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The Road Towards Zero Deaths: Rules to Live By

The Road Towards Zero Deaths: Rules to Live By. Missouri Traffic and Safety Conference May 11, 2010. Joe Toole Associate Administrator for Safety Federal Highway Administration. Fatalities and Fatality Rate, by Year. -10.5%. -16.4%. -10.9%. - 8.9%. 33,963 1.16.

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The Road Towards Zero Deaths: Rules to Live By

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  1. The Road Towards Zero Deaths:Rules to Live By Missouri Traffic and Safety Conference May 11, 2010 Joe Toole Associate Administrator for Safety Federal Highway Administration

  2. Fatalities and Fatality Rate, by Year -10.5% -16.4% -10.9% -8.9% 33,963 1.16

  3. One Death Every 15 minutes

  4. Challenges • Rural roads: • 56% of fatalities are rural – most on 2-lane roads • 36% are off the state highway system • Sparse rural population density, large road density • Data problems magnified in rural areas • Motorcyclist fatalities – 12% • Pedestrian/bicycle fatalities

  5. Distraction sources Driving and non-driving Built-in, carried-in, and outside the vehicle Passengers—attractions and distractions Role of person behind the wheel: driver or mother, boyfriend, diner, worker...

  6. What they said… • What are serious threats to safety on the road? • Drivers talking on cell phones 58% • Drivers text messaging or emailing 87% • Drivers who drink and drive 90% • Drivers believe it is unacceptable for a driver to… • Talk on handheld cell phone         71% • Talk on hands-free cell phone            38% • Send text message or email             95% • Drive after drinking 99%

  7. What they did… In the past 30 days: • Talked on cell phone while driving     67% • Read or sent text or email                 21% • 35 or younger – text messaged 40%

  8. Rules to live by… Ultimately, the highway is a factor in every highway crash.

  9. Perspective In congressional hearings in the late 1960s, several engineers made comments to the effect that we design the roads, not the roadsides. They were strongly rebuked by committee chairman Rep. John Blatnik (D-MN), who told them: “It is the height of cynicism to contend that the drivers should never have left the roadway or that many of them must have been drunk, or that somehow the driver was at fault. Why or how he left the road is not the issue. Whether he left because he was drunk, or stealing a kiss, or because he suffered a bee sting, dozed, had a blowout, was sideswiped, or forced off the road is irrelevant to roadbuilders. “What is relevant is that those who are responsible for road construction recognize that the roadside is as vital to the safe operation of a vehicle as the pavement itself, and that the duty to make that roadside safe is a very real one.”

  10. Create a “Forgiving Highway” • Understand the safety needs • Just meeting design standards is not enough; look at addressing the needs

  11. Rules to live by… No one can solve the problem by themselves.

  12. It takes Engineering, Enforcement, Education and Emergency Response…working together! • Strategic Highway Safety Plan • Crashes occur on every road

  13. Rules to live by… Follow the data…

  14. Data • Not just about looking at where crashes have occurred…look at where they are likely to occur in the future. • Understand the dynamics of the environment you are working in. • Tools are available to help evaluate alternatives…use them.

  15. Rules to live by… Every dollar spent on highways should be a dollar spent on safety.

  16. Recovery Act Status: Safety • $1.3 Billion in safety and operational improvement projects • 820 projects • Other project categories (e.g., pavement widening) likely safety • Safety countermeasures incorporated in many other projects • Rumble strips/stripes; cable guardrail; pedestrian • Intersection improvements

  17. Safety Countermeasures • Rumble strips and rumble stripes • Over 50% of fatalities a result of roadway departure on rural two-lane highways. • Estimated to reduce fatal and injury run-off-the-road crashes by 22 percent • Centerline rumble strips estimated to reduce fatal and injury head-on and opposing direction sideswipe by 25 percent. • Median cable barrier systems • Cross-over crashes some of most severe • Very cost-effective • Reduce fatal head-on crashes up to 90 percent on rural interstates

  18. NEXT 3 MILLION MILES

  19. Putting their lives on the line…

  20. Your Role is Critical • Opportunities – Look for opportunities in your organization to add value…to improve safety • Leadership- Build the Safety Culture in your organization and your community; be an advocate for viable solutions • Fostering Partnerships - Be the Ideal Partner… look for opportunities to strengthen your partnerships beyond your own area…

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