HSIP in 2022—Roadway Departure Prevention

In 2022, 

States 

obligated 

$1.1 billion, more 

than 30% of total 

HSIP funds, for 

projects that help 

prevent roadway 

departure crashes.

THE HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (HSIP) 2022

Preventing Roadway Departure Crashes with HSIP

Funding to Keep Vehicles on the Road

According to the most recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, 

more than 19,000 fatal vehicle crashes involved a roadway departure in 2021. That’s 

nearly half of all fatal crashes in the United States.1 In a roadway departure crash, 

a vehicle crosses the edge line or centerline, leaving the desired travel way. This 

type of crash often has higher impact speeds, involves fixed objects like trees 

or utility poles, results in head-on collisions, or produces rollovers.2

The HSIP can help support a Safe System and keep all road users safe by funding 

improvements for all public roadways that help vehicles stay on the roadway 

and in their travel lane. These projects can help avoid a roadway departure 

crash by keeping vehicles on the road with improvements like rumble strips 

and high-friction surface treatments. In the event a vehicle does leave the 

travel lane, agencies can help minimize the severity of roadway departure 

crashes with improvements such as guardrails and cable barriers.

What Are the Top 10 Roadway Departure Project 

Types and Average Cost Per Project?**

GENERAL BARRIER

122 projects 

$1.7 million cost

1

cable barrier

48 projects | $2.4 million 4

shoulder widened or added

44 projects | $3.1 million 5

roadway widened 6 41 projects | $2.0 million

roadway widened along curve

25 projects | $390,000 7

barrier and treatments

19 projects | $690,000 8

center line rumble strips

10 projects | $1.4 million 9

fixed object removal

10 projects | $500,000 10

EDGE OR SHOULDER 

RUMBLE STRIPS

107 projects

$2.6 million cost

2

HIGH-FRICTION SURFACE 

TREATMENT

49 projects

$4.6 million cost

3

HSIP-funded projects improved more 

than 2,744 miles of U.S. roadway to 

prevent roadway departure crashes—

that’s nearly the driving distance from 

New York to Los Angeles!

HSIP funds helped prevent roadway 

departure crashes at more than 20,000 

locations nationwide.

With 193 projects, Ohio had the highest 

number of projects dedicated to 

preventing roadway departure crashes.

278 

Principal Arterial

(includes freeways)

155 

Major Collector

328 

Other

90 

Minor Collector

164 

Minor Arterial

What Functional Classifications Were 

Roadway Departure Projects On?*

46

Local Road

or Street

More than 36% of HSIP-funded projects 

addressed lane and roadway departure 

crashes.

**Includes only those with specific reported project types. 

Improvements designed to help prevent or mitigate roadway 

departure crashes may also appear in other project categories. 

For example, rumble strip projects may be included in projects 

coded as “pavement surface.”

*Includes only projects with reported classifications.

This information comes from 2022 State HSIP reports. For individual reports, visit https://highways.dot.gov/safety/

hsip/reporting.

Fatality Analysis Reporting System report generated August 28, 2023, https://cdan.dot.gov/query.

Federal Highway Administration, Roadway Departure Crashes, Local and Rural Road Safety Briefing Sheets, FHWA-SA-14-092 (2014), https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/local_rural/training/

fhwasa14092/road_dep.pdf.

1

2
To find out how HSIP can help 

save lives in your community, 

contact your State DOT:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/

about/webstate.cfm

Except for the statutes and regulations cited, the contents of this document do not 

have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the States or the public in 

any way. This document is intended only to provide information regarding existing 

requirements under the law or agency policies.

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

manufacturers’ names appear in this document only because they are considered 

essential to the objective of the document. They are included for informational 

purposes only and are not intended to reflect a preference, approval, or endorsement 

of any one product or entity.

FHWA-SA-23-023

HSIP in Action

Countermeasures for Roadway Departure Crashes

Countermeasures such as rumble strips, signage, delineation, lighting, and high-friction surface treatments can help 

keep vehicles on the roadway and in their travel lane. Installing shoulders, widening the separation between opposing 

lanes, removing fixed objects, and flattening slopes can help prevent crashes. If a crash does occur, barriers like guard or 

guide rails can help minimize its severity. Speed management is key, too, since a large percentage of roadway departure 

crashes are speed related.3 The HSIP can fund the following low-cost countermeasures that, when applied systemically, 

can help reduce roadway departure crashes and crash severity:

 Federal Highway Administration, Roadway Departure Crashes, Local and Rural Road Safety Briefing Sheets, FHWA-SA-14-092 (2014), https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/local_rural/training/

fhwasa14092/road_dep.pdf.

“Roadway deaths increase in 2021: PennDOT,” NorthcentralPA.com, (May 2022) https://www.northcentralpa.com/news/roads/roadway-deaths-increase-in-2021-penndot/article_

ec7e3ac8-d14f-11ec-a513-7b713aad0828.html.

 PennDOT, “How to Reduce Lane Departure Crashes: A FoRRRwD Thinking Approach,” (July 2023), https://www.penndot.pa.gov/PennDOTWay/Pages/Article.aspx?post=651.

 Paul Vigna, “Cable median barrier project to begin on multiple central Pa. routes: PennDOT,” Patriot News Penn Live, August 20, 2023, https://www.pennlive.com/news/2023/08/cablemedian-barrier-project-to-begin-on-multiple-central-pa-routes-penndot.html.

3

4

5

6

Enhanced delineation for horizontal curves

COUNTERMEASURES BENEFITS

High-friction surface treatment

Longitudinal rumble strips and stripes on two-lane roads

Wider edge lines

Fixed-object (especially tree and utility pole) removal

Lighting

Centerline and edge line pavement marking

Speed feedback signs

Centerline buffer areas

Centerline rumble strips

SafetyEdgeSM treatment on pavement edges

Increases driver awareness of curves

Helps drivers maintain control through sharp curves, 

especially during wet pavement conditions

Reduces single-vehicle roadway departure crashes

Enhances the visibility of travel lane boundaries

Increases roadway clear zone

Aids guidance through curves, improves visibility, and supports early 

detection of people or objects in the roadway and support early detection 

of people or objects at crossings and to those traveling along the roadway

Helps drivers maintain their position in the lane

Helps drivers maintain a safe speed

Separates opposing directions of traffic to reduce head-on crashes

Reduces head-on and opposing-direction sideswipe crashes

Reduces abrupt drop-offs at edge of pavement

In Pennsylvania, lane departure crashes produce more fatalities and serious injuries than any other type of 

crash. In 2021, lane-departure crash fatalities accounted for nearly half of the State’s total highway fatalities.4

In response, PennDOT implemented high-tension cable median barriers (HTCMBs). Cable median barriers, a 

Proven Safety Countermeasure, prevent cross-median departures and replace a rigid, fixed object with one that 

absorbs and redirects a vehicle’s kinetic energy.

On a 2-mile stretch of I-95 in Delaware County, HTCMBs reduced fatal and serious injury crashes by 100%.5 

Additionally, statewide usage of HTCMB has reduced cross-median crashes by almost 80% and fatal and 

serious injury crashes by over 30%.6

Preventing Lane Departure Crashes with 

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)