Transcript Slide 1

Future View of Roadway
Safety Management
under TZD
Forrest Council
Consultant to VHB
Future Issues
Funding at federal, State and Local Levels
(i.e., both amount and Congressional
restrictions)
Safety program managers – who they will be
and what will help them?
TZD Management
Recommendations (No box!)
 Link future FHWA, NHTSA, and FMCSA budget
increases to increases in road users (and inflation)
 Protect safety funds – do not allow 25% diversion to
non-safety core functions.
 Congress should allow US DOT to fund areas and
programs with greatest benefit (i.e., stop
earmarking).
Congressional self-policing
More congressional contact by DOT staff
More contact by politically-strong organizations (i.e.,
AASHTO, GHSA)
Management
Recommendations
 Given increased funding flexibility, US DOT
agencies should develop and use data-driven
methods to choose high-priority areas
 State and local DOTs should use existing and nearterm data-driven tools
“Countermeasures that Work”, SafetyAnalyst, IHSDM,
HSM
 If increased oversight power, FHWA and NHTSA
must insure that State Safety Plans are data-driven
and focus on most effective programs
Difficult political decisions will have to be made
Management
Recommendations
 If States propose programs/treatments with
unknown effectiveness, an scientifically-sound
evaluation should be part of the proposed
program.
 To leverage safety funds, State safety, driver,
and roadway managers will need to increase
involvement in other safety-agency decisions
(e.g., licensing, enforcement, EMS, roadway
maintenance)
Will require funding, political skill and the backing
of upper-level administration.
Management
Recommendations
 Expanding State DOT responsibility to local roads
without increased funding could decrease
treatments on higher-crash/mile State roads.
New targeting methods will need to be developed!
 Driver and roadway managers are ageing out.
Develop and expand use of in-service training programs
for possible replacements.
 Careful study is needed before “out-sourcing” State
safety programs
In done, consider incentives based on changes in
crashes and crash injury, determined by independent
assessment
Questions?