“Blue” County

1. “Blue” County Community Traffic Safety Meeting July XX, 2008

2. Meeting Agenda • Introductions • Highway safety overview at the national and state level • “Blue” County Crash Statistics • SHSP and TZD efforts in MN • Local safety initiatives • Blue County Highway Department • Local Law Enforcement • Emergency Medical Services • Education, Safe Communities, others present • Summary and conclusions • Next steps

3. National Perspective • The U.S. roadway system's positive trends have plateaued • The number of annual roadway fatalities had remained virtually unchanged (40,000-42,000) • In 2006, 42,642 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes • An average of 119 people died each day in motor vehicle crashes — one every 12 minutes. • Economic impact of traffic crashes (2000) = $230.6 billion

4. Persons Killed in Traffic Crashes 60,000 1,200 55,000 1,100 1,060 52,627 51,093 1,024 50,000 1,000 47,087 980 45,000 900 42,013 875 44,525 42,589 43,443 40,000 800 777 39,250 35,000 700 650 615 655 644 Minnesota National 30,000 600 538 568 558 25,000 500 494 20,000 400 15,000 300 National Minnesota 10,000 200 5,000 100 0 0 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 Year FIGURE 1.1 ANNUAL TRAFFIC FATAL ITY TOTALS NATIONALL Y AND IN MINNESOTA

5. In 2006 78,745 total traffic crashes reported 494 people died 35,025 people injured $1.5 billion estimated cost On an average day 216 crashes 1.4 deaths 96 people injured $4,190,169 daily cost Highway Safety in Minnesota

6. 2006 Minnesota crashes • 944 bicycle crashes • 915 pedestrian crashes • One-third of all crashes involved one vehicle • 1 of every 3 fatalities was < 25 years of age • 1 of every 11 fatalities was a SUV occupant • 2 of 3 fatalities occurred in rural areas (< 5,000 pop.) Source: MN 2006 Crash Facts

9. Contributing factors in MN crashes • Speed • Failure to wear seat belts • Drinking and driving • Driver inattention • Inexperienced younger drivers

10. State of Minnesota Minnesota Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) Toward Zero Deaths Program (TZD)

11. Minnesota Strategic Highway Safety Plan • The MN SHSP is a cooperative effort by the MN Departments of Transportation and Public Safety • VISION: To reduce fatal and life changing crashes on Minnesota roadways by aggressively implementing systematic and proactive safety strategies with an ultimate goal of moving Toward Zero Deaths

12. Five Critical Emphasis Areas • Increasing Seat Belt Use and Reducing Impaired Driving • Improving the Design and Operation of Highway Intersections • Lane Departure • Reducing Head-On and Across Median Crashes • Keeping Vehicles on the Roadway • Minimizing the Consequence of Leaving the Roadway • Young Drivers and Curbing Aggressive Driving • Increasing Driver Safety Awareness, and Improving Information and Decision Support Systems

13. Critical Strategies (Four E’s) • Engineering • Enforcement • Education • Emergency medical response and care

14. 15 Critical Strategies • Engineering • Cost-effective safety improvements for lane departure and intersection crashes • Assist local agencies in implementation of cost-effective improvements • Maintenance of roadway facilities, roadside hardware, and removing hazardous objects • Roadway Safety Audits at network level • Enforcement • Adequate resources to perform traffic enforcement • Statewide primary seat belt law • Automated enforcement (cameras) for red-light running and aggressive driving • Stricter graduated licensing system • Cooperation between courts and law enforcement to prevent reduced/eliminated charges • Sobriety saturations and targeted enforcement • Education • Communications and marketing task force to raise public awareness • Revise and enhance driver education • Emergency Medical Response and Care • Implement a statewide Trauma System • Administrative • Establish a Governor’s Traffic Safety panel • Legislature Action Committee to lobby for GDL/improved curriculum/increased liability/ court involvement • Adequate staffing, equipment and other resources for information systems

15. Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) VISION: To reduce fatalities and injuries on Minnesota’s roads to zero. MISSION: To move the State of Minnesota toward zero traffic deaths on our roads through the application ofengineering, enforcement, education, emergency services, research activities and community involvement.

16. Blue County Crash Profile • Purpose • Analysis of crashes for five year period to identify locations with greater than expected numbers of fatal and injury crashes and to better understand the causes of and the solutions to these crashes • Compare Blue County crash statistics to Minnesota State averages

17. Cost of Motor Vehicle Crashes20XX – Blue County Insert specific Blue County Data from DPS Crash Facts Report

18. Crash Analysis • Who is involved in these crashes? (M/F, age groups) • What types of crashes are occurring? Fatal/Injury, ROR/Intersection/Rear end • When are the crashes occurring? Time of day, day of week, monthly trend • Where are crashes occurring? Road types or locations • Why are crashes occurring? Known contributing factors (speed, alcohol, belts, inattentiveness)

19. County Engineer • Discuss safety initiatives

20. Each discipline discuss safety initiatives • Enforcement • Emergency medical response and care • Education - Safe community efforts or high school drivers education • Local officials • Others

21. Discussion Is there a way we can work better together to improve traffic safety in our community? Next steps?

22. Share Contact Information Thank you.