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Meeting the AASHTO Safety Goal

Meeting the AASHTO Safety Goal. Daniel L. Carter, PE UNC Highway Safety Research Center AASHTO Safety Mgmt Subcommittee Meeting September 2, 2009. AASHTO Safety Goal. In 2003, safety goal was 1.0 fatalities per 100 million VMT

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Meeting the AASHTO Safety Goal

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  1. Meeting the AASHTO Safety Goal Daniel L. Carter, PE UNC Highway Safety Research Center AASHTO Safety Mgmt Subcommittee Meeting September 2, 2009

  2. AASHTO Safety Goal • In 2003, safety goal was 1.0 fatalities per 100 million VMT • Revised in 2008 to reduce fatalities by 1000 per year, moving toward halving fatalities over the next two decades. • Strategic Highway Safety Plan addresses the areas affecting these fatalities

  3. National Trend of Highway Fatalities

  4. National Trend of Fatality Rate

  5. National Trend of VMT

  6. Preliminary Data for 2008 • 37,313 fatalities (down 3,746 from 2007) • 1.28 fatalities per 100 million VMT (down from 1.36 in 2007)

  7. SHSP Emphasis Areas • AASHTO SHSP outlines 22 emphasis areas • People – E.g., curbing aggressive driving, keeping drivers alert • Infrastructure – E.g., keeping vehicles on the roadway, improving intersections • Other – E.g., safety information, emergency medical services

  8. State SHSP Review • Reviewed 51 SHSPs (all states and D.C.) • Noted which emphasis areas were addressed often and which areas were addressed rarely

  9. State SHSP Review • Emphasis areas addressed in most SHSPs • young drivers (41) • aggressive driving (41) • impaired driving (46) • occupant restraint (47) • keeping vehicles on the roadway (45) • intersections (42)

  10. State SHSP Review • Emphasis areas addressed in most SHSPs • young drivers (41) • aggressive driving (41) • impaired driving (46) • occupant restraint (47) • keeping vehicles on the roadway (45) • intersections (42)

  11. State SHSP Review • Emphasis areas addressed in few SHSPs • driver licensing (12) • keeping drivers alert (17) • driver safety awareness (14) • in-vehicle safety technologies (1) • vehicle-train safety (12) • head-on and cross median crashes (14)

  12. State SHSP Review • Emphasis areas addressed in few SHSPs • driver licensing (12) • keeping drivers alert (17) • driver safety awareness (14) • in-vehicle safety technologies (1) • vehicle-train safety (12) • head-on and cross median crashes (14)

  13. Area #5 – Impaired Driving • Alcohol-related fatalities have remained at a constant level in recent years • Approximately 13,000 fatalities per year, or 30% of all highway fatalities • Most states and agencies focused on: • Enforcement • Public awareness

  14. Area #5 – Impaired Driving • Some states moving toward stricter use of alcohol ignition interlocks • Required for some DWI offenders in most states… • However, only 8 states require them for all offenders • In 2007, only 10% of eligible offenders had them installed on their vehicles

  15. Area #5 – Impaired Driving • Research shows that ignition interlocks prevent half of offenders from re-offending • 30% of drivers in fatal alcohol related crashes are re-offenders • Strict use of alcohol ignition interlock could prevent these crashes and save up to 1950 lives

  16. Area #15 – Keeping Vehicles on the Roadway • Run-off-road fatalities have remained at a constant level in recent years • Approximately 9,400 fatalities per year, or 22% of all highway fatalities

  17. Area #15 – Keeping Vehicles on the Roadway • Examples of State initiatives in SHSPs: • Colorado: hot spots; speed reduction • D.C.: surface treatments; rumble strips • Idaho: ITS speed signs; delineation treatments • New Hampshire: rumble strips; remove trees • New York: road safety audits; widen shoulders • Missouri: statewide program for rumble strips and improved delineation

  18. Area #15 – Keeping Vehicles on the Roadway • What benefit could be achieved through more edgeline/shoulder rumble strips? • Approximately 7000 fatalities per year occurring on two-lane rural roads from single vehicle run-off-road crashes • Research shows potential for 29% reduction due to rumble strips • Potential for 2000 lives per year to be saved by having rumble strips on all two-lane rural roads

  19. Looking toward the future • Fatalities decreasing 600 per year (2004-07) • Straight line estimate = 20,500 fatalities/year in 2042 • Fatality rate decreasing 2% per year • Straight line estimate = 1.0 in 2020

  20. Looking toward the future • Unlicensed drivers fatalities on the rise, and the area is getting little attention nationwide in SHSPs • Motorcycle fatalities on the rise • Only 21 states require helmets for all riders

  21. Looking toward the future • Some strategies show promise, but need to be more strictly or more widely implemented to gain full benefit • In-vehicle safety technologies emerging (e.g., Electronic Stability Control)

  22. Looking toward the future • Some strategies have shown great effectiveness (e.g., GDL) but soon that “fruit will be picked” • Progress in fighting highway fatalities is encouraging, but persistence and innovation are needed

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