Transcript Slide 1

Meg Moore
Traffic Engineering Section Director
Traffic Operations Division
Texas Department of Transportation
Background
• The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users
(SAFETEA-LU) requires each state to develop and
implement a Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP).
• The purpose of the SHSP is to identify key safety
needs and guide investment decisions to achieve
significant reductions in highway fatalities and serious
injuries on all public roads.
• The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is
leading the effort to develop the State’s safety plan.
What is a SHSP?
 State’s vision/goal for reducing the
number of fatal and severe injuries.
 Identifies the key strategies that when
implemented will be most effective at
achieving the goal.
 A guide for safety investments.
Strategic Highway Safety
is a Process
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Leadership initiative
Identify agency champions
Gather data
Analyze data
Establish a working group
Bring safety partners together
Adopt a strategic goal
Strategic Highway Safety
is a Process
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Identify key emphasis areas
Set performance based goals
Identify strategies and countermeasures
Determine priorities for implementation
Write the SHSP plan
Implement the plan
Gather feedback, evaluate, repeat
Texas SHSP Mission
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Reduce the human and societal costs of
highway traffic crashes, deaths, and
injuries by most effectively implementing
the “4 E’s” of traffic safety:
engineering improvements
traffic law enforcement
public education and
emergency medical services (EMS).
Overall State Goal
Texas Rates for 2001
1.77 Fatalities per 100M VMT
49.87 Serious Injuries per 100M VMT
Texas Goal by 2010
1.50 Fatalities per 100M VMT
41.20 Serious Injuries per 100M VMT
Emphasis Areas
 Serious Crash Types
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Run-Off the Road
Head On
Intersection
Pedestrian
 High Risk Drivers
• Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
• Speeding (Over limit and unsafe speed)
• Occupant Protection
Emphasis Areas
 Areas of Concern
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Motorcycles
Bicyclists
Older Drivers
Aggressive Drivers
Commercial Motor Vehicles
Teen Drivers
Work Zones
Rail/Highway Safety
Cell Phone Usage
Public and Policy Maker Awareness
Enhanced Wireless 911 Reporting System
Emphasis Area:
Run-Off the Road Crashes
 Engineering Recommendations
 Increase the use of paved shoulders on FM
roads
 Continue to install shoulder and centerline
rumble strips
 Continue to install median barriers
 Etc.
Emphasis Area:
Run-Off the Road Crashes
 Education Recommendation
 Ensure that driver education curriculums
include information concerning curves, curve
warnings and behaviors that lead to ROR
crashes.
 Enforcement Recommendation
 Increase DUI and speed enforcement as a
means of reducing ROR crashes.
Implementation
 Identify responsibility and resources
necessary for countermeasure
implementation.
 Target identified emphasis areas with
existing resources – Highway Safety
Improvement Program, Traffic Safety
Grants, Safe Routes to School Program,
etc.
Working Together…..
State DOT
Motor
Carrier
MPOs
DMV
4E’s
COMMON GOAL
SAFETY
Chapter 5
Locals
GHSR
Law
Enforcement
Contractors
Major
Modes
QUESTIONS?
http://www.dot.state.tx.us/publications/traffic.htm