Design section and works with the State Traffic 

Engineer and the Highway Safety Engineer to plan, 

select, deliver, and evaluate projects with the help of 

an HSIP Committee. New Hampshire is nationally 

recognized for its efforts to use Safety Analyst 

software. NHDOT expended a multi-year effort on 

Safety Analyst development, particularly in the area 

of data management, data manipulation, and 

correlation with traditional methods using a phased 

approach. Network screening and multi-criteria 

screening methods ensure comprehensive 

examination of corridor, segment, and intersection 

performance. In New Hampshire, Safety Analyst has 

enabled the transition from observed crash 

evaluations to SPF-based evaluations and cost-percountermeasure evaluations. Safety Analyst is also

used by local planning organizations in the 

development of all transportation projects.

North Carolina was the final stop on our scan tour.

NCDOT uses a safety warrants system for project 

screening, prioritization, and selection based on a 

benefit-to-cost ratio. The safety warrants system is 

used to identify locations that have a demonstrated 

need for safety improvements. This warrant system 

is divided into three areas: intersections, highway 

sections (non-freeway, freeway, and city-maintained), and bicycle and pedestrian sites. For each 

completed safety project, the NCDOT Mobility and 

Safety Section of the Traffic Safety Unit conducts a 

safety evaluation that includes project information, 

collision diagrams, and analysis of before and after 

crash frequency and severity. NCDOT also conducts 

different types of evaluations, including Empirical 

Bayes evaluations of multiple site locations,

program-wide evaluations, and project performance 

evaluations, all of which assist NCDOT staff in 

retaining safety project funding and increasing

confidence in NCDOT investments.

While the Scan Tour helped identify a number of 

notable practices in each State, the team observed 

five overall characteristics that were consistent 

across all Host States:

1. Streamlined access to crash data and crash 

report information.

2. Strong documentation of system screening and 

project selection processes.

3. Pathway for local involvement and nomination of 

projects.

4. Extensive use of RSAs.

“...(U)sing the information that Oregon 

presented during the HSIP Scan Tour, I was able 

to convince TDOT to develop a CMF list using the 

CMF clearinghouse.”

—Jessica Rich, FHWA TN Division

“It was encouraging and insightful to see how 

States are using the increasing quantity and 

quality of data to produce safety programs that 

target areas of greatest need and efficiently use 

limited resources. Although done differently in all 

States, the commitment to using crash data and 

the push to link this to all other data was helpful to 

hear.” 

—Rick Drumm, FHWA Indiana Division
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 4

5. Deliberate and documented assessment of 

project performance.

Perhaps my biggest takeaway from the scan tour 

was that a successful HSIP requires more than just 

processes, data, and analysis tools; a successful 

HSIP requires a passion for safety and the patience 

to establish and nurture relationships with both 

internal and external HSIP partners. 

Learn more about these and other HSIP noteworthy 

practices in the 2015 HSIP National Scan Tour final 

report at http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/resources/

fhwasa16024/. For questions or additional 

information, contact Karen Scurry in the FHWA 

Office of Safety at 609-637-4207 

or karen.scurry@dot.gov. 

NE TRANSPORTATION SAFETY 

CONFERENCE LEADS TO SUCCESSFUL 

PEER EXCHANGE 

By: Rebecca Crowe, FHWA Office of Safety

Every 18 months a different New England State 

hosts the Northeast Transportation Safety 

conference. The 2016 Northeast Transportation

Safety Conference was held on June 7-8 in 

Worcester, Massachusetts, hosted by the 

Massachusetts Department of Transportation 

(MassDOT). Nearly 400 participants from 14 States, 

registered for the day-and-a-half-longevent. This 

year’s theme, “The Sum is Greater Than Its Parts,” 

provided the inspiration for 18 sessions and more 

than 50 expert presentations on a variety of multidisciplined highway safety topics geared towards 

engineers, the enforcement community, planners, 

public health professionals, advocates, and other 

roadway safety stakeholders. Topics covered all of 

the emphasis areas within Massachusetts’ Strategic 

Highway Safety Plan.

The keynote speaker, Sam Schwartz, talked about 

the rise of cities and fall of cars and the impact this is 

having on roadway safety. During the closing 

sessions, representatives from Uber and WAZE 

addressed the evolving role of mobility on demand in 

roadway safety. The conference also included an 

informative seminar on Road Diets that focused on 

debunking common myths and misperceptions about 

this highly effective safety enhancement.

This informative event also served as a jump-off 

point for the June 8-9 Northeast States Road Diet 

Peer-to-Peer Exchange, which followed immediately 

after the safety conference and gave participants of 

the peer exchange the opportunity to attend both 

events back-to-back.

States were invited to the peer exchange based on 

their EDC Road Diet implementation status, goals,

and regional proximity. The attending States 

included Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New 

Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, 

Rhode Island, and Vermont. Fifty multidisciplinary 

representatives from FHWA, State DOTs, and local 

transportation and planning agencies had the 

opportunity to ask questions, exchange information, 

and share learning experiences with their peers on

various Road Diet topics including (but not limited to) 

marketing and outreach for proposed projects, 

design considerations and issues, multimodal 

accommodations, impacts on local businesses, and 

policies that encourage Road Diets.

Top 10 Characteristics of a Successful HSIP

1. Document HSIP processes.

2. Coordinate with internal and external 

partners.

3. Understand the relationship between SHSP 

and HSIP.

4. Make data-driven decisions.

5. Use advanced safety analysis methods and 

tools.

6. Address local road needs.

7. Consider all 4Es.

8. Establish a multi-year plan and budget.

9. Identify opportunities to streamline project 

delivery.

10. Evaluate the success of the program.

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

characteristics10.cfm

A Road Diet is a low-cost measure that can 

improve safety, reduce conflicts, calm traffic, 

and accommodate the needs of all roadway 

users. A typical Road Diet project involves 

converting a four-lane undivided roadway to two 

through lanes separated by a two-way left-turn 

lane and using the additional roadway width for 

dedicated bicycle lanes, parking, sidewalks or 

pedestrian refuges, or transit.
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 5

As one of the initiatives included in the Every Day Counts 

(EDC-3) program, FHWA is partnering with State and local 

stakeholders to accelerate the advancement of Road Diets as a 

potential low-cost measure to reduce crashes, injuries, and 

deaths in busy corridors while improving mobility and quality 

of life for all roadway users. 

Speakers demonstrated how Road Diet projects 

have substantially evolved far beyond the original 

concept, which was simply the conversion of fourlane undivided roadways to three-lane roadways. For 

example, Road Diets have been successfully

implemented in New York City on wide avenues that 

previously had five or more lanes, as shown in the 

before and after photos below.

The peer exchange included a walking tour of a local

corridor where a Road Diet is being considered for a 

stretch of Worcester’s Main Street Central 

Business District. The existing cross 

section consists of four travel lanes 

(undivided) with sidewalks on both sides 

and on-street parking. The corridor 

includes 11 signalized intersections with 

average daily traffic of approximately 

12,100 vehicles per day. Police reported a 

startling 297 crashes on the corridor over a 

3-year study period. A recent road safety audit 

indicated concerns about intersection and corridor 

safety, deficient bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, and assorted streetscape components. 

The scope for MassDOT’s Main Street Business 

District Streetscape Improvement project includes a 

Road Diet consisting of a revised cross section with 

three travel lanes, bicycle lanes for most of the 

project limits, and on-street parking lanes. The Peer 

Exchange participants split into two groups and 

walked along portions of the Main Street corridor to 

obtain a first-hand view of existing conditions and 

learn more about some of the issues and challenges 

associated with specific segments and intersection 

locations. This exercise provided a useful supplement to the technical information and Road Diet case 

studies presented at the Peer Exchange.

Throughout the exchange, participants discussed 

and shared a variety of Road Diet stories relating to 

items such as lane widths, traffic diversion, parking, 

access management, appropriate traffic volume 

thresholds, and funding. The Peer Exchange 

provided an opportunity for lively discussion between 

agencies regarding resources and efforts underway 

to promote Road Diets both internally (within DOTs, 

especially with executive leadership) and with the 

public. A Road Diet video produced by New Jersey 

DOT and a bicycle-oriented Road Diet brochure 

produced by Connecticut DOT were key takeaways 

for Peer Exchange participants seeking to improve 

the way they communicate about the purpose and 

benefits of Road Diets. Several agencies expressed 

interest in receiving FHWA’s “Incorporating On-Road 

Bicycle Networks into Resurfacing Projects”

(http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedes

trian/publications/resurfacing/). Participants learned 

about the importance of developing a candidate list 

of potential projects so that, when opportunity presents itself through repaving programs, they can go 

back to the list and review and add appropriate 

locations. 

As the meeting concluded, each participating State 

made a specific commitment to work towards further 

institutionalizing Road Diets and stated action items 

associated with furthering their commitment.

Planning for additional peer exchanges is underway 

for other States wishing to advance Road Diet 

implementation. If you're interested in receiving Road 

A five-lane roadway reduced to four lanes in New York 

City resulted in a 17 percent reduction in pedestrian 

injuries. Source: NYC Department of Transportation.
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 6

Diet technical assistance or scheduling a free Road 

Diet workshop, please contact Rebecca Crowe 

(rebecca.crowe@dot.gov) or Keith Harrison 

(keith.harrison@dot.gov). To learn more about the 

benefits of installing a Road Diet,

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

road_diets/.

FHWA PROMOTES DATA-DRIVEN 

SAFETY ANALYSIS IN PROJECT 

DEVELOPMENT PEER EXCHANGES

By: John McFadden, FHWA Resource Center, and Betsey 

Tramonte, FHWA Louisiana Division 

The Every Day Counts (EDC-3) Data-Driven Safety 

Analysis (DDSA) Initiative promotes making more 

informed decisions through the use of tools which 

allow users to explicitly quantify the safety 

implications of project investment decisions. The 

mission of the DDSA Initiative is to integrate safety 

performance into all highway investment decisions 

with the ultimate goal of reducing fatal and injury 

crashes.

The EDC-3 DDSA Initiative hosted three peer 

exchanges between May and July 2016 (in New 

Orleans, LA; Sterling, VA; and Kansas City, MO). 

These peer exchanges focused on how agencies

successfully include safety analysis into the 

planning, environmental, design, and traffic 

operations disciplines. Exchange participants 

expressed specific interest in learning how datadriven safety analysis applications can be utilized in 

these different discipline areas. 

Each event lasted 2 days and involved over 25 

States nationwide. The exchanges revolved around 

technical presentations prepared by State

representatives and national experts discussing the 

use of data-driven safety analysis tools and various 

project applications. Key elements included lessons 

learned and illustrations of how to use existing 

software and database tools on projects to lead 

practitioners to make more informed decisions by 

incorporating safety into the existing project 

development process. 

Breakout sessions were used throughout the 

exchanges to allow participants to discuss their 

accomplishments and challenges associated with 

using DDSA tools. The end product of the breakout 

sessions were State-specific action plans to guide 

States’ agencies in moving forward in applying 

DDSA solutions into existing business practices. One 

example of a specific State action item was to 

develop a DDSA training plan tailored to each 

business unit’s needs within the State DOT. This 

plan would be developed based on a DDSA user 

needs document, which would include both the 

business units within the State DOT and external 

partners. 

Based on feedback from peer exchange participants, 

the peer exchange format was beneficial for 

transferring information on the DDSA initiative and 

working through specific project-related issues 

regarding the application of safety analysis concepts 

and tools. Due to these efforts and successes, 

FHWA leadership has selected the Data-Driven 

Safety Analysis Initiative to continue into EDC-4, 

which is planned to begin in January 2017.

Peer exchange participants tour the Worcester, MA 

Main Street Business District, where a Road Diet is 

being considered as part of a corridor streetscape 

project. Source: Richard Retting
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 7

HOT OFF THE PRESS: SAFETY PUBLICATIONS PORTFOLIO 

Your colleagues in the Office of Safety have been busy this year! Check out our newest products (released 

between March 1 and June 15)! 

Reports/Guides:

 HSIP and Safety Performance Management Measures Final Rules Overview (including links to fact 

sheets and other info) http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/spm/measures_final_rules.cfm

 Highway Safety Improvement Program National Scan Tour Final Report 

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/resources/fhwasa16024/

 Low-Cost Treatments for Horizontal Curve Safety 

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/horicurves/fhwasa15084/

 Integrating Speed Management within the Three Safety Focus Areas: Roadway Departure, 

Intersections, and Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Focus Areas 

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/ref_mats/fhwasa16017/

 HFST Curve Selection and implementation Guide 

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/pavement_friction/faqs_links_other (“other resources” 

section)

 Reliability of Safety Management Methods: Safety Effectiveness 

Evaluationhttp://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/downloads/fhwasa16040.pdf.

Flyers/Info sheets:

 Safer Routes to School Road Diets flyer

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/road_diets/resources/pdf/safer_route_to_schoolv1_052616.pdf

 Road Diets Myth Buster flyer 

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/road_diets/resources/pdf/roadDiet_MythBuster.pdf

 Rumble Strip Fact Sheets 

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/pavement/rumble_strips/media/RumbleStripFactSheet_Pa

vement/pavement_fs.cfm

 Four new detail sheets for the RSDP toolbox http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/

Case Studies:

 Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) Integrating Safety into to Planning Process at 

the MPO level: Strategies for using GIS to Advance Highway Safety—Case Study 

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/safety_casestudies.aspx

 Colorado’s Implementation of Level of Service of Safety: Strategies for using GIS to Advance Highway 

Safety--Case Study http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/safety_casestudies.aspx

 GIS Real Time Data Integration in Iowa case study

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/safety_casestudies.aspx

 Motorcycle RSA case studies http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsa/resources/
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 8

ROAD DIETS—SAFER ROADS, SAFER COMMUNITIES

By: Rebecca Crowe, FHWA Office of Safety

Across the Nation, travelers are continuously looking 

for ways to find safer and more efficient travel routes. 

Whether on their daily commute, walking to school, 

or just trying to get “from point A to point B,” increasing safety for travelers is a win for everyone.

Installing a Road Diet is one way to achieve safer 

roads. A Road Diet is a roadway reconfiguration that 

improves safety, convenience, and quality of life for 

all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and 

public transportation passengers. A Road Diet can 

make it easier for pedestrians to cross the street and 

can also create room for bicyclists. In addition, this 

roadway safety solution can be a relatively low-cost 

option if planned in conjunction with reconstruction or 

Publications Portfolio (continued)

Newsletters:

 Pedestrian Forum Spring 2016 newsletter 

(http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/pedforum/2016/spring/spring2016.pdf)

 Road Diet newsletter (http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/road_diets/newsletter/spring/)

Video:

 DDSA Introductory video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx7sJktkFVA

Articles published in external publications:

 “Making Our Local Roads Safer Through Local Road Safety Planning” by Rosemarie Anderson, The 

APWA Reporter, July 2016, Vol. 83, No. 7. Available at: 

https://www.apwa.net/Resources/Reporter/Articles/2016/7/Making-our-local-roads-safer-throughLocal-Road-Safety-Planning

 “Planning For Safer Local Roads: Local Road Safety Plans” by Rosemarie Anderson, County News

(NACo) Vol. 48, No. 15, July 25, 2016. Available at:http://www.naco.org/articles/local-road-safetyplans-fhwa-offers-implementation-tips)

 “Involving Tribes, Improving Road Safety by Melonie Barrington” by Melonie Barrington, The APWA 

Reporter, July 2016, Vol. 83, No. 7. Available at: 

https://www.apwa.net/Resources/Reporter/Articles/2016/7/Involving-tribes-improving-roadsafety

 “‘Curve’ Appeal: High Friction Surface Treatments Key to Safer Pavements” by Joe Cheung and Frank 

Julian, Pavement Preservation Journal, Summer 2016. Available at: 

http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/FPPQ/FPPQ0216/index.php#/24

 Safer Roads, Safer Communities: How Road Diets Can Improve Your Neighborhood's Roadways” by 

Becky Crowe, The APWA Reporter, July 2016, Vol. 83, No. 7. Available at: 

https://www.apwa.net/Resources/Reporter/Articles/2016/7/Safer-roads-safe-communities-howRoad-Diets-can-improve-your-neighborhoods-roadways

The Road Diet project on Lawyers Road helped 

reduce crashes in the corridor by 67 percent.
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 9

Road Diet on Lawyers Road in Reston, VA. Source: USDOT

simple overlay projects. Applying a Road Diet is a

very inexpensive, simple process: it consists 

primarily of restriping roadways.

Two excellent examples of this type of Road Diet can 

be found in the city of Reston, Virginia, on Lawyers 

Road and Soapstone Drive. The two projects both 

took away one lane in each direction and added a 

center turn lane. These installations were so 

successful that in late 2015 they received a National 

Roadway Safety Award for Infrastructure and 

Operational Improvements

(http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadwaysafetyawards/).

Randy Dittberner, a Regional Traffic Engineer at the 

Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), led 

the effort in developing the two Road Diets. In a 

recent interview with the Office of Safety, Randy 

stated, “If you build a Road Diet with a paving 

project, it can be done at almost no cost. There are 

huge safety and livability benefits, as well as ‘extras’ 

like bike accommodations. Why wouldn't you want to 

apply a Road Diet when there are so many 

benefits?”

Public outreach was the greatest challenge and most 

critical element to this project. The VDOT team led 

efforts to clearly explain to the public how a Road 

Diet could improve the community. Travelers found 

comfort in knowing that this effort was not an attempt 

to impose travel restrictions but rather a roadway 

safety solution. 

To find out if a Road Diet is right for your area, 

download our Road Diet Informational Guide 

today http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/road_diets/info_guid

e/. 

To learn more about Road Diets use cases and 

scenarios, download the Road Diet Case Studies 

Guide: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/road_diets/

case_studies/roaddiet_cs.pdf.

A common Road Diet configuration reduces four 

lanes to three. This Road Diet on Soapstone Drive in 

Reston, VA, reduced crashes by 65 percent in the 

first 3 years of implementation. For more information

on the Road Diet projects in Reston, please visit: 

http://wtop.com/sprawl-crawl/2015/11/va-road-reliefproject-receives-national-award/
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 10

THE ROADWAY SAFETY DATA PROGRAM TOOLBOX – WHAT’S NEW?

By: Yanira Rivera and Stuart Thompson, FHWA Office of Safety

Whether you are a safety data guru, a junior analyst, 

or somewhere in between, The Roadway Safety 

Data Program (RSDP) Toolbox is for you! The 

Toolbox is a “one-stop shop” for your roadway safety 

data needs. The tools available come in the form of 

software, guides, or databases. The Toolbox, 

available at http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/

toolbox-home.aspx, offers flexible features for 

transportation safety professionals with varying 

technical backgrounds. The easy-to-use search 

interface allows the user to apply the most effective 

method depending on their understanding of their 

role, responsibility, needs, and knowledge of related 

tools. 

The first searching method involves the four primary 

topic area buttons: Manage, Analyze, Collect, or

Research, where users can identify the appropriate 

task area either using the descriptions provided for 

each or use the list of roles and responsibilities that 

correspond to each task area. 

Users can also search with the Advanced Search

function. With this search technique, the user can 

enter the tool name or a key word to obtain a list of 

tools. Filters can then be applied to further refine the 

list of tools. 

2016 GRANT RECIPIENTS FOR ACCELERATED SAFETY ACTIVITIES PROGRAM

(ASAP) PROJECTS ANNOUNCED!

The Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Safety, in coordination with the Technical Services Team, is 

pleased to announce the FY 2016 ASAP awardees. Previous ASAP projects have provided training, 

workshops, and peer exchanges to the Focused Approach States for the past 10 years. The projects 

selected this year show a wide variety of opportunity for the awardees to improve safety in their States. The 

table below shows the States and the projects selected.

ASAP Projects Selected for Award

State Description Amount Requested Total Cost of Project

Kentucky 3 Traffic and Safety Academy $9,100.00 $23,200.00

New Jersey New Jersey HFST Installation and 

Training for Safety Improvements $9,450.00 $14,385.00

Alabama Road Safety Workforce Capacity 

Building Peer Exchange $14,468.00 $32,000.00

North 

Carolina

Pedestrian Crossing Assessment 

Training $15,000.00 $18,813.00

Georgia Best Practices NACTO Training $9,900.00 $13,900.00

Florida 2

Working Conference: Improving 

Florida's Intersection Safety and 

Decreasing Roadway Departures

$7,570.00 $9,270.00

Florida 1 Bike Boxes: PSA and Outreach 

Campaign $14,200.00 $18,004.00

Total $79,688.00 $129,572.00
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 11

The RSDP Toolbox "Share Tools" Online Form

The tools are presented by title in alphabetical order 

along with the tool type and owner/sponsor. To learn

more about a specific tool, users can simply click on 

the tool’s name to access a detailed summary. 

A screen shot of the RSDP Toolbox, available 

at http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/toolbox-home.aspx

Since its inception in 2014, more than 140 tools have 

been added, and an additional 36 are scheduled to 

be added in the coming days. Here is a preview of 

two new tools in the Toolbox:

Data Integration Primer

This information guide is designed to help users to:

• Combine or link multiple data sets from a variety 

of sources.

• Apply multiple data sets to solve problems and 

inform decision-making.

• Improve transportation asset management and 

safety practices by translating data into 

meaningful and usable forms and formats.

• Ensure and improve data quality.

• Reduce data collection and management costs.

Do You Have a Safety Data Tool that 

You Want To Share?

Both public and proprietary tools are welcome. 

To have your tool considered, click on the Share 

Tools link, fill out the short form with basic 

information about the tool, and click Submit 

Information. Once submitted, the RSDP Toolbox 

project team will receive an email and each tool 

will be reviewed for its inclusion. For additional 

information or questions about the tool, please 

contact Stuart Thompson at 

stuart.thompson@dot.gov.
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 12

The Calibrator

This Excel-based software and associated 

application guide can help users to:

• Assess the performance of the Highway Safety 

Manual (HSM) Predictive Method as a whole on 

local data.

• Determine the compatibility of safety 

performance functions (SPFs) and crash 

modification factors (CMFs) from other sources 

on local data.

• Calibrate existing SPFs to local data using the 

HSM calibration procedure.

• Compare the performance of multiple SPFs.

• Identify the most appropriate SPFs and CMFs to 

apply from a list of alternatives.

ADDRESSING MOTORCYCLE SAFETY 

THROUGH ROAD SAFETY AUDITS

By: Rebecca Crowe, FHWA Office of Safety

In a continued effort to address the safety of 

vulnerable users, many agencies are turning to Road 

Safety Audits (RSA). An RSA is a formal safety 

performance examination of an existing or future 

roadway or off-road facility and is conducted by an 

independent, experienced, multidisciplinary team. 

FHWA recently published a case study document 

that chronicles the efforts of several agencies to 

address motorcycle safety through RSAs. 

Motorcyclists are at a greater risk than many other 

roadway users. In 2012, motorcycles made up three 

percent of all registered vehicles in the United 

States, yet motorcycle fatalities accounted for 15 

percent of total vehicle-related fatalities.

The Motorcycle Road Safety Audit Case Studies

provides a review of the RSA process and three 

case study examples of RSAs at locations that had a 

demonstrated high frequency of crashes involving 

motorcyclists. The case studies include photographs, 

a project background, and key RSA findings and 

suggestions and will help Federal, State, tribal, and 

local agencies better understand conditions that 

affect motorcyclists and how to effectively address 

safety in the RSA process.

The case study report describes three RSAs 

conducted from 2012 to 2014 on facilities with 

documented motorcycle crashes. The RSA host 

agencies and locations included:

• North Carolina Department of Transportation -

North Carolina (NC) Route 28 and NC Route 143 

in Graham County.

• Washington State Department of Transportation -

Washington State Route 7, east of Tacoma.

• National Park Service - Blue Ridge Parkway near 

Asheville, NC.

For these locations, motorcycles were incorporated 

into the RSA process by ensuring that some of the 

team members had expertise in motorcycle safety 

and had experience riding motorcycles. Some of the 

RSA teams included law enforcement officers who 

had riding experience or who were part of active 

motorcycle patrols, individuals at the Department of 

Licensing that provide motorcycle training, or 

members of motorcycle safety clubs. Additionally, 

during the kickoff meeting, RSA team members 

familiar with riding described and interpreted data to 

help determine contributing factors to crashes and 

their potential effect. They also provided details 

concerning critical conditions or locations.

During the audits, the RSA teams concluded that 

certain conditions appear to present challenges to 

motorcyclists. Some of these include:

• The inability to recover from lane departures, 

including pavement edge dropoff, and lack of 

area for recovery (e.g., lack of shoulder).

• The effect of roadway designs that include 

compound or spiral curves and changes in 

roadway superelevation—changes in short 

sections of road in particular.

• The presence of debris on the roadway.

Motorcyclists Riding on North Carolina (NC) Route 28.
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 13

As a result of the limitations of current statistical methodologies, our ability to identify 

effective safety countermeasures for the most vulnerable users is also limited.

Trends in All Traffic-Related and Motorcycle-Related Fatalities in the U.S. from 1997 – 2014.

(Source: NHTSA, FARS Encyclopedia.)

RSA teams identified existing countermeasures, or 

those under review, to improve the safety of motorcyclists. These include the use of motorcycle-specific 

warning signage and the creation of pull-off areas 

that provide a respite and key safety and trip planning information for motorcyclists. However, a lack of 

detailed data is a key issue inhibiting a fuller understanding of the factors that affect the safety of motorcyclists. This includes detailed crash data, but is 

particularly true with regard to motorcycle count data.

In each of the case study locations, the team applied 

the RSA process to understand the safety needs of 

motorcyclists. The RSAs helped bring attention to 

safety issues affecting motorcyclists by highlighting 

the effects of design and maintenance practices and 

by bringing together a multidisciplinary and multimodal group of safety professionals that were able to 

clarify issues that may not have been adequately 

understood previously. 

For a copy of the 

Motorcycle Road 

Safety Audit Case 

Studies, please 

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

rsa/resources/. For more information, please contact 

Rebecca Crowe at rebecca.crowe@dot.gov.

WANTED: NEW STATISTICAL 

METHODOLOGIES TO SUPPORT 

VULNERABLE ROAD USER SAFETY 

RESEARCH

By: Roya Amjadi, Office of Safety Research and 

Development

The “Evaluations of Low Cost Safety Improvements 

Pooled Fund Study” (ELCSI-PFS) (established 2005) 

includes 40 member States and is charged with

conducting highway safety research under the 

DCMF program. The goal of this research is to 

develop reliable estimates of effectiveness for safety 

improvements. These estimates are determined by 

conducting statistical analyses using crash data for 

before-and-after periods on sites where safety 

improvements were implemented. 

At this time, we only have a limited number of 

statistical methodologies (Empirical Bayes (EB), 

Cross-Sectional Studies, Case-Control Studies, and 

the recently added Propensity Scores Method) 
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 14

The FHWA and USDOT partners’ comprehensive datasets with important 

real-world applications are waiting to be discovered—or rediscovered—

by statisticians, economists, and other statistics-related fields.

available to us for evaluating safety improvements. 

What’s more, these methodologies are not 

applicable to broad areas of highway safety research 

and have limitations based on crash sample size. As 

a result of these limitations, our ability to perform 

data analysis and identify effective safety 

countermeasures for crash types with small sample 

sizes (e.g., pedestrian, bicycle, motorcycles, etc.) 

has suffered, and these road user groups may not 

fully benefit from timely highway safety 

improvements. Recent FARS statistics show 

pedestrian, bicycle, and motorcycle crashes are 

increasing, and crashes involving vulnerable road 

users are likely to be associated with more severe 

injuries compared to other types of crashes that do 

not involve this risk group.

The mission of the FHWA Development of Crash 

Modification Factors (DCMF) program, established in 

2012, is to save lives by identifying new safety 

improvements that effectively reduce crashes and 

promote improvements for nationwide countermeasure installation by providing measures of safety 

effectiveness for each countermeasure. State 

departments of transportation (DOTs) and other 

transportation agencies need to have objective 

measures of safety effectiveness before investing in 

statewide safety improvements. Various statistical 

methodologies are heavily used for all studies 

performed under the DCMF program, but these 

methodologies have been borrowed from other 

statistical fields and have limitations in capability and 

applicability when used for highway safety research. 

Despite the limited statistical methodologies 

available, USDOT agencies such as the FHWA, 

NHTSA, and FMCSA have succeeded in developing 

and maintaining comprehensive and reliable data 

resources (i.e., Highway Safety Information System, 

Fatality Analysis Reporting System, and Motor 

Carriers Management Information System) that have 

historical crash and roadway data for multiple years. 

The Transportation Research Board’s second 

Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) 

(2006-2015) has also collected an unprecedented 

amount of real-time data on driver behavior and the 

driving context. In addition, most State DOTs collect 

and manage significant amounts of crash data as 

well as data about roadway characteristics. 

Together, these comprehensive datasets with 

important real-world applications are waiting to be 

discovered—or rediscovered—by statisticians, 

economists, and other statistics-related fields. Using 

statistical science and developing new highway 

transportation-specific statistical methodologies will 

assist FHWA and its partners to predict and prevent 

highway fatalities and injuries.

For information on our efforts, 

visit http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/offices/sa

fety/. For more information on the activities and 

publications of the Development of Crash 

Modification Factors (DCMF) program, 

see http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/

tfhrc/projects/safety/comprehensive/dcmf/studies.cfm

or contact Roya Amjadi at 202-493-3383 

or roya.amjadi@fhwa.dot.gov.

CONNECTED VEHICLES MAY OFFER 

IMPORTANT BENEFITS TO VULNERABLE 

ROAD USERS

By: Egan Smith and Michael Pina, FHWA ITS-JPO

Increasing numbers of Americans are walking and 

bicycling for their commutes, errands, recreation, 

and other travel. While this trend is great for reduced 

congestion and public health, it presents greater 

challenges when it comes to protecting the safety of 

our Nation’s pedestrians—and the 

number of these travelers involved 

in accidents is on the rise.

According to the National Highway 

Traffic Safety Administration, 2014 

saw 4,884 pedestrians killed and 

an estimated 65,000 injured in traffic crashes in the 

United States. This crash-related death toll could 

continue to rise unless something is done. 

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) 

understands that for our roads to be truly safe, we 

must address the special safety needs and 

challenges of pedestrians, bicyclists, and other 

nonmotorized users. The Department has spent 

more than a decade researching the integration of 

connectivity into our transportation system, and the 

results to date indicate that this technology has the 

potential to improve safety for all road users.
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 15

Integrating Pedestrians in a Connected 

Environment

On average, a pedestrian is killed every 2 hours and 

injured every 8 minutes in traffic crashes. Pedestrians encompass a broad set of often vulnerable 

road users traveling outside of an automobile, 

including people walking, children being pushed in 

strollers, people using wheelchairs or other mobility 

devices, and passengers embarking onto and 

disembarking from buses and trains. The USDOT’s 

research into vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communication focuses on improving the safety and mobility 

of all of these transportation system users.

The technology being studied involves detecting the 

presence of pedestrians in or near the roads. Such 

detection systems can be implemented in vehicles, 

in the infrastructure, or with pedestrians themselves 

to provide warnings to drivers, pedestrians, or both. 

While in-vehicle warning systems are becoming 

more and more commonplace, perhaps the simplest 

and most apparent warning system for pedestrians is 

a handheld device, which would enable messages to 

be exchanged between pedestrians and road 

infrastructure such as traffic signals. The USDOT 

has several efforts underway to assess the benefits 

of pedestrian collision warning applications:

• The University of Iowa’s SAFEty Research using 

SIMulation (SAFER-SIM) Transportation Center

is exploring the use of connected vehicle 

technology to provide timely warning to 

pedestrians via their mobile devices. This study 

focuses on improving pedestrian safety and 

reducing impairment from distraction during roadcrossing behavior. 

• Minnesota’s Roadway Safety Institute has 

developed a smartphone-based mobile 

accessible pedestrian signal (MAPS) app

(https://youtu.be/VpiCDVhOKs4?list=LLSFCLP6

CuxqBJMoKL-M6doA) to provide “walk” phase 

information to visually impaired pedestrians at 

signalized intersections. Researchers also have 

incorporated routing information into MAPS to 

alert blind pedestrians as they approach a work 

zone on the sidewalk.

• The Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint 

Program Office (ITS JPO) is funding local pilot 

programs that are demonstrating connected 

vehicle technology in New York City; Tampa, 

Florida; and on I-80 in southern Wyoming. 

• The New York pilot deployment will deploy the 

Pedestrian in Signalized Crosswalk Warning and 

the MAPS apps to improve the safety of travelers 

and pedestrians in the city. 

• To alleviate congestion during the morning 

commute, the Tampa pilot will deploy a variety of 

connected vehicle apps (including the Pedestrian 

in Signalized Crosswalk Warning and MAPS) in 

an area that contains bus and trolley services, 

high pedestrian densities, special-event trip 

generators, and highly variable traffic demand.

• The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is also 

exploring an app that will alert transit bus drivers 

and pedestrians at major bus stops when 

passengers are in harm’s way as buses pull into 

and out of a bus stop. The FTA will test its 

pedestrian apps in Cleveland, Ohio.

• Smart Columbus, the USDOT’s Smart City Challenge winner, will include traffic signals equipped 

with sensors that use dedicated short-range communications for pedestrian detection in its planned Connected Columbus Transportation Network. The upgraded traffic signals support intersection safety applications for pedestrians. The 

Cleveland Avenue Smart Corridor will also support transit bus stop pedestrian warnings and 
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 16

pedestrian in signalized crosswalk warnings, 

among others.

The USDOT believes that connected vehicles are 

the foundation for the next major innovation in 

transportation—self-driving or automated vehicles. 

Connectivity will help realize the full potential of 

automation. Cars that drive themselves will be able 

to communicate with other cars, traffic signals, and 

pedestrian cell phones to function safely.

The Future of Safer Transportation for 

All Travelers Is Near

Last year, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx 

declared pedestrian and bicyclist safety a top priority 

for the USDOT. The Department launched a 

pedestrian and bicyclist safety initiative that focuses 

many departmental resources on helping to improve 

the safety of the growing number of Americans 

traveling by bike or on foot to reach transit or other 

important destinations including work, job training, 

school, healthcare, and community services. 

USDOT staff are closely coordinating the connected 

vehicles initative with related pedestrian and safety 

efforts to accelerate our progress toward improved 

safety for all transportation users. 

FHWA SUPPORTS WORLD ROAD 

ASSOCIATION IN LAUNCHING NEW ROAD 

SAFETY MANUAL

By: Michael Griffith, FHWA Office of Safety

FHWA has a partnership with the World Road 

Association (WRA) in providing leadership and 

technical expertise in several areas including safety. 

The WRA’s mission is to promote international 

cooperation on issues pertaining to roads and road 

transportation, and, with 122 government members 

worldwide, retains consultative status to the 

Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

With FHWA’s assistance, the WRA recently 

launched a comprehensive new Road Safety Manual

(RSM). The focus of the three-part RSM is on the 

engineering and system management aspects of 

road safety, including the design, operation, and use 

of road networks in low, middle and high-income 

countries. The RSM provides information on the 

effective management of road safety infrastructure. It 

includes new thinking on road safety and offers a 

clear argument on why adopting a Safe System 

approach is crucial for all countries. Elected officials, 

political appointees, road safety practitioners, health 

professionals, transportation engineers, and 

planners will all benefit from using the RSM.

Part one of the manual frames road safety as a 

global issue. Part two provides guidance on road 

safety management. Part three addresses the 

planning, design, operation, and use of a safe road 

network. Each chapter starts with a series of key 

messages summarizing the main points. The manual 

also offers advice for how newcomers to road safety 

can get started and continue to make progress. 

There are also activities that higher performing 

agencies should aim to accomplish.

The RSM is organized to allow users to start at any 

part in the manual. Readers may review the key 

messages at the beginning of each chapter to get an 

overall understanding of content. Further guidance is 

provided in the form of illustrative examples, case 

studies, and noteworthy practices. The case studies 

are from countries at all levels of development; 

however, there is a particular focus on lower- and 

middle-income countries.

Each chapter includes references to easily 

accessible documents or websites for further 

information. This Manual is a significant contribution 

to supporting the aims of the UN Decade for Action 

on road safety. For further information, please 

visit http://roadsafety.piarc.org/en or contact Michael 

Griffith at mike.griffith@dot.gov

The Roadway Safety Manual is designed to help users 

improve road safety regardless of their country’s level of 

development. Source: The AARB Group
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 17

The Isanti County, 

MN SafeCab program reduced 

drunk driving by 

67 percent.

MAKING LOCAL ROADS SAFE AND 

SECURE: A COUNTY PRIORITY

By: The Hon. Sallie Clark, Commissioner, El Paso County, 

Colo., and President, National Association of Counties

Every day, county officials like me are tasked with 

making important decisions to protect our residents’ 

health and safety. County governments own and 

maintain 45 percent of the Nation’s public local roads 

and approximately 4 out of every 10 bridges. We 

invest more than $122 billion annually in building 

infrastructure and maintaining and operating public 

works in order to ensure our communities are safe, 

affordable, attractive places to live and work. Local 

road safety is of utmost importance to county officials 

in all parts of the country. As president of the 

National Association of Counties (http://www.naco.

org/), I have made the topic of transportation safety a 

central part of my presidential initiative, Safe and 

Secure Counties (http://www.naco.org/featured/safeand-secure-counties).

Each year, a disproportionate number of the Nation’s 

fatalities occur on local roads. In 2013, more than 

12,000 people were killed on local roads across the 

United States; this is almost three times the fatality 

rate of the Interstate Highway System. Working 

together, county and other local elected officials, 

county and local engineers and planners, State 

agencies, and the FHWA can leverage our combined 

knowledge of safety and community issues to reduce 

roadway crashes, injuries, and fatalities. Effective 

collaboration and communication among local 

officials and community and safety stakeholders are 

necessary to achieve our ambitious yet achievable 

safety goals.

County officials across the country have led a wide 

range of partnerships to better promote local road 

safety. For instance:

• Isanti County, located in 

rural Minnesota, 

launched the SafeCab 

program in 2005. The 

program—a collaborNEW RESOURCES SUPPORT STATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SAFETY PM

MEASURES FINAL RULE!

The FHWA Office of Safety is pleased to announce the availability of several new resources to help States 

implement the Safety Performance Management Measures Final Rule under 23 CFR 490. These new 

resources are now available on the Safety PM webpage at http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/spm/ and include 

the following:

• State Serious Injury Conversion Tables assists States in reporting serious injuries per the Model 

Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC) 4th Edition attribute for "Suspected Serious Injury (A)." 

States that do not currently use the MMUCC 4th Edition attribute should use the conversion tables to 

convert the equivalent data from their State’s Motor Vehicle Crash Database. The conversion tables 

also provide the equivalent definitions for pedestrian and pedalcyclist as defined in the American 

National Standard Institute (ANSI) D16.1-2007 in order for States to report the required number of nonmotorized serious injuries.

• Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Safety Performance Measures Fact Sheet highlights the 

requirements specific to MPOs and provides a comparison of MPO and State DOT responsibilities.

• 2018-2019 HSIP Safety Performance Targets Timeline provides a timeline of important dates for the 

safety performance target process that includes coordination, target setting, reports, and assessment of 

significant progress.

• Safety Performance Measures Resources and Support provides a list of the many training 

opportunities, tools, and capacity building resources to help States implement the Safety Performance 

Measures rule.

Please share these new resources with your stakeholders and partners. FHWA is continuously working to 

develop additional resources and will post them to the Safety PM webpage as they become available.

For more information, please contact Dana Gigliotti at dana.gigliotti@dot.gov.
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 18

The Thurston County, WA safety plan for collectors 

with signed horizontal curves has reduced fatality 

rates by nearly half.

ation between law enforcement, bar owners, and 

cab companies that provides free rides home 

from bars four nights per week—has reduced 

drunk driving in the county by 67 percent. 

• In 2013, the Thurston County, WA Public Works 

Department created a proactive safety plan for 

arterial and collector roadways with signed 

horizontal curves. Using FHWA’s Systematic 

Safety Project Selection Tool, the county 

inventoried identified roads, assembled crash 

data for them, identified risk factors, and 

performed an analysis of the top risk factors to 

identify candidate locations. Five low-cost, lowmaintenance countermeasures were also 

identified for implementation. In 2013, the county 

began to implement its plan after receiving an 

FHWA Highway Safety Improvement Program 

grant. As part of this effort, the county then 

hosted a peer exchange and High Friction 

Surface Treatment demo in 2014. Thurston 

County has had a 48 percent reduction in fatal 

rates since 2005.

• In 2014, the Clackamas County, OR, Departments of Public Health, Transportation and 

Development, in partnership with the Oregon 

Public Health Institute, conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) of a road safety audit 

(RSA) on a five-lane, high-use corridor. The HIA 

examined and evaluated the RSA’s 42 proposed 

solutions and found that all but five of the RSA 

solutions will likely have a positive impact on the 

area’s high rates of obesity, asthma, diabetes,

and heart disease, primarily through improved 

pedestrian infrastructure and encouragement of 

changes in driver behavior. The county is now 

moving forward with implementation.

On July 13, 2015, Secretary of Transportation 

Anthony Foxx signed a resolution reflecting the need 

to improve safety on county-owned roads and affirming that the U.S. Department of Transportation will 

work with NACo to improve road safety in America’s 

communities. This resolution underscores the 

important role that local elected officials play in 

improving road safety in our communities. Building 

on the resolution, NACo has partnered with 

USDOT’s Federal Highway Administration Office of 

Safety to discuss various aspects of and approaches 

to local road safety with county elected officials and

professional staff. This partnership with USDOT is a 

key component of my presidential initiative at NACo, 

Safe and Secure Counties, to protect public safety, 

ensure public health, and promote local economies.

At NACo’s Legislative Conference in February, we 

were fortunate to hear Michael Griffith, Director, 

FHWA Office of Safety Technologies, discuss the 

tools and resources available to county officials and 

safety practitioners, such as the new FHWA Office of 

Safety video and accompanying brochure, Local 

Elected Officials: Leading the Way in Local Road 

Safety (http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/local_rural/training/

fhwasa16018/). These resources give local elected 

officials a big-picture look at local road safety issues, 

and also to provide guidance on how to engage, 

collaborate, and coordinate actions with safety practitioners. Following this meeting, we have been 

pleased to host workshops in collaboration with the 

FHWA Office of Safety at NACo’s Western Interstate 

Region conference in May, and NACo’s Annual Conference in July, to ensure that county officials know 

what actions can keep our roads safe and secure.

Additionally, NACo has partnered with the FHWA 

Office of Safety to offer a series of articles in County 

News highlighting steps counties can take to 

promote transportation safety, including:

• “Rural Road Safety: A Focus for County Elected 

Officials” at http://www.naco.org/articles/ruralroad-safety-focus-county-elected-officials, 

• “Smart Transportation Planning at Work: Proven 

Safety Countermeasures” 

at: http://www.naco.org/articles/smarttransportation-planning-work-proven-safetycountermeasures, and 

• “Local Road Safety Plans: FHWA Offers 

Implementation Tips” 

at http://www.naco.org/articles/local-road-safetyplans-fhwa-offers-implementation-tips.

In addition, NACo and FHWA have hosted a webinar 

series to engage county leaders on this topic. View 

the webinar recording for “Enhancing Road Safety 

through the Improvement of Unsignalized 

Intersections” at http://www.naco.org/events/

enhancing-road-safety-through-improvementunsignalized-intersections. The recording for “Saving 

Lives through Local Road Safety Planning” is 

available at http://www.naco.org/events/saving-livesthrough-local-road-safety-planning.
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 19

Finally, NACo is partnering with the National Center 

for Rural Road Safety to convene the National 

Working Summit on Transportation in Rural America

in Denver, Colo., from September 7-9, to develop 

strategies to strengthen rural economies and reduce 

road fatalities. For more information and to register, 

visit: http://www.cvent.com/events/national-workingsummit-on-transportation-in-rural-america/eventsummary-c462978995ee4f9b9d9818cf010345e5.

aspx. 

MISSOURI COALITION FOR ROADWAY 

SAFETY RECEIVES APWA EXCEPTIONAL 

PERFORMANCE AWARD FOR SAFETY

By: Kelly Jackson, Missouri Department of Transportation

This spring, the Missouri Coalition for Roadway 

Safety (MCRS) received a prestigious award from 

the American Public Works Association (APWA) for 

its extensive work on the State’s strategic highway 

safety plans (SHSP) as part of a multi-year effort to 

improve roadway safety across Missouri. 

The MCRS comprises safety advocates from a broad 

spectrum of stakeholders, including law enforcement 

agencies; health care providers; courts; local, State 

and Federal government agencies; advocacy 

groups; planning organizations; and citizens. Since 

2004, this group’s focus has been to work with 

regional safety coalitions to identify safety concerns 

and develop targeted strategies for addressing them. 

These strategies are then incorporated into the 

Missouri SHSP, which in 2012 was entitled Blueprint 

to Save More Lives (Blueprint). 

Each version of the Blueprint established a specific 

fatality reduction goal. The 2004 goal—to reduce 

fatalities to 1,000 or fewer by 2008—was met one 

year early. The second edition of the Blueprint called 

for 850 or fewer fatalities by 2012. That goal was met 

two years early in 2010, when Missouri’s traffic 

fatalities stood at 821. The third edition of the Blueprint called for 700 or fewer fatalities by 2016. The 

third edition of the Blueprint established a goal of 

700 or fewer by 2016. While this aggressive goal will 

be difficult to achieve, between 2005 and 2014 

Missouri’s annual traffic fatalities fell from 1257 to 

766. In fact, in 2013 Missouri experienced the lowest 

number of traffic crash fatalities since 1945. This 

remarkable decrease is due in part to aggressive 

implementation of each of the State’s strategic 

highway safety plans.

To date, the State’s SHSPs have applied a number 

of successful strategies, including median guard 

cable, rumble strips, brighter stripes and bigger 

signs, more delineation, improved intersections, and

key enforcement and education efforts. Implemented 

since 2005, these strategies have contributed to 6 

consecutive annual decreases in traffic crash 

fatalities and 10 consecutive annual decreases in 

serious injuries. Between 2005 and 2014, Missouri 

experienced a 39 percent fatality reduction, resulting 

in a total of 3,270 lives saved. The fatality rate fell 

from 1.8 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of 

travel in 2005 to 1.08 in 2014. 

Missouri’s new 2020 fatality goal will be revealed at 

the Blueprint Conference held in St. Louis in

October, 2016. Accomplishments and additional 

information from MCRS can be found 

at www.savemolives.com or on social media at Save 

Mo Lives. 

NORTH CAROLINA’S “SYNCHRONIZED 

STREETS” DEMONSTRATE WHOPPING 

88 PERCENT REDUCTION IN FATAL AND 

SEVERE INJURY CRASHES

By: Carrie Simpson, P.E., Traffic Safety Project Engineer, 

North Carolina Department of Transportation

The North Carolina Department of Transportation 

(NCDOT) recently completed a study on the safety 

effectiveness of 93 unsignalized “synchronized 

street” intersections in the State. The study defines a 

synchronized street (also known as a superstreet, 

directional crossover, restricted crossing U-turn

(RCUT), or J-turn) as an intersection where a direct 

left turn and through movement have been prohibited

by concrete channelization on the minor leg(s)

Between 2005 and 2014, Missouri experienced a 

39 percent fatality reduction, resulting in a 

total of 3,270 lives saved.
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 20

(and/or the major leg(s). Where these movements 

are prohibited, travelers who want to cross or turn 

left at the intersection must first turn right and then 

make a U-turn to return to their desired route.

The unsignalized synchronized streets included in 

the analysis were installed between 1997 and 2012. 

Most of the sites are four-lane divided roadways

crossing two-lane roadways, although a few sites 

have major road cross-sections of two-lanes or five 

or more lanes. In the post-installation period, the 

average AADT for the treated intersections is about

26,000 vehicles per day, with a minimum of about 

8,000 vehicles per day and a maximum of about

53,000 vehicles per day. More than 80 percent of the 

study sites eliminate through and left movements on 

the minor road alone. The remaining sites eliminate

through and left movements on both the main road 

and minor road, or on the major road alone. Some 

synchronized street installations build in a downstream U-turn location as part of the project, but 

others use existing downstream median openings or 

existing intersections for the U-turn maneuver.

A before-and-after crash analysis with consideration 

for traffic increase was used to calculate Crash 

This unsignalized synchronized street is representative 

of the North Carolina locations included in the study.

Unlike the standard traffic signals included in the study, sites converted from two-way stop control to 

unsignalized synchronized streets generally demonstrate large total crash reductions across 

intersection AADT ranges.
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 21

Modification Factors (CMFs) and the associated 

Crash Reduction Factors (CRFs). The study included 

an average of 4.2 years of crash data per site in both 

the before and the after period. Highway Safety 

Manual safety performance functions (SPFs) were 

used to determine the effect of traffic volume trends 

on predicted crash frequency. There were more than 

1,000 total crashes included in the post-installation 

sample.

The study results demonstrate a 59 percent 

reduction in total crashes, a 71 percent reduction in 

fatal and injury crashes, an 88 percent reduction in 

fatal and severe (Class-A) injury crashes, and an 80 

percent reduction in frontal impact crashes at the 93 

sites selected. All results are statistically significant 

at the 95 percent confidence interval. Unsignalized 

synchronized streets are an effective safety 

countermeasure, especially when compared to 

traditional full-movement traffic signals. Total 

crashes per year per intersection are plotted as a 

function of the intersection AADT for a group of 76 

synchronized streets pre- and post-installation and a 

group of 28 standard traffic signals pre- and postinstallation. The pre-installation condition for all sites 

is a two-way stop. The NCDOT plotted trend lines for 

each category of sites: Two-Way Stop (PreSynchronized Street), Two-Way Stop (Pre-Standard 

Traffic Signal), Unsignalized Synchronized Street, 

and Standard Traffic Signal. The general trends 

show a large reduction in total crashes at sites 

converted from two-way stops to unsignalized 

synchronized streets across the span of intersection 

AADT ranges, and more modest reductions to an 

increase in crashes at sites converted from two-way 

stops to standard traffic signals.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND 

SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATES MULTIPLE 

DATA SOURCES TO HELP SAVE LIVES

By: Esther Strawder, FHWA Office of Safety, and Elissa

Goughnour, VHB

Highway traffic safety analysis is a multi-dimensional 

process involving roadway characteristics, volumes, 

and crash data. State agencies may encounter 

difficulties sharing data among agencies and 

integrating the multiple data sources into a single 

safety analysis. The University of Maryland’s 

National Study Center for Trauma and Emergency 

Medical Services (NSC) receives data from several 

State agencies and provides integrated data analysis 

using the Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System 

(CODES) methodology. 

CODES is a State-based program created in 1992 

by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA). NHTSA implemented the 

program to help States develop data linkage programs, as crash data alone do not capture the full 

consequences of motor vehicle crashes. The intent

of the CODES program was to provide a more comprehensive understanding of motor vehicle crashes 

by linking crash, vehicle, and behavior characteristics to their specific medical and financial outcomes. 

NHTSA supported the program until 2013, anticipating that States would continue the effort using 

their own funding sources. In Maryland, the NSC has 

continued to use CODES to inform State legislation, 

agency policy, and behavioral countermeasure 

programs.

The NSC’s mission is to prevent death and disability 

caused by injury and sudden illness. Established by 

Congress in 1986, it is part of the Shock, Trauma,

and Anesthesiology Research Center (STAR) in the 

University of Maryland School of Medicine. 

The NSC staff, including epidemiologists, physicians, 

statisticians, and database coordinators, conducts 

research related to the causes, treatment, and outcomes of traumatic injury and sudden illness. NSC 

studies have been used to improve vehicular safety, 

to refine patient care, and to develop public education programs for the prevention of trauma. The 

NSC staff also collaborates with government 

agencies, professional associations, universities, and 

private enterprises to increase understanding of 

trauma epidemiology and emergency medical 

system response.

NSC uses data from a variety of sources, including 

three core data sets (crash, emergency medical 

services (EMS), and hospital) along with ancillary

data sets such as driver licensing, vehicle 

registration, citation, motorcycle training, trauma 

registry, and others. The NSC also uses a General 

Use Model (GUM) of regularly collected data. The 

GUM data elements:

• Are collected by a majority of States.

• Have been mapped to standardize variables.

• Conform with other NHTSA data systems.

• Contain rich medical information.

• Are submitted on an annual basis.

• Are available for analysis by NHTSA.
Fall 2016: Volume 10 Issue 3 Safety Compass Newsletter • 22

While NSC staff have been able to draw on 

established relationships, the University has 

formalized those relationships with data use 

agreements and the creation of an oversight board, 

the CODES Board of Directors, which is composed 

of data-owners. The establishment of these 

agreements and creation of the oversight board 

facilitated access to and analysis of data throughout 

the State. 

The Maryland CODES Board of Directors meets 

once a year. Due to the positive relationships that 

have been strengthened by the CODES Board of 

Directors and the establishment of data use 

agreements, the University has been able to 

successfully continue its work with these various 

agencies, despite the sunsetting of support from 

NHTSA for the CODES program.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

American Society of Civil Engineers Convention, 

September 28 - October 1, 2016, Portland, OR. This 

annual convention is designed to offer integrated, 

multi-cultural, technical, and educational components 

to meet the needs of the profession. The convention 

will address the state of the industry and profession, 

professional development, multi-disciplinary 

technical topics, natural and man-made disasters, 

strategic issues, public policy, significant projects, 

among others. For more information, 

visit: http://2016.asceconvention.org/

19th Annual National Tribal Transportation 

Conference, October 3 – October 7, 2016, Anaheim, 

CA. The NTTC 2016 will bring together tribal, 

Federal, State, and private interests that work in the 

field of tribal transportation. The conference will 

provide information and resources for all who are 

committed to improving the transportation 

infrastructure of Indian country and the safety of 

those who live, work and travel the roadways of 

Indian lands. A wide variety of attendees are 

anticipated to attend, including tribal leaders; tribal 

transportation program personnel, tribal government 

leaders, Federal and State transportation personnel,

and private transportation professionals. For more 

information, visit http://nttc.nijc.org/registration-3/

2017 Transportation Research Board Annual 

Meeting, January 8 – 12, 2017, Washington, DC.

The 96th Annual Meeting will include an informationpacked program that is expected to attract more than 

12,000 transportation professionals from around the 

world. The meeting program will cover all 

transportation modes, with more than 5,000 

presentations in nearly 750 sessions and workshops, 

addressing topics of interest to policy makers, 

administrators, practitioners, researchers, and 

representatives of government, industry, and 

academic institutions. The spotlight theme for the 

2017 meeting is “Transportation Innovation: Leading 

the Way in an Era of Rapid Change.” For more 

information, visit http://www.trb.org/AnnualMeeting/

AnnualMeeting.aspx

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.