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Urbanized and Nonurbanized Safety Target Setting: Final Report

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June 2015

Final Report


Technical Report Documentation Page

1. Report No.
FHWA-SA-15-067

2. Government Accession No.

3. Recipient's Catalog No.

4. Title and Subtitle
Urbanized and Nonurbanized Target Setting Final Report

5. Report Date
June 2015

6. Performing Organization Code

7. Author(s)
Audrey Wennink

8. Performing Organization Report No.

9. Performing Organization Name And Address
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
100 Cambridge Park Drive, Suite 400
Cambridge, MA 02140

10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)

11. Contract or Grant No.
DTFH61-10-D-00020

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address
Federal Highway Administration
Office of Safety
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590

13. Type of Report and Period Covered
Final Report, September 2013- June 2015

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

15. Supplementary Notes
The contract manager for this project was Keith D. Williams.

16. Abstract
This report reviews the role of transportation safety target setting in a performance management framework, summarizes the state of the practice in safety target setting and presents a framework for developing urbanized and nonurbanized safety targets.

17. Key Words
Performance Measures, Safety, Urban, Urbanized, Rural

18. Distribution Statement
No restrictions

19. Security Classif. (of this report)
Unclassified

20. Security Classif. (of this page)
Unclassified

21. No. of Pages
58

22. Price
N/A

Reproduction of completed page authorized Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72)

 


Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction

2.0 Background

2.1 Literature Review
2.2 Benefits of Setting Urbanized/Nonurbanized Safety Targets

3.0 Geography Definition

3.1 Census Urban Areas
3.2 FHWA Adjusted Urbanized Area Boundaries
3.3 Other Urban and Rural Definitions

4.0 State of the Practice

5.0 Safety Target Setting Framework

5.1 What is Evidence-Based Target Setting?
5.2 How to Conduct Evidence-Based Target Setting

6.0 Data and Methods for Evidence-Based Urbanized and Nonurbanized Targets

6.1 Step 1: Identifying Trends
6.2 Step 1: Trend Example
6.3 Exogenous Factors
6.4 Modal Trends
6.5 Safety Culture
6.6 Step 2: Exogenous Factors Example
6.7 Countermeasure Impact Data
6.8 Step 3 Example

7.0 Technical Methods for Target Setting

7.1 Selection of Baseline Method
7.2 Projection Methods
7.3 Feasibility Assessment

8.0 Conclusion

List of Tables

Table 3.1 U.S. Census Bureau Urban Area Types Defined by Population Range 10

Table 3.2 FHWA Urban Area Types Defined by Population Range

Table 4.1 Annual Average Fatalities in Urbanized and Nonurbanized Areas 2007-2011

Table 4.2 FHWA 2000 Adjusted Urbanized Area Fatality Rates

Table 4.3 Simpson's Paradox Illustration

Table 4.4 Serious Injury Numbers for Select States

Table 4.5 Serious Injury Rates for Selected States

Table 6.1 KABCO Injury Classification

Table 6.2 KABCO/Unknown AIS Data Conversion Matrix

Table 6.3 Comparison of Injury Severity Scales (KABCO and AIS

Table 6.4 Oregon Roadway Departure Safety Implementation Plan Countermeasures (Sample)

Table 6.5 Fatalities by Crash Type in Urbanized and Nonurbanized Areas

Table 6.6 Example State Fatalities and Serious Injuries by SHSP Emphasis Area

List of Figures

Figure 3.1 2010 Census Urban Area Boundaries in Columbus, Ohio

Figure 3.2 Adjusted Urbanized Area Boundaries in Columbus, Ohio

Figure 4.1 Existence of Urban and Rural Targets and Crash Data Analysis in Strategic Highway Safety Plans

Figure 4.2 Existence of Urban and Rural Targets and Crash Data Analysis in Highway Safety Plans

Figure 4.3 Existence of Urban and Rural Crash Data Analysis in Highway Safety Improvement Program Annual Report

Figure 5.1 Target Setting Steps

Figure 5.2 Pennsylvania Roadway Fatality Trend

Figure 5.3 National Legislative History and Fatality Trends

Figure 6.1 Relationship between VMT and Fatalities by State

Figure 6.2 Sample State Total Fatality Trend

Figure 6.3 Urbanized Area Fatalities

Figure 6.4 Nonurbanized Fatality Trend

Figure 6.5 Adjusted Urbanized Areas and MPO Areas for Three Utah MPOs 38

Figure 6.6 National Fatalities per 100,000 Population Young Drivers versus Total

Figure 6.7 Sample Step 2 Consideration of Exogenous Factors – Urbanized Areas

Figure 6.8 Sample Step 2 Consideration of Exogenous factors – Nonurbanized Areas

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Page last modified on July 21, 2015
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