Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 1

A Message from FHWA Associate

Administrator for Safety Tony Furst

Data and Analysis:

A Perfect “Combination of the Two”

Our vision is toward zero deaths on the Nation’s highways, 

and our mission is exercising leadership throughout the 

highway community to make the Nation’s roadways safer. 

Key to these efforts are robust safety data systems and 

analysis capabilities that enable a data-driven, strategic approach to 

improving highway safety on all public roads. We support and provide a 

broad range of technical assistance, training, and resources that help 

advance this powerful combination. 

We’ve just kicked off a new Every Day Counts, Round 3, initiative on Data 

Driven Safety Analysis (article on page 4) which promotes broader 

implementation of predictive and systemic analysis approaches in not only 

safety management processes but also all project development decision 

making. We’re pleased that 30 States have taken advantage of this 

opportunity to advance their implementation of these approaches. 

This issue of Safety Compass features several products and services of our 

Roadway Safety Data Program. That program is designed to help State and 

local agencies improve their safety data systems and expand their analysis 

and evaluation capabilities. 

If we can assist you in implementing this “Combination of the Two” (with a 

nod to Janis Joplin) - data systems and/or analysis capabilities - please don’t 

hesitate to let us know. 

For more on the Roadway Safety Data Program, check 

out http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp, which features our new Roadway Safety 

Data and Analysis Toolbox (article on page 12).

A Publication of the Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2

In This Issue:

FHWA Embraces “Toward Zero 

Deaths” Vision........................................ 2

EDC-3 Safety Analysis Initiative 

Sparks Strong State Interest ................ 4

The Systemic Approach to Safety Uses 

Risk to Reap Safety Rewards ............... 6

New RDE Methodology Supports a 

Range of Agency Activities ................... 8

FHWA Promotes Good GIS Practices . 9

New Intersection Safety Publications 10

Noteworthy Practices for Preserving 

Elderly Mobility.................................... 11

ASAP Makes a Larger Impact in 

FY 15.......................................................12

RSDP Toolbox: A Clearinghouse for 

Safety Data and Analysis Tools...........12

2015 Work Zone Awareness Week .....14

NEW! Work Zone Safety App ..............15

Road Diets: Smaller Streets, Bigger 

Safety Advantage .................................15

IHSDM Update Available ....................16

Demonstration Project Links Speed 

Feedback Signs to Fewer Roadway 

Departures ............................................16

HFST Helps County Roads Get a Grip 17

“Alive at 25”: KY Program Cuts Young 

Driver Fatalities by Half......................19

TN Uses Predictive Analytics To 

Tackle DUI, Other Crashes ................. 20

KY Awards Officers For Outstanding 

DUI Enforcement................................. 20

Alabama Strives for Safety 

Relevance ..............................................21

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

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Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 2

FHWA EMBRACES “TOWARD ZERO 

DEATHS” VISION

By: Robert Ritter, FHWA Office of Safety

AASHTO and a group of safety associations 

officially rolled out the National Strategy on 

Highway Safety, called Toward Zero Deaths (TZD), 

in March of this year. The TZD plan, created by a 

steering committee cooperative that includes 

numerous organizations representing our Nation’s

highway safety system, provides engineering, 

enforcement, education and emergency medical 

services (EMS) organizations with initiatives, or 

safety countermeasures, that can be enacted by 

public agencies, businesses, and individuals.

In general, the TZD vision is based on the belief 

that even one death on our transportation system is 

unacceptable. It is a way of clearly and succinctly 

describing how an organization, or an individual, is 

going to approach safety—that even one death is 

too many. This “zero deaths” idea 

was first adopted in Sweden in 1997 

as "Vision Zero" and since then has 

evolved across the country and 

across the world. A growing number 

of States and cities have adopted 

“Zero” fatality visions, but the 

steering committee saw a need for a single, 

national vision for highway safety. 

"We embrace the vision of Toward Zero Deaths; it 

provides an overarching and common vision that 

drives and focuses our efforts to achieve our 

shared goal to eliminate injuries and fatalities on 

our roadways," said U.S. Transportation Secretary 

Anthony Foxx, in the press release on the National 

Strategy. "Setting the bar for safety to the highest 

possible standard requires commitment from 

everyone—from drivers to industry, safety 

organizations, and government at all levels. The 

U.S. Department of Transportation will do our part 

by aggressively using all tools at our disposal—

research into new safety systems and technologies, 

campaigns to educate the public, investments in 

infrastructure, and collaboration with all of our 

government partners to support strong laws and 

data-driven approaches to improve safety."

FHWA Deputy Administrator Gregory Nadeau also 

sent a special safety message to all FHWA 

employees to highlight the TZD vision and 

encourage all employees to build on the work 

FHWA already does.

The TZD National Strategy includes initiatives that 

are known to be—or are expected to be—effective 

in addressing specific factors contributing to 

crashes, that have the potential to make a 

significant reduction in fatalities and serious injuries 

nationally, or that address areas of growing 

concern. 

The plan includes initiatives from engineering to 

education, all with the intended result of achieving:

• Safer drivers and passengers

• Safer vulnerable users

• Safer infrastructure

• Safer passenger and commercial vehicles

• Enhanced emergency medical services

• Improved safety management 

• Broad-based public and organizational culture 

of safety (See Safety Compass Vol. 7 Is. 2 

at http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/newsletter/safetyco

mpass/2013/fall/#s6 for a full discussion of 

safety culture)

As Steve Keppler, Executive Director of the 

Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) stated 

in the release announcing the launch of TZD, 

"Crashes are influenced by many factors. To reach 

our goal of zero, solutions must come from multiple 

angles, which is why the TZD plan addresses the 

vehicles, the road, and the driver."

TZD uses a data-driven, interdisciplinary approach 

that FHWA has been promoting for many years. 

The TZD approach targets areas for improvement 

and employs proven countermeasures, integrating 

application of the “4Es” of transportation safety (i.e., 

education, enforcement, engineering, and 

emergency medical services). A combination of 

strategies from different focus areas will be 

necessary to achieve the TZD vision. 

Within FHWA, the Office of Safety, Office of Safety 

Research and Development, and the Resource 

Center Safety and Design Technical Services 

Team jointly established a Safety Strategic Plan to 

focus on a common safety vision. The vision—

toward zero deaths and serious injuries on the 

Nation’s roadways—is being realized through

annual performance objectives in each of the three 

safety units.

"We embrace the vision of Toward Zero Deaths; it provides an 

overarching and common vision that drives and focuses our efforts 

to achieve our shared goal to eliminate injuries and fatalities on our 

roadways," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 3

FHWA and its safety partner, the Roadway Safety Foundation (RSF), are accepting applications 

for the 2015 National Roadway Safety Awards through May 15, 2015. These biennial awards 

recognize roadway safety achievements in infrastructure, operational, and programrelated improvements. 

Nominated projects and programs are judged based on their effectiveness, innovation, and 

efficient use of resources. 

Eligible applicants include State, local, and tribal governments as well as planning organizations, 

regional councils, Local Technical Assistance Programs (LTAPs), Tribal Technical Assistance 

Programs (TTAPs), and universities. The program is available to U.S. nominees only, including 

U.S. territories and funded operations such as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and 

the Mariana Islands.

‘‘Apply! This is a great opportunity to share highway safety. Every life counts. The application process takes a bit of 

work, but it is definitely worth it. The recognition our agency received was fantastic. Not to mention the time I spent in 

Washington, DC and getting to know all the other award winners!’’ —Brent Jennings, Highway Safety Manager Idaho 

Transportation Department

Additional details, instructions, and application packets are available at http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/

roadwaysafetyawards/ or www.roadwaysafety.org. Act fast! Nominations are due by May 15, 2015!

(continued from page 2)

Highway Safety Improvement Programs 

Lead the Way Among the States

FHWA administers the Highway Safety 

Improvement Program (HSIP) with the goal of 

achieving a significant reduction in traffic fatalities 

and serious injuries on all public roads. The HSIP 

requires that each State develop a Strategic

Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). The SHSP is a datadriven, multi-year safety plan developed through 

statewide coordination that provides a 

comprehensive framework for reducing highway 

fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. An 

SHSP identifies a State's key safety needs and

guides investment decisions towards strategies and 

countermeasures with the most potential to save

lives and prevent injuries. The collaborative 

process for developing and implementing an SHSP 

brings together, and draws on, the strengths and 

resources of all safety partners, and will play a 

pivotal role in achieving the zero deaths vision.

About the National Strategy on Highway 

Safety

The TZD effort is led by a group of associations 

representing State and local government agencies 

working to reduce highway fatalities: 

• American Association of Motor Vehicle 

Administrators (AAMVA)

• American Association of State Highway and 

Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

• Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)

• Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)

• International Association of Chiefs of Police 

(IACP)

• National Association of County Engineers 

(NACE)
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 4

• National Local Technical Assistance Program 

Association (NLTAPA)

• National Association of State Emergency 

Medical Services Officials (NASEMSO)

The FHWA, Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration, and National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration have provided technical support to 

the TZD steering committee’s efforts. For more 

than 5 years, these associations have been

working together to identify and prioritize the 

leading initiatives that will reduce traffic fatalities 

over the next 25 years.

For more information about the Toward Zero 

Deaths National Strategy on Highway Safety, 

visit TowardZeroDeaths.org.

FHWA’S EDC-3 DATA-DRIVEN 

SAFETY ANALYSIS INITIATIVE SPARKS 

STRONG STATE INTEREST

By: Jerry Roche, FHWA Office of Safety

Today, there are methods to answer a question that 

has plagued transportation safety professionals for 

years: “How many 

crashes on a roadway 

are too many crashes?” 

With limited funding 

available to address 

transportation needs, 

professionals are 

constantly faced with 

making decisions to maximize the return on 

investment. Just reviewing a roadway in terms of 

generally accepted guidelines is not sufficient. 

Decision makers need to be able to determine if a 

roadway will perform satisfactorily in terms of 

crashes – both now and into the future.

Recent advances in highway safety analysis can 

provide more reliable information for effective 

investment decisions on the Nation’s highway 

system. A new initiative entitled “Data-Driven 

Safety Analysis” (DDSA) was created under the 

third round of FHWA’s Every Day Counts (EDC) 

effort. The purpose of EDC is to encourage the 

rapid deployment of existing, proven technologies 

to shorten project delivery, enhance roadway 

safety, and improve environmental stability. The 

objective of this DDSA initiative is to incorporate 

safety performance into all highway investment 

decisions by broadening implementation of 

predictive and systemic safety analysis. 

Predictive analysis approaches combine crash, 

roadway inventory, and traffic volume data to 

provide reliable estimates of an existing or 

proposed roadway’s expected safety performance. 

Before predictive methods were developed, 

agencies had no way to quantify the anticipated 

safety impacts of transportation decisions. This 

made it hard for safety to be fairly considered when 

safety benefits were being evaluated alongside 

other, more easily quantified criteria such as 

environmental and operational impacts. It was also 

a challenge to evaluate and compare projects of 

various types (resurfacing, safety, etc.) to 

determine which ones had the greatest potential to 

reduce fatal and serious injury crashes. 

Documentation justifying design decisions was 

often difficult to develop in the absence of predicted 

safety performance. In 2010, the publication of the 

AASHTO Highway Safety Manual provided a go-to 

source of crash prediction models for segments 

and intersections on two-lane rural roads, rural 

multilane highways, and urban and suburban 

arterials. This was a major advance, but still did not

address two important locations: freeways and

interchanges. State DOTs needed models for these 

facilities, which typically require the greatest 

amount of time and resources to design. As a 

result, in 2014, models for freeways, interchanges, 

and ramps were added to the set of prediction 

models and software tools. This means that rather 

Informed Decision Making: By quantifying the 

safety impacts associated with roadway planning 

and design, transportation professionals, elected 

officials, and the general public can make more 

informed decisions by weighing safety with 

other project goals. 

Optimizing Investment: With limited 

resources, agencies need to maximize the safety 

benefit of every transportation investment. By 

applying the most current analytical methods, 

agencies have powerful tools to optimize 

investments and the safety of all users. 

Improved Safety: States and other 

transportation agencies can proactively apply 

safety countermeasures at roadway locations 

identified as having the highest potential for 

improvement, effectively reducing fatalities and 

serious injuries.
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 5

Several DDSA activities are already underway, 

including development and delivery of:

• Data-Driven Safety Analysis “How-To” webinar series

• Analysis of States’ current DDSA methodologies & practices

• Highway Safety Manual Implementation Plan template

• Interactive Highway Safety Design Model (IHSDM) training

• Predictive Safety Analysis in Project Development 

workshops

• Roadway Data Improvement Program (RDIP) assessments

• Safety Analysis of Freeways and Interchanges training 

course

• Systemic Safety Implementation peer exchanges

• State-specific DDSA technical assistance

Please look for DDSA information in sessions and exhibit halls at these upcoming conferences:

ITE Annual Meeting Hollywood, FL August 2-5, 2015

AASHTO Subcommittee on Design Seattle, WA September 20-24, 2015

ASCE Convention New York, NY October 11-14, 2015

Traffic Records Forum Costa Mesa, CA October 25-28, 2015

than relying on subjective measures, we now have 

a comprehensive toolbox of evidence-based 

models to predict safety performance in terms of 

crash frequency and severity. 

Systemic analysis approaches employ system-wide 

screening of a roadway network based on the 

presence of high-risk roadway features associated 

with particular severe crash types. Before the 

advent of systemic approaches, agencies largely 

relied on simple “hot spot” site analysis, focusing 

their resources on improving only those locations 

with the highest crash frequencies. While highcrash locations do exist, focusing only on these 

sites often led agencies to make high-cost 

improvements at a limited number of locations. In 

some jurisdictions, locations that were identified as 

safety concerns may have had to wait for a number 

of severe crashes to happen before they could be 

addressed. Similarly, occurrences of severe 

crashes that appeared to be scattered across the 

network could be viewed as random in nature and 

were sometimes left untreated. This hot spot 

approach could also lead a State to fund only 

projects on high-volume roads, and often only 

those on the State-owned system. Now, however, 

the systemic approach provides an opportunity to 

objectively reduce severe crash risk and improve 

safety performance across the road networks. 

Treating a larger, targeted portion of the system 

with cost-effective improvements helps States 

significantly reduce severe crashes on all their 

public roads and achieve their fatality and serious 

injury reduction goals.

Under the banner of EDC-3, 30 States are looking 

to advance their implementation of predictive and 

systemic approaches, with the number of States 

using them as standard practice expected to nearly 

triple over the next 2 years (from 12 to 35). 

Although the DDSA Implementation Plan was just 

approved in March, several activities are already 

underway. 

The systemic safety analysis approach will be highlighted in the

June 25th EDC Exchange for Local and Tribal Agencies.
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 6

If your State agency is interested in further 

integrating safety performance into highway 

investment decisions and would like assistance, 

please contact Jerry Roche, Office of Safety Data 

and Analysis Tools Team, 515-233-

7323, Jerry.Roche@dot.gov or John McFadden, 

FHWA Resource Center, Safety and Design 

Technical Service Team, 410-962-

0982, John.McFadden@dot.gov.

THE SYSTEMIC APPROACH TO SAFETY 

USES RISK TO REAP SAFETY REWARDS

By: Karen Scurry, FHWA Office of Safety 

and Pam Beer, Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

Systemic safety improvements are widely 

implemented and based on high-risk roadway 

features that are correlated with particular severe 

crash types. Many State and local agencies use 

this approach because it is a cost-effective and 

proactive approach to improving safety on all public 

roads in a State. 

The Systemic Approach To Safety

The systemic approach complements the site 

analysis approach (i.e., focusing on high-crash or 

“hot spot” locations) because it addresses crashes 

that are more widely distributed on the system. 

For example, a systemic safety analysis can be 

conducted on rural and local roadways or in urban 

areas. It can also be used to study specific crash 

types, such as pedestrian and bicycle crashes. A 

comprehensive roadway safety management 

program will include both systemic and site analysis 

approaches. 

To help States and local agencies implement the 

systemic approach to safety, the Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA) has developed many tools 

and resources for state and local agencies, 

including:

• Systemic Safety Project Selection Tool

• Training 

• Technical assistance

• On-call support

• Noteworthy Practices 

• Peer-to-peer assistance

• Webinars 

Systemic Safety Project Selection Tool

The Systemic Safety Project Selection Tool

includes a step-by-step process for conducting 

systemic safety analyses, analytical techniques for 

determining a reasonable balance between the 

implementation of spot safety improvements and 

systemic safety improvements, and a mechanism 

for quantifying the benefits of safety improvements 

implemented through a systemic approach.

The tool is flexible, easy to use, and 

accommodates whatever data an agency has 

available. It can be applied to a variety of systems, 

locations, and crash types. It also promotes a 

process that can be incorporated into existing 

safety management efforts. Since the systemic 

safety process is based on risk rather than location, 

the tool helps agencies identify characteristics to 

support system-wide risk assessments.

Training 

Systemic safety training demonstrates how a 

combined approach of hot spot and systemic 

analyses can achieve greater reductions in fatalities 

and serious injuries than either method alone. The 

training is designed to benefit executives and 

practitioners at State DOTs, local transportation 

agencies, and tribal agencies. It provides hands-on 

expertise that enables users to quickly implement 

the program. 

There are two types of training, which FHWA offers 

by request.

• A one-hour workshop provides an overview of 

the approach and why it is beneficial. The 

training can be given via webinar or in person. If 

conducted in person, FHWA staff hold a 

meeting with agency staff to discuss options for 

advancing systemic safety implementation 

efforts. 

FHWA developed this training in response to 

concerns expressed by some State and local 

agencies about making investments on 

roadways with no crashes. The workshop 
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 7

provides quantifiable evidence of the benefits 

by highlighting the experiences of States and 

local agencies that have successfully 

implemented the systemic approach. The 

training also shows how the systemic approach, 

coupled with the traditional hot spot analysis, 

positively impacts problems occurring in rural 

communities and those involving vulnerable 

road users. 

• A four-hour, hands-on workshop provides 

more detailed information on how to conduct a 

systemic safety analysis, where it should be 

used, and how to evaluate its effectiveness. 

This training uses case study exercises to 

highlight each of these elements. 

Selecting the right type of 

training to meet an 

agency’s needs depends in 

part on the recipients. For 

example, the DOT chief 

engineer or head of 

planning, a mayor, or tribal 

chairman may benefit from 

the one-hour overview 

training. The four-hour workshop will be useful for 

safety engineers, planning offices, DOT districts, 

county engineers, public works directors, and tribal 

engineers and planners. 

Washington State has successfully used this fourhour training to educate local agencies on the 

systemic approach to safety in preparation for a 

Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) 

solicitation. The Washington State LTAP Center, in 

cooperation with FHWA, provided training on the 

Systemic Safety Project Selection Tool in 2014. 

This training was provided primarily to counties in 

order to complete their HSIP grant applications, 

which required submitting a local road safety plan 

as part of the application process. This training 

provided additional ideas, insights, and directions 

that could be incorporated into those local road 

safety plans. “Ultimately, 30 counties (out of 39) 

successfully developed a local road safety plan and 

received HSIP funding to make systemic safety 

improvements to their roadway networks,” said 

Matthew Enders from the Washington State 

Department of Transportation (WSDOT).” This 

training provided a direct benefit to multiple 

counties that successfully applied for these funds.” 

Technical Assistance

FHWA also offers technical assistance to help 

agencies use the Systemic Safety Project Selection 

Tool. This technical assistance includes guidance 

for:

• Balancing systemic analysis with the spotspecific approach, 

• Studying and selecting focus crashes,

• Identifying crash risk factors, and 

• Identifying and prioritizing countermeasures 

and locations.

Technical assistance is available in person, where

FHWA staff or an approved subject matter expert

provides over-the-shoulder analysis support during 

the application of a systemic safety analysis by an

agency. It is also available through on-call 

telephone support. Help is available in response to 

a stand-alone request and can be offered as a 

follow-up to the four-hour hands on workshop 

where the instructor can guide an agency through 

the systemic safety analysis process. 

Noteworthy Practices

FHWA also identifies and shares noteworthy 

practices and lessons learned related to the 

systemic approach to safety. For example,

Thurston County, Washington, used a proactive, 

data-driven approach to identify curves for 

improvement before a severe crash could occur 

rather than reacting after an incident has occurred. 

Missouri used the systemic analysis to expand and 

improve roadway visibility features, expand the 

installation and maintenance of shoulders, remove

or shield fixed objects, and improve curve 

recognition—all of which helped achieve a 46 

percent reduction in lane departure fatalities

statewide. 

The Washington State LTAP Center, in cooperation with FHWA, 

provided training on the Systemic Safety Project Selection Tool in 2014. 

Ultimately, 30 counties (out of 39) successfully developed a local road 

safety plan and received HSIP funding to make systemic safety improvements to their roadway networks. This training provided a direct benefit 

to multiple counties that successfully applied for these funds.
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 8

Peer-to-Peer Assistance

Peer-to-peer assistance offers valuable insights 

and lessons learned through peers who detail their 

own experience implementing the systemic 

approach. Peers can address questions and 

concerns about adopting this approach and provide 

specific information on how it benefited their 

agency. 

Systemic Safety Webinars

FHWA is hosting a series of systemic safety 

webinars throughout 2015. The purpose of the 

webinar series is to continue the dialogue from the 

2014 Systemic Safety Implementation Peer 

Exchanges and share information to advance 

systemic safety implementation efforts across the 

country. Participants will hear how State and local 

agencies have engaged partners, used analysis 

tools, and applied countermeasures to advance 

implementation of systemic safety efforts across 

the Nation. Upcoming webinar topics include: 

June 8, 2015 (1:00 – 3:00 PM ET): Using the 

Right Tools for Systemic Safety Analysis

Learn about data analysis tools and approaches 

agencies are using to conduct systemic safety 

analysis. Register at: https://collaboration.fhwa.

dot.gov/dot/fhwa/WC/Lists/Seminars/DispForm.asp

x?ID=556

September 29, 2015 (1:00 – 3:00 PM ET): 

Selecting the Right Systemic Safety Treatments

Learn about systemic safety treatments implemented by State and local agencies. Register 

at: https://collaboration.fhwa.dot.gov/dot/fhwa/WC/L

ists/Seminars/DispForm.aspx?ID=571

November 2015 (Date TBD): Advancing 

Systemic Safety Implementation Efforts

Learn how agencies are using innovative 

implementation and evaluation approaches to 

advance systemic safety efforts. 

For More Information

Find out how this new approach to traffic safety is 

making a real difference on our Nation’s roads and 

highways! The Systemic Approach to Safety web 

site 

at http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/systemic/index.htm is 

your one-stop shop for everything related to the 

systemic approach to safety. You can download the 

Systemic Safety Project Selection Tool, review 

case studies and noteworthy practices, and learn 

more about the upcoming webinars. You can also 

access the systemic training and technical 

assistance application and 2014 Systemic Safety 

Implementation Peer Exchange Reports. For 

further information, contact Karen Scurry, FHWA, 

Office of Safety, karen.scurry@dot.gov, 609-637-

4207. 

NEW RDE METHODOLOGY WILL 

SUPPORT A BROAD RANGE OF 

AGENCY ACTIVITIES 

By Robert Pollack, FHWA Office of Safety

The FHWA Office of Safety is developing the 

Roadway Data Extraction Technical Assistance 

Program (RDETAP) as part of its Roadway Safety 

Data Program. This program is intended to provide 

technical assistance to State and local agencies to 

identify, extract, and maintain roadway data needed 

to conduct an effective safety program and to 

support other disciplines such as asset 

management, planning and maintenance. The 

RDETAP is an extension of work initiated under the 

Model Inventory of Roadway Elements –

Management Information System (MIRE-MIS) 

project conducted in 2012-2013. The MIRE-MIS 

project developed data identification/extraction 

tools that assisted the development of an intersection inventory in two test States. The current 

RDETAP effort is seeking to modify one of the tools

developed under the MIRE-MIS project into a more 

“generic” version that can be more easily adapted 

to work with data systems in other States. 

MAP-21 and Safety Analyses

MAP-21 specifies that safety analyses be 

conducted on all public roads. The safety data 

(e.g., crash, roadway and traffic data) maintained in 

a State from all public roads should be linkable by 

geolocation and available for problem identification 

and evaluation. However, statewide roadway safety 

databases do not exist in many States because the 

required data are collected by multiple public 

agencies, such as DOTs, MPOs, and cities, and 

are stored in multiple databases. As a result, the 

MAP-21-generated safety requirements necessitate 

cooperation and coordination between State, local, 

and other jurisdictions in developing or incorporating the data needed to conduct analyses on a 

system-wide basis. The current effort is intended to 

assist State and local agencies to identify and reformat roadway data that may exist in diverse data-
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 9

bases or to identify and input data from existing

data sources, such as State roadway photo logs, 

through automated tools and interfaces.

Data Process Model for RDETAP Tool

RDETAP Pilot Test

The RDETAP tool (currently being modified from 

the version used in the MIRE-MIS project)

processes roadway inventory data from multiple 

sources in an ESRI ArcGIS environment and 

attaches non-spatial attribute data (e.g., AADT and 

roadway width) to spatial roadway elements (e.g., 

intersection points and intersection legs). The data 

is stored in a geodatabase and can be exported in 

a variety of desired formats to support safety 

analysis, such as techniques identified in 

AASHTO’s Highway Safety Manual. The tool is 

being pilot tested in two States, where it will be 

modified to work with each test State’s data files 

and data storage structure. 

This pilot effort is being conducted, in part, to assist 

in developing a Programmer’s Guide and a User’s 

Guide that can be used to promote this tool to other 

States once the pilot test is completed.

As part of the pilot test program, the project team 

also intends to work with selected local agencies 

(e.g. cities, counties) to try to make their data 

compatible with the roadway data in the State 

system, thus allowing the local data to be 

integrated with the State system. The work with 

local agencies will not commence until the data 

extraction tool has been adapted to and is 

functioning on the State’s database system.

Benefits

One of the benefits to State and local agencies is 

expected to be the development of an expanded 

roadway and traffic inventory database. This 

expanded database will allow the use of more 

advanced analytic tools to eliminate some of the 

shortcomings of just using crash frequencies or 

rates to determine the severity and extent of safety 

problems. In addition to safety program benefits, an 

expanded roadway inventory database can also 

assist participating jurisdictions with asset 

management, maintenance, operations, and 

planning activities. 

Pending the successful completion of the pilot 

tests, FHWA anticipates making the RDETAP 

available to other states.

To learn more about this project, please contact

Robert Pollack, 202-366-5019 or 

at robert.pollack@dot.gov. 

FHWA PROMOTES “GOOD GIS

PRACTICES” AT GIS-T SYMPOSIUM

By Esther Strawder, Office of Safety

The annual Geospatial Information Systems for 

Transportation (GIS-T) Symposium, sponsored by 

the American Association of State Highway 

Transportation Officials (AASHTO), was held April 

19-22 in Des Moines, Iowa. This year’s meeting 

offered keynote speakers, discussion forums, 

workshops, presentations, and a technology hall 

where exhibitors showcased their services. 

Organizations and individuals with information 

related to GIS in transportation shared their 

experience with the nearly 300 participants in 

attendance. The FHWA Office of Safety was also 

on hand to offer a technical workshop exploring 

ways to advance GIS-based efforts to support 

traffic safety programs through good practices, 

development of case studies, and, eventually,

technical support. KLS Engineering, LLC and the 

University of Kentucky are assisting FHWA in this 

ongoing effort.

FHWA is working to develop case studies 

promoting "good GIS practices" in support of road 

safety programs to share with State and local 

transportation agencies that may be interested in 

advancing their own GIS practice in this area. If you 

have or know of any programs or unique GIS 

processes or practices for advancing highway 

safety, please contact Esther Strawder 

at esther.strawder@dot.gov or Robert Pollack 

at robert.pollack@dot.gov.
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 10

FHWA ISSUES NEW PUBLICATIONS 

ILLUSTRATING PROVEN COUNTERMEASURES FOR INTERSECTION SAFETY

By: Jeffrey B. Shaw, P.E., FHWA Office of Safety

The FHWA Office of Safety – Intersections 

Program is pleased to announce two new 

publications that support our Proven Safety 

Countermeasures (http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/

provencountermeasures/) campaign. These new 

resources support two of the Intersections 

countermeasures: Backplates with Retroreflective 

Borders (http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/proven

countermeasures/fhwa_sa_12_007.cfm) and 

Corridor Access Management (http://safety.fhwa.

dot.gov/provencountermeasures/fhwa_sa_12_006.

cfm). With a target audience that consists of 

technical professionals from State and local 

agencies, these technical summary documents 

describe the effectiveness of each countermeasure, 

outline the respective “state of the practice,” and 

highlight experiences from agencies across the 

United States. Additionally, a shorter, companion 

Executive Summary for each topic is also available 

to help promote the benefits of these important 

safety elements to non-technical audiences and 

stakeholders.

Backplates with Retroreflective Borders

Traffic signal backplates—thin plates of material 

that surround traffic signal indication light arrays—

are intended to improve the visibility of the signal by 

providing a consistent and controlled-contrast 

background. Attempts to further enhance the 

visibility and conspicuity of traffic signals, 

particularly during nighttime hours, have led to the 

addition of narrow strips of retroreflective tape or 

sheeting around the border of the backplates (see 

photo below). This combination of backplates with 

retroreflective borders frames the signal head and 

provides visual enhancement to the signal 

indication during both daytime and nighttime 

conditions.

By framing the signal, retroreflective borders also 

enhance the visibility of traffic signals for both aging 

and color-vision impaired drivers, enabling them to

more easily identify which signal indication is 

illuminated. Retroreflective borders may also alert

drivers to the presence of an intersection during 

periods of power outages at night, when the signals 

would otherwise be dark and non-reflective signal

heads and backplates would not be visible. The 

very low cost of implementation – typically only a 

few hundred dollars per intersection – and the 

associated 15 percent reduction in crashes at 

treated intersections has led many State and local 

transportation agencies to make this a standard 

practice when modernizing existing or constructing 

new signalized intersections.

Learn more about this Proven Safety 

Countermeasure and implementers’ experiences 

in Kentucky, New Hampshire, Virginia and 

Washington State in Proven Safety 

Countermeasures Technical Summary: Backplates 

with Retroreflective Borders

at http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/blackplates

/blackplate_tech/

Example of traffic signal heads featuring backplates with retroreflective borders (Source: FHWA/Jeff Shaw)
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 11

Corridor Access Management

Corridor Access Management (CAM) is a strategy 

that seeks an appropriate balance between the 

safety and mobility of a roadway facility with the 

access needs of adjacent land uses. While 

managing access at a single location may help 

improve safety and operations within an immediate 

vicinity, CAM has been shown to improve safety, 

mobility, accessibility, and even business 

profitability along an entire stretch of roadway 

because it favorably impacts ALL properties along 

that corridor.

CAM preserves the flow of people and freight and 

enables safe access to businesses and 

neighborhoods using a combination of policies and 

strategies such as closing, consolidating, or 

improving driveways, median openings, and 

intersections; adding or redesigning medians; and 

planning the spacing of intersections, median 

openings, and driveways.

Studies conducted by State and local agencies, 

national organizations, and transportation trade 

associations consistently show that corridor access 

management notably improves traffic flow and 

safety for travelers. In addition, strong evidence 

shows that CAM can ultimately improve the 

success of businesses in many cases.

To review or download Proven Safety 

Countermeasures Technical Summary: Corridor 

Access Management, please 

visit http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/am/cam_t

ech/

For more information on the FHWA Intersections 

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

intersection/ or contact Jeff Shaw 

at Jeffrey.Shaw@dot.gov. 

FHWA SPOTLIGHTS NOTEWORTHY 

PRACTICES FOR PRESERVING 

ELDERLY MOBILITY

By: Rebecca Crowe, Office of Safety

Reflecting its increasing focus on promoting the 

safety of all road users, the FHWA has made 

available the new North American Conference on 

Elderly Mobility – Noteworthy Practices Guide. The 

guide showcases 22 national and international 

noteworthy practices that 

have improved elderly 

mobility in locations from 

New Zealand to New York 

City, from Florida to North 

Dakota. FHWA recognizes 

that, as our population ages, 

it is increasingly important 

that we account for the 

safety and needs of older 

adults and people with 

disabilities in our transportation system. Keeping 

our aging population mobile is important for 

maintaining independence and quality of life. We 

must also be mindful that older adults are 

especially vulnerable to injury and death in crashes. 

The new guide is based on presentations from the 

North American Conference on Elderly Mobility 

(NACEM) held in Detroit, Michigan in May 2014. 

For example:

• Maryland has seen success with its Functional 

Capacity Screening Test, a multi-tiered system 

for referring, screening, and evaluating 

individuals’ medical fitness to drive. The 

screening includes a short series of tests that 

measure basic visual, cognitive, and physical 

abilities that are needed to safely operate a 

motor vehicle. Reviewed by a board of 

physicians from various medical specialties, this 

test helps the Motor Vehicle Administration

identify drivers who are at-risk due to a physical 

or cognitive decline.

• The American Association of Retired Persons 

(AARP) Driver Safety division launched a new 

refresher course called AARP Smart DriverTM, 

which uses adult learning principles to teach

safety strategies and defensive driving methods 

to older drivers. Among other topics, 

participants learn about safely navigating 

adverse weather conditions, new automobile 

technology, the effects of medication on driving, 

Example of Corridor Access Management along South 

Golden Road, Golden, CO (Source: Google Earth Pro)
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 12

and many other pertinent topics for today’s 

mature driver.

• Michigan’s Shiawassee Area Transportation 

Agency (SATA) has developed a unique 

relationship with local churches that allows 

them to use church buses for public transport 

when they are not being used for their primary 

church function on Sundays and Wednesday 

nights. Churches are able to recruit volunteer 

drivers directly from their congregations and 

these volunteer drivers save SATA money that 

they can then use for other needs. In return, 

SATA helps local churches with periodic largegroup trips for church members.

These are just a few of the many examples of 

successful and innovative practices and programs 

in use throughout the country. The North American 

Conference on Elderly Mobility – Noteworthy 

Practices Guide can be accessed at http://safety.

fhwa.dot.gov/older_users/noteworthy/. For more 

information on the FHWA Older Road Users 

program or other resources, please contact 

Rebecca Crowe at rebecca.crowe@dot.gov

ACCELERATING SAFETY ACTIVITIES 

PROGRAM (ASAP) MAKES A LARGER 

IMPACT INFY 15

By: Esther Strawder, FHWA Office of Safety and Mark 

Sandifer, FHWA Technology Partnership Programs

In FY 15, the Accelerating Safety Activities 

Program (ASAP) has the opportunity to make a 

bigger impact on the Focused Approach States 

than in previous years due to a significant increase 

in funding. In March of this year, the Office of 

Safety awarded ASAP funding totaling $157,659.00

to 15 projects from 12 States. A total of 27 projects 

were submitted from 15 Focused Approach States. 

Projects were evaluated by a panel of subject 

matter experts and ranked on their merit. The 

recipient States also funded at least 20 percent of 

their projects’ value, pushing the total value of the 

funded projects to more than $380,000. 

ASAP is administered through a partnership 

between the Office of Safety and the Technology 

Partnership Programs. Through ASAP, FHWA staff

work with Local Technical Assistance Programs

(LTAPs) and Tribal Technical Assistance Programs

(TTAPs) to further the goal of promoting safety 

innovation through training, outreach, and 

education. ASAP supports partnerships among the 

LTAP/TTAP Centers, State DOTs, local 

government agencies, and professional 

organizations to assist the 23 Focus Approach 

States in improving safety in three program focus

areas: roadway departures, pedestrian safety, and 

intersection safety. ASAP funds are currently 

available to the 23 States that are eligible to 

participate in the Focused Approach to Safety. 

2015 marks the tenth consecutive year of project 

awards through ASAP and the third year of 

partnering with the LTAP/TTAP Centers to 

implement innovation in safety. More than $1.35 

million dollars have been invested to date.

For more information on the ASAP program, please 

contact Esther Strawder 

at esther.strawder@dot.gov or Mark Sandifer 

at mark.sandifer@dot.gov.

RSDP TOOLBOX: A CLEARINGHOUSE 

FOR ROADWAY SAFETY DATA AND 

ANALYSIS TOOLS

By: Stuart Thompson, FHWA Office of Safety, and Frank 

Gross, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.

The last two decades have brought significant 

advancements in data-driven decision-making, 

including the development and refinement of 

numerous safety data and analysis tools. While 

these new tools support data-driven decisionmaking, the identification and selection of an 

appropriate tool can be a daunting task, particularly 

for those new to quantitative safety analysis.

In response, the FHWA Roadway Safety Data 

Program (RSDP) team developed a web-based 

Toolbox that acts as a clearinghouse for roadway 

safety data and analysis tools. The Toolbox fulfills 

the need for a centralized source of information 

about the available safety data and analysis tools. 

The web-based, user-guided interface helps users 

identify the appropriate tool based on self-identified 

needs, capabilities, and resources.

The Toolbox is designed to be useful to all 

technical roadway safety stakeholders in both the 

public and private sectors. This includes those 

groups or individuals involved in the project

development process (planning to design) as well 

as those responsible for the operation and

maintenance of constructed facilities. The toolbox
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 13

supports activities including data management, 

data analysis, data collection, and research. 

Detailed information is provided on each of the 

tools, presenting the information at a level that is 

easily understandable. The Toolbox also provides

users the ability to identify which tools can be 

implemented with current data capabilities and 

determine what data improvements might be 

needed to employ more advanced tools.

State and local agency staff and their contractors 

will find the Toolbox useful for identifying

appropriate tools based on their needs and 

capabilities. Users have the option to explore a list 

of all relevant tools based on four primary actions

(i.e., manage, analyze, collect, and research) or 

they can use the advanced search function to 

identify a tool to support a specific need. In either 

case, users can use drop-down menus to apply 

filters (see screen capture, right) to refine the list of 

tools to those that are appropriate for their needs, 

data, system maturity (e.g., basic or advanced), 

and other factors related to the tools. Other 

selection factors include:

• Type of tool: software, database, guide, or 

information source.

• Related aspect of safety management 

process: network screening, diagnosis, 

countermeasure selection, economic appraisal, 

project prioritization, and safety effectiveness 

evaluation.

• Related aspect of project development 

process: planning, alternatives development 

and analysis, design, and operations and 

maintenance.

• Focus area: roadway departure, intersection, 

pedestrian/bike, local/rural, and speed.

• Target program: strategic highway safety plan, 

highway safety improvement program, safe 

routes to school, and transportation safety 

planning.

• Target audience: State, regional, or local.

Drop-down menus allow users to apply filters to refine 

the list of tools to those that are appropriate for their 

needs.

While developing the toolbox, FHWA conducted a 

gap analysis and developed a prioritized list of the 

data and analysis tools needed to support the datadriven decision-making process. The top three 

tools, currently under development, are as follows:

• Primer on Safety Data and Analysis Tools: 

There is currently no umbrella document that 

discusses the various tools available for safety 

data and analysis. This guide will be linked to 

the Toolbox and will serve as a primer for new 

users. It will include a general overview of the 

types of existing tools in the Toolbox, a 

description of those users who will derive the 

The RSD Toolbox lets users explore data resources 

for decision making, data collection, and analysis while 

providing an advanced search tool for keyword and 

category resource searches. 
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 14

greatest benefit from using the Toolbox, and a 

tutorial on how to search the Toolbox effectively 

and identify the right tool(s) for a given task.

• Demonstrating the Value of State-of-the-Art 

Methods: With the publication of the Highway 

Safety Manual (HSM) and software tools such 

as AASHTOWare Safety AnalystTM, the 

practitioner has many available tools to use in 

applying state-of-the-art methods for safety 

management and data-driven decision making. 

However, many practitioners still apply 

traditional methods that have well-known 

limitations. The intent of this guide is to 

demonstrate the value of state-of-the-art 

methods using real-world case studies 

supplemented with additional data.

• Evaluating SPFs and CMFs for use in HSM 

Methodologies: Safety performance functions 

(SPFs) and crash modification factors (CMFs) 

are integral parts of the HSM methods for 

estimating the predicted and expected number 

of crashes for a given site. However, SPFs and 

compatible with and applicable to local data 

jurisdictions. As such, agencies must ensure 

that the SPFs and CMFs they use are prior to 

employing them in HSM methods. This guide 

and a related spreadsheet tool will assist users 

in making those determinations.

These and other helpful tools can be found 

at http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/, and don’t forget

to visit the RSDP Toolbox 

at http://projects.vhb.com/fhwatoolbox/toolboxhome.aspx. For more information on the Roadway 

Safety Data Program (RSDP), contact Stuart 

Thompson at stuart.thompson@dot.gov. 

2015 NATIONAL WORK ZONE 

AWARENESS WEEK 

“EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED”

By: Martha C. Kapitanov, Office of Operations

March 23-27, 2015 marked the 15th National Work 

Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW), with kick-off 

events taking place on March 24th in Arlington, 

Virginia. For this landmark occasion, FHWA joined 

representatives from the American Traffic Safety 

Services Association (ATSSA), the American 

Association of State Highway and Transportation 

Officials (AASHTO), Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), American Road & 

Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), 

Associated General Contractors (AGC), Virginia 

Department of Transportation (VDOT), Maryland 

State Highway Administration (MDSHA), District 

Department of Transportation (DDOT), and other 

stakeholders to raise public awareness of the 

importance of work zone safety.

The 2015 NWZAW theme 

“Expect the Unexpected” is 

the same that was used in

2000, when this annual 

event first took place. The 

NWZAW Committee 

decided that this 

comprehensive theme

showcases the importance 

of being aware while

working, driving, and 

walking in and around a 

work zone. The theme conveys the important 

message that motorists should be prepared for 

changes in speed limits, lane merges or shifts, 

construction vehicles entering the highway, 

detours, flaggers, workers near the road, queues, 

and other potentially unexpected changes that may 

occur at any time in a work zone.

Work zone safety remains an important focus in 

FHWA’s efforts to move the Nation toward zero 

deaths. In 2013, the most recent year for which we 

have data, there were 579 fatalities in work zones, 

with 81 percent of fatalities occurring among 

motorists and their occupants and 19 percent being 

among non-motorized users such as pedestrians, 

bicyclists, and construction workers. According to 

data from the Fatality Analysis Recording System

Want to have an impact on how the RSDP 

Toolbox works? Try it out! 

FHWA welcomes our stakeholders to take the 

Toolbox for a “test drive”! The main page of 

the tool gives you options to share your own 

tools, identify gaps or additional needs, and 

provide general feedback. So take her for a 

spin, and let us know what you think! 

http://projects.vhb.com/fhwatoolbox/toolbo

x-home.aspx
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 15

(FARS), 2013 saw a 6 percent decrease in fatalities 

from 2012, when 617 people died in work zonerelated incidents. But because even one work zone 

fatality is too many, there is still much work to be 

done.

For more information regarding work zone 

management training, regulations, resources and 

tools visit the FHWA Work Zone Management 

website at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/workzones and 

the National Work Zone Safety Information 

Clearinghouse at http://www.workzonesafety.org

NEW! WORK ZONE SAFETY 

APPLICATION SUITE NOW AVAILABLE!

Developed under the FHWA Work Zone Safety 

Grant for use on both iOS and Android smart 

phones and tablets, this FREE app can help users:

• Quickly determine both minimum 

device spacing and minimum 

number of devices 

needed for merging, 

shifting, shoulder, or 

flagger operations

• Calculate the number of 

devices you need 

• Customize your results to 

incorporate local 

standards

• Learn about and apply best practices for

stationary lane closures and short duration 

operations.

• Set up a temporary traffic control area.

Download these resources today! 

Available on Google Play at https://play.google.

com/store/apps/details?id=com.leidos.wzsa.beta.x2

Available on iTunes at https://itunes.apple.

com/us/app/work-zone-safety/id968405741?mt=8

ROAD DIET DESK REFERENCE SHOWS 

HOW SMALLER STREETS CAN MEAN A

BIGGER SAFETY ADVANTAGE

The FHWA has just released a new resource, the 

Road Diet Desk Reference. This handy guide 

provides a snapshot of what the Road Diet configuration looks like, describes how it decreases 

potential vehicle conflicts, explains why Road Diets 

are an important tool for 

improving safety and 

mobility on roadways, and 

gives examples of 

localities that have seen 

safety benefits from 

applying the Road Diet 

configuration. 

Many localities are unaware that a Road Diet, 

which reduces the number of lanes in the road 

cross-section (e.g., turning a four-lane roadways 

into three-lane undivided roadway made up of two 

through lanes and a center two-way left-turn lane), 

is an important safety countermeasure, decreasing 

vehicle-to-vehicle conflicts that can contribute to 

rear-end, left-turn, and sideswipe crashes by removing undivided inside lanes from multi-lane roadways. In fact, studies indicate both a 19 to 47 percent reduction in overall crashes when a Road Diet 

is installed on a previously four-lane undivided facility as well as a decrease in crashes involving 

drivers under 35 and over 65 years of age.

By reducing the number of available travel lanes, 

the configuration offers the added benefit of allowing roadway “real estate” to be reallocated for other 

uses, such as bike lanes, pedestrian refuge islands, 

transit pullouts, and parking. This makes roadways 

more accessible and useful to all road users.

For more information on the Road Diet configuration, or to download a copy of the new Road 

Diet Desk Reference, please visit http://safety.fhwa.

dot.gov/road_diets. For questions about the 

FHWA’s Road Diet program, please contact 

Rebecca Crowe at rebecca.crowe@dot.gov.

Did You Know?

The FHWA Every Day Counts (EDC-3) Smarter Work Zones initiative is one of the many FHWA 

commitments to establishing safer, more efficient work zones. The EDC-3 Smarter Work Zones effort 

focuses on road project coordination and technology applications, especially queue management

and speed management. More information on this initiative can be found at 

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/everydaycounts/edc-3/zones.cfm
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 16

INTERACTIVE HIGHWAY SAFETY 

DESIGN MODEL (IHSDM) UPDATE 

AVAILABLE

By: Lincoln Cobb, FHWA Office of Safety

The FHWA Office of Safety R&D has released the 

Interactive Highway Safety Design Model - HSM 

Predictive Method 2014 Public Release Update 

(version 10.1.0), which can be downloaded for free 

at www.ihsdm.org. 

IHSDM is a suite of software analysis tools to 

evaluate safety and operational effects of geometric 

design decisions. IHSDM supports the Data-Driven 

Safety Analysis initiative as part of the FHWA's 

Every Day Counts 3 (EDC-3) efforts. The IHSDM 

Crash Prediction Module implements Highway 

Safety Manual Predictive Methods (Part C) for twolane rural highways, multi-lane rural highways, 

urban and suburban arterials, freeways and 

ramps/interchanges.

Major enhancements in this update include:

• Interchange-level evaluations. All ramps, 

collector-distributor roads, and ramp terminals 

associated with an interchange can now be 

evaluated in a single operation. 

• Empirical-Bayes analysis is now functional 

for freeway ramp terminals, for both stationbased and site-based analyses.

• Breakdowns of expected crashes by 

severity level and crash type were added to 

“site-based” analysis evaluation reports. 

For more information contact Clayton 

Chen, clayton.chen@dot.gov or 202-493-3054. To

learn more about IHSDM, please visit the program 

web page 

at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/

projects/safety/comprehensive/ihsdm/index.cfm

DEMONSTRATION PROJECT LINKS 

SPEED FEEDBACK SIGNS TO FEWER

ROADWAY DEPARTURES ON CURVES

By: Abdul Zineddin, FHWA Office of Safety R&D

Roadway departures continue to account for more 

than half of U.S. roadway fatalities annually and 

nearly 40 percent of serious injuries, making such 

crashes a significant safety concern. The majority

of lane departure crashes occur on rural two-lane 

roadways, with a disproportionate number of these 

crashes taking place on horizontal curves. 

Horizontal curves, which change the alignment or 

direction of the road (as opposed to vertical curves, 

which change the slope), are associated with more 

than 25 percent of fatal crashes, and the vast 

majority of these fatalities are associated with 

roadway departures. The average crash rate for 

horizontal curves is about three times that of other 

types of highway segments. About three-quarters of 

curve-related fatal crashes involve single vehicles 

leaving the roadway and striking trees, utility poles, 

rocks, or other fixed objects—or overturning. A 

primary factor in curve-related crashes is speeding.

Below, the top figure shows a speed display sign, 

and the bottom figure shows a curve warning sign 

(referred to as a curve display sign). Both signs 

activate when drivers exceed the 50th percentile 

speed (i.e., the speed at which half of drivers are 

exceeding the speed limit and half are driving at or 

below the speed limit). The speed sign displays the 

vehicle’s actual speed, up to a specified threshold. 

If driver speeds exceed that threshold, the speed 

indication is replaced by the actual posted speed 

limit. This change was implemented so that drivers 

would not increase their speeds beyond what is 

safe on the approach to the curve.
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 17

Dynamic speed feedback sign (DSFS) systems are 

one method to reduce vehicle speeds and, consequently, crashes on curves. The Center for Transportation Research and Education at Iowa State 

University conducted a national demonstration 

project to evaluate the effectiveness of two different 

DSFSs in reducing speed and crashes on curves at 

22 total sites on rural two-lane roadways in seven 

States. The goal was to provide traffic safety 

engineers and other professionals with additional 

tools to manage speeds and crashes on rural 

horizontal curves more effectively.

Researchers collected data before installation and 

at 1, 12, and 24 months after installation of the 

DSFS. On average, most sites experienced 

decreases in mean speeds, with decreases up to 

10.9 miles per hour (mph) noted for both the point 

of curvature (PC) and center of curve (CC). In 

addition, large reductions in the number of vehicles 

traveling faster than the posted or advisory speed 

occurred for all of the “after” periods at the PC and 

CC, indicating that the signs were effective in 

reducing both high-end speeds as well as average 

and 85th percentile speeds. A before-and-after 

crash analysis also led to the development of crash 

modification factors (CMF), which ranged from 0.93 

to 0.95 depending on the crash type and direction. 

The findings of this study are documented in the 

report Evaluation of Dynamic Speed Feedback 

Signs on Curves: A National Demonstration 

Project, which is available at http://www.fhwa.dot.

gov/publications/research/safety/14202/14020.pdf

For more information, contact Abdul Zineddin, 202-

493-3288, abdul.zineddin@dot.gov

HIGH FRICTION SURFACE TREATMENT 

DEMO HELPS COUNTY ROADS 

“GET A GRIP”

By Lisa Harris, Kansas LTAP 

“It’s pretty amazing, actually,” said Scott Davis, 

county traffic engineer for Thurston County in 

Washington State. Davis is talking about high friction surface treatment, or HFST. His county’s crew 

recently installed HFST on three road segments 

under a FHWA-funded demonstration project. 

HFST is designed to treat short sections of road 

where there have been crashes due to skidding or 

there is a high risk for skidding. It is a specialized 

aggregate placed over a binder that creates a 

sandpaper-like texture, improving the ability of tires 

to “grip” the road surface. 

Davis has known about the technology for a while, 

but did not consider it for previous safety programs

largely because it is more expensive than other 

run-off-the-road countermeasures like chevrons, 

rumble strips, and pavement markings. Davis 

noted, however, that in many areas of Thurston 

County there are limitations on where rumble strips 

can be installed due to the proximity of homes, lack 

of pavement structure, or lack of shoulders.

Davis said he was “re-motivated” to pursue HFST 

as a possible solution at the 2013 American Public 

Works International Congress in Chicago, where he 

learned about the striking effectiveness of an HFST 

project in Wisconsin. “Crash reductions were phenomenal—something like 100 down to 2 at an interstate ramp,” he said. Davis learned that FHWA’s 

Every Day Counts (EDC) Program, which funds

selected demonstration projects, recommended 

HFST. “At the time I was re-introduced to HFST, I 

was looking for another relatively low-cost and 

proven countermeasure that could help in some of 

the more interesting sites in Thurston County,” 

Davis said.

To become more comfortable with applying and 

maintaining HFST, however, he wanted to see 

firsthand how the product was installed. He talked 

with the FHWA Division office and the Local 

Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) office in 

Washington State about organizing a demo. 

FHWA Videos Highlight High 

Friction Surface Treatments 

Interested in learning more about High 

Friction Surface Treatments and how they are 

applied? FHWA has developed two videos that 

provide an overview of the benefits of HFST 

and its application process as well as some 

examples of where this safety countermeasure

has been used.

Check them out today! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V860pC6

ncAY (20 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVzSVkABPE (6 minutes)
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 18

“Partnerships are important in most things we do, 

but having the support of those two offices is crucial 

to getting an EDC-funded demo project,” he said.

Mike Moravec of the FHWA Office of Transportation Performance Management and Frank 

Julian of the FHWA Resource Center organized the 

HFST demo that included a contractor installation

at one site and a county maintenance crew 

installation at another site. FHWA paid for the 

contractor, materials for both sites, and provided

training for the county crew, with the county funding 

its crew’s labor. A technical team and vendors 

provided direct oversight for installation.

Davis, Washington LTAP, and FHWA developed a 

list of candidate sites for the demo using a 

combination of crash history and systemic risk 

analysis of roadway characteristics. Other 

considerations included sites that could provide 

enough room to stage and mobilize equipment and 

provide space for everyone observing to be safely 

off the road. Although the demo was planned for 

two sites, in the end, because there was extra 

material left over from the first two applications, the 

team was also able to treat a third demo site.

Thurston County hosted a peer exchange that 

coincided with the scheduled HFST installation by 

county maintenance staff. The intent was to allow 

attendees not only to learn about HFST in a

classroom environment, but also to see an actual

installation by local forces. Davis said 35 or so 

individuals attended, 21 of whom were from local 

governments. Davis said the weather cooperated—

no small feat in Washington State. “[The installation 

team] did an amazing job,” he added. “The work 

was done fast, and it was high quality. I believe 

these thoughts were shared by all those that 

attended the peer exchange.”

Davis said the installation of HFST “goes pretty 

quick.” For example, the county’s maintenance 

crew laid about 440 ft. of HFST in a single lane in 

two hours, with only about an hour of preparation 

needed prior to installation. After installation, the 

treatment does need some time to cure. However, 

based on Thurston County’s experience, Davis said 

a county could easily treat a one-lane segment in 

half a day with mobilization and demobilization. If 

treating two lanes, Davis recommended scheduling 

two days, although the crew would not be working 

full days at the site.

Davis appreciated having the county maintenance 

crews install HFST—and watching the process. “It’s 

interesting to see a hands-on approach. It’s a lot 

different than seeing a contractor do it,” he said. 

Plus, for the cost of the labor, his county got a 

safety improvement. For him, hosting the demo 

was a win-win.

When asked if he had any tips for other agencies in 

using the materials, Davis said both of the materials 

used for the binder (acrylic resin or epoxy) are 

considered hazardous for various reasons, so the 

personnel handling them need to have hazmat 

certification to haul the materials. “Read and follow 

the MSDS (material safety data sheets),” he 

emphasized. Thurston County provided the

appropriate safety gear and discussed the 

materials and precautions with staff prior to 

installation.

Thurston County’s crew prepared the resin, applied it to 

the road, and covered it with a specialized calcined 

bauxite aggregate at this HFST project in 2014.

Thirty-five people, including 21 from local agencies, 

attended the county-applied demonstration of highfriction surface treatment in Thurston County.

Photo courtesy of Thurston County

Photo courtesy of Thurston County
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 19

Davis estimated the cost of a 450-ft single-lane 

section to be $13-15,000 for materials, with twothirds of that cost being for the binder and one-third 

being for the aggregate. “Although this sounds like 

a lot, it really is not if you have already exhausted 

other low-cost measures and you have no other 

options or are considering reconstruction,” he said. 

Davis is looking at doing more HFST projects with 

the roadway maintenance crew next year.

Davis noted that “this effort would not have been 

possible without a strong partnership with our local 

FHWA and WSDOT offices. Both are very 

supportive of local road safety and helped 

champion our HFST demo request.”

Two counties that attended the peer exchange 

have already decided to pursue HFST. One is 

planning to install a total of nearly 1 mile of treated 

segments, and the other county requested $2 

million in HSIP funding to support its planned 

installations. 

This article was excerpted from the Fall 2014 

Kansas LTAP Newsletter at the Kansas University

Transportation Center.

ALIVE AT 25: KENTUCKY PROGRAM 

CUTS FATALITIES AMONG YOUNGER 

DRIVERS BY HALF 

By Sarah Trotto, National Safety Council

Kentucky's Alive at 25, an accredited Graduated 

Driver Licensing program, has expanded from six 

instructors teaching a few classes to 33 instructors 

teaching classes in every county. Since State 

troopers began teaching Alive at 25 in 2004, nearly 

15,000 students have 

attended the program, 

and Kentucky’s death 

toll among drivers 

aged 16 to 19 has 

declined by 51 percent.

However, Lori Hunsaker, the program's State 

Coordinator and Instructor Trainer, hopes to 

expand Alive at 25 even farther across the State. 

Her goals: double the number of instructors, secure 

permanent locations for classes, and bring the 

program into colleges.

"I would like to see it in every single county on a 

monthly basis," Hunsaker said. "We're not just in 

the schools or waiting for someone to approve the 

class. We're there each and every month teaching 

at some part of the county or in a [state police] post 

district."

One big draw is the instructors' expertise. 

"The parents trust the state police," said Hunsaker, 

internal policy analyst with the Kentucky State 

Police and NSC 2013 Defensive Driving Courses 

Instructor Trainer of the Year. "They see it's a little 

more in depth. We do promote the fact that the 

majority of the time the state police is the first 

responder to a crash. They know what it's like to tell 

a parent that a teen has been killed in a car crash. 

It puts more heart into it knowing how hard it is to 

do that job."

Hunsaker credited the program's growth to 

receiving certification last year from the Kentucky 

Transportation Cabinet after the National Safety 

Council (NSC), the organization responsible for 

developing the curriculum, restructured the course 

contents—including more State-specific 

information—to meet the agency's guidelines.

Hunsaker has also discussed with Kentucky State 

University officials the possibility of making Alive at 

25 a requirement for incoming students. She would 

like to see other colleges follow suit. Although teens 

and young adults 15 to 24 attend Alive at 25 in 

various States, 16- and 17-year-olds are generally 

targeted, Hunsaker said.

"What's hurting our teen fatality rate, it's not high 

school students, it's more the college students," 

Hunsaker said. "It's more the 18- to 19-year-olds. If 

we don't reach out to them, we're going to be right 

back where we were."

During a four-hour course, the instructors often 

share video, PowerPoint presentations, and stories 

to bolster the defensive-driving curriculum and 

show how crashes affect lives. The classes focus 

on both behavior and technical information, such as 

specific Commonwealth of Kentucky laws for GDL 

drivers.

"I've had a lot of the kids say it really made them 

aware of things, how quickly things can happen," 

Hunsaker said. "One reason they were keeping it to 

state troopers teaching it is the personal stories 

they can bring. Those stories really grab students' 

attention."

This article was adapted from a longer article 

published in the National Safety Council’s Driver 

Trainer Newsletter.
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 20

TENNESSEE USES PREDICTIVE 

ANALYTICS TO TACKLE DUI,

OTHER CRASHES

By Jessica Rich, FHWA Tennessee Division

Improving crash data and analysis is a vital 

component of Tennessee’s Strategic Highway 

Safety Plan (SHSP). One of the strategies in the 

SHSP is to “improve data collection in the field and 

[facilitate] data distribution to expedite and improve 

delivery of relevant data for safety analysis, 

infrastructure improvement, and law enforcement.” 

To help achieve this goal, in August of 2014 the 

Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) spent $243,000 

to launch a predictive analytics tool that forecasts

crashes and assists law enforcement in the deployment resources in the field. THP, in consultation 

with IBM, used IBM’s SPSS predictive analytics 

software to build the Crash Reduction Analyzing 

Statistical History (CRASH) program. CRASH 

predicts the occurrence of traffic crashes and DUI 

arrests based on integrated crash and DUI information, weather forecasts, and special events 

information, which it uses to build a statistical 

model (see diagram). 

Source: Tennessee Highway Patrol

Although it is still early, CRASH has helped THP 

optimize manpower resources and support its local 

law enforcement partners. While currently focused 

on predicting the likelihood of serious injury and 

fatal crashes as well as DUI related crashes, THP 

plans to expand this tool to help with enforcement

related to commercial vehicle crashes, drug 

interdiction, gun seizures, human trafficking, and 

felony arrests.

If you have questions or want more information 

about Tennessee’s Crash Reduction Analyzing 

Statistical History program, please contact Jessica 

Rich, at Jessica.rich@dot.gov.

KENTUCKY RECOGNIZES OFFICERS FOR 

ACHIEVEMENTS IN ENFORCING 

IMPAIRED DRIVING LAWS

By: Erin Eggen, Kentucky Office of Highway Safety

The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) 

honored 193 law enforcement officers from 169 

agencies across the Commonwealth at the 

Governor’s Impaired Driving Enforcement Awards 

in December 2014. 

Awards were presented to officers 

with the most impaired driving 

arrests in each 

agency and division.

In 2014 Kentucky 

recorded more than 

5,500 alcoholrelated crashes, 

resulting in 138 

deaths and more 

than 3,000 injuries. 

More than 440 of 

those crashes 

occurred in 

December, resulting 

in eight deaths and 239 injuries.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration, one in three Americans will be impacted by a drunken driving crash in his or her 

lifetime. 

For more information on the Impaired Driving 

Enforcement Awards, please contact Erin Eggen of 

the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

at erin.eggen@ky.gov

KOHS Executive Director Bill 

Bell with KSP Sgt. Steve 

Walker, the overall winner with 

225 impaired driving arrests.
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 21

ALABAMA STRIVES FOR 

SAFETY RELEVANCE

By: Timothy E. Barnett, PE, PTOE, Alabama Department 

of Transportation and Susan B. Herbel, Cambridge 

Systematics, Inc.

The former speaker of the U.S. House of 

Representatives, Tip O’Neill once said, “All politics 

is local.” You could say much the same for traffic 

safety. Fatalities and serious injuries don’t happen 

“statewide,” they happen in communities. Alabama 

is taking this notion to heart and using a bottom-up 

approach to update its Strategic Highway Safety 

Plan (SHSP). This means that rather than starting 

from a statewide perspective, State safety leaders 

will get the word straight from the source, starting 

the 2017 SHSP update with input from regional 

coalitions who will provide a community 

perspective. 

Over the next two years, the Alabama Department 

of Transportation (ALDOT) will phase in this 

approach, beginning with four regions that 

represent diverse geographic and demographic 

characteristics, as well as highway safety issues 

experienced in rural, urban, and suburban areas. In 

addition, the regional coalitions will provide muchneeded specifics regarding traffic safety in various 

geographical and socio-economic conditions. This 

information will provide the AL SHSP Steering 

Committee with a solid foundation for applying the 

regional SHSP program to the remaining regions.

Each region will be assigned the following tasks:

• Form a regional safety coalition to oversee the 

development of a regional safety plan (coalition 

membership will be similar to that required for a 

Statewide SHSP);

• Identify the most serious traffic safety problems 

in each region using data collection and 

analysis; and 

• Report back to the AL SHSP Steering

Committee regarding the best safety

countermeasures and programs for each region 

along with requests for assistance. 

ALDOT will assist the first four regional coalitions in 

a variety of ways—e.g., data analysis, coalition 

building strategies, meeting planning and facilitation, research on countermeasure effectiveness, 

etc.—and will use those experiences to develop a 

user-friendly guidebook to document both the type 

of assistance available and the required procedures 

for the remaining eight regional coalitions to follow. 

The guidebook will outline the costs and benefits of 

regional SHSP implementation including challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned. It will also 

provide implementation guidance and available 

resources. 

The phased approach will provide real-world 

experience to the remaining eight regional 

coalitions as they embark on the development of 

regional safety plans. The State will develop an 

overarching, statewide SHSP based on the 4 initial 

regional safety plans, and statewide strategies and 

action steps will be further enhanced by the 

experiences of all 12 coalitions.

To provide support for the regional planning effort 

and to improve traffic safety statewide, ALDOT is 

undertaking additional safety initiatives, such as: 

• Forming a statewide SHSP Steering 

Committee;

• Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of 

current and past practices; 

• Identifying other transportation and safety plans 

to ensure the SHSP is coordinated with all state 

safety planning efforts;

• Implementing data improvements such as 

converting link-node to GIS and developing an 

AADT estimation methodology;

• Developing guidance and tools such as a road 

safety assessment manual, an HSIP 

management manual, a horizontal curve 

resigning program, electronic ball bank 

equipment and training, and an Alabama 

roundabout guide;

• Determining safety workforce development 

needs and communicating those needs to 

officials at the DOT and other agencies;

• Conducting research to document the benefits 

of investments in law enforcement and first 

responder training, enhanced enforcement, 

high-friction surface treatments, and methods to 

deter drowsy and fatigued driving;

• Integrating safety and operations activities; and 

• Creating a safety forecasting tool (ALSAFE).

For more information on the “bottom-up” SHSP 

planning approach, please contact Timothy E. 

Barnett, PE, PTOE, State Safety Operations 

Engineer, Alabama Department of Transportation, 

334-353-6464, barnettt@dot.state.al.us
Spring 2015: Volume 9 Issue 2 Safety Compass Newsletter • 22

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

11th International Conference on Low-Volume 

Roads, July 12–15, 2015, Pittsburgh, PA

(http://tinyurl.com/mln84ck). This conference, held 

every four years and sponsored by the 

Transportation Research Board, will feature the 

latest information about low-volume road 

management, design, construction, safety, 

maintenance, and many other related topics. The 

conference is organized for practitioners worldwide 

in local, State, and Federal agencies; universities; 

private firms; and international organizations. For 

inquiries and general correspondence, please use 

the conference mail box: LVR@nas.edu

ITE 2015 Annual Meeting, August 2-5, 2015, 

Hollywood, FL (http://tinyurl.com/on97coj). Join your 

colleagues to participate in discussions and learn 

about topics such as traffic control devices, bicycle 

sharing, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), 

electronic tolling, data collection, incident detection, 

parking, and much more!

International Conference on Traffic and Transport 

Psychology (ICTTP2016), August 2-5, 2016, 

Brisbane, Australia (http://icttp2016.com/). The 

theme for this quadrennial international conference 

is “Taking Traffic and Transport Psychology to the 

World.” the conference will feature a strong 

program of keynote speakers, oral and poster 

presentations, workshops, and symposia. 

ICTTP2016 is expected to attract 350 delegates 

from around Australia and overseas, including

academics, researchers, and practitioners in the

factors, and psychology. The conference will 

include presentations and discussions on the latest 

areas of public health, law, medicine, economics, 

law enforcement, public policy, education, human 

work being undertaken in the traffic and 

transportation psychology (i.e., human factors) 

field.

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.

2015 FHWA Webinar Series:

A Systemic Approach to Safety – Using Risk to 

Drive Action

Join your colleagues for a series of FHWA-hosted 

webinars to learn more about systemic safety 

noteworthy practices! Anyone with an interest in 

learning innovative systemic techniques to address 

traffic safety concerns is invited to attend. 

June 8, 2015 (1:00 – 3:00 PM ET): Using the 

Right Tools for Systemic Safety Analysis. Learn 

about data analysis tools and approaches agencies 

are using to conduct systemic safety analyses. 

Register at: https://collaboration.fhwa.dot.gov/

dot/fhwa/WC/Lists/Seminars/DispForm.aspx?ID

=556

September 29, 2015 (1:00 – 3:00 PM ET): 

Selecting the Right Systemic Safety 

Treatments. Learn about systemic safety 

treatments implemented by State and local 

agencies. Register at: https://collaboration.fhwa.

dot.gov/dot/fhwa/WC/Lists/Seminars/DispForm

.aspx?ID=571

November 2015 (Date TBD): Advancing 

Systemic Safety Implementation Efforts. Learn 

how agencies are using innovative implementation and evaluation approaches to advance 

systemic safety efforts.