Newsletter - September/October 2004
Top Story
Nationally, in 2003, there were 42,643 fatalities.- 25,136 road departure
- 9,213 intersection-related
- 4,749 pedestrians
Visit the FHWA Web Site: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ to learn how to make our highways safer.
In August U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta announced that the fatality rate on the nation's highways in 2003 was the lowest since record keeping began 29 years ago. The annual FARS data shows that there were 42,643 fatalities on our Nation's highways, a reduction of 362 fatalities from the final '02 totals, and a projected record low fatality rate of 1.48 per hundred million VMT.
In a memo to FHWA employees, Administrator Mary E. Peters said, "Due
to our efforts, in 2003, 362 families did not receive the terrible news
about the loss of a loved one due to a crash. This is the first step
down a challenging road, and we need to "stay the course" as the Secretary
has asked, and I know
that with our continuing focus on highway safety as one of our vital
few, we will improve these
numbers even more." Summary of the 2003 report is available at:
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/PPT/2003AARelease.pdf
A Peer-to-Peer Exchange is being conducted October 19-20 in Overland Park, Kansas for all States' developing and implementing a Strategic Highway Safety Plan.
This Peer-to-Peer Exchange is part of the implementation of the AASHTO Strategic Highway Safety Plan toward achieving a national fatality of rate of 1.0 death per 100M VMT by 2008. A bi-monthly newsletter, Lifelines, on the implementation of the AASHTO Strategic Highway Safety Plan is available at http://safety.transportation.org
For more information contact Mr. Rudy Umbs at rudolph.umbs@fhwa.dot.gov
A Joint FHWA/NHTSA Ped/Bike Display is Available for Field Events.
FHWA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration created a joint exhibit that can be used for displaying the various materials both agencies have produced on Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety issues. The display was first used at the TRB Conference in January and will also be on display at the Pro-Walk Pro-Bike Conference in Victoria, Canada in September. Both NHTSA and FHWA have produced a display that can be used by their individual personnel at events.
To order the display from FHWA, contact Tamara Redmon at tamara.redmon@fhwa.dot.gov
Mark Your Calendar -
October 10 is the fourth annual Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day!
The goal of this public outreach campaign is to achieve a full day of zero traffic deaths by encouraging safer behavior and actions when using the roadways — as pedestrians, bicycle and motorcycle operators, motor vehicle operators and passengers. The event is commemorated with state and local events across the country.
To get ideas on how to host a local event in your community visit the
official web site www.brakesonfatalities.org.
The web site contains a sample press release, radio public services announcement, brochure, logo, safety tips,
and other campaign materials.
To receive a CD with the campaign poster artwork in English and Spanish contact
Timothy Barkley or 202-366-6836.
NHI Course #137044 Improving Highway Safety with ITS - Under Development
The Association of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Professionals (APBP), with support from FHWA and the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC), conducted a training session in May at FHWA's National Highway Institute for those interested in being instructors for the FHWA's Designing Pedestrian Facilities for Accessibility Course. Several FHWA Division Office people and 24 APBP members were trained and will be available to teach the course to States/localities starting in October 2004. For more information about the course or how to host a session, please contact Aida Berkovitz at aida.berkovitz@fhwa.dot.gov
Outreach Materials for Hispanic Audiences
FHWA, in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is in the process of awarding a contract to Develop a Marketing Plan and Outreach Materials for Hispanic Pedestrians and Bicyclists. The project is the second part of a 2-Part joint FHWA/NHTSA project focusing on the Hispanic Community. Part 1, which will be completed in September, will provide data on Hispanic involvement in pedestrian and bicyclist-related roadway crashes. The project was initiated because the Fatality Analysis Reporting System does not provide information on crash rates by nationality. The project is looking at different age groups and populations of Hispanics (Puerto Rican, Cuban, South and Central American, and Mexican) to see what involvement different factors play in crash involvement. The marketing plan and outreach materials will be completed in Fall of 2005. For more information contact Tamara Redmon at tamara.redmon@fhwa.dot.gov
Evaluation of Pedestrian Detection and Warning Systems:
The FHWA and NHTSA, with funding provided by the Joint Program Office, awarded a contract to explore options for pedestrian detection and warning systems to prevent potential pedestrian/vehicle collisions. This project seeks to conduct a preliminary analysis of automated pedestrian detection and warning systems to determine the feasibility of a larger initiative that would include technology development, field-testing, and an assessment of the potential for deployment of such systems at a national level.
This project is an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)
Tier 2 Exploratory Project. The definition of
a Tier 2 ITS project is one in which a concept, in need of further development,
has been identified that has the potential to develop into a large scale
national initiative. The pedestrian detection and warning system concept
is one that has been identified by the FHWA and the NHTSA as having
the potential to save hundreds of lives annually.
As a Tier 2 project, this effort is intended to perform
concept exploration work to answer the questions:
Is there an automated pedestrian detection/warning system concept that
is feasible from a technical, economic (benefit/cost), and operational
perspective? What are the potential institutional issues? Does the
defined operational concept make sense to develop and implement on a
national scale? The project will be completed in February 2005. For
more information contact tamara.redmon@fhwa.dot.gov
FHWA Focuses on "Opportunity States and Cities" to Reduce Pedestrian
Fatalities
FHWA's Safety Office released a memo detailing its plan for aggressively reducing pedestrian deaths by the year 2008. By focusing on the states (Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas) with pedestrian fatalities above 150 or a fatality rate above 2.5 and cities (Los Angeles, Phoenix, Detroit, Chicago, New York City) with the highest pedestrian fatalities, FHWA hopes to have the greatest impact on those numbers.
The performance measure for the year 2005 will be to have half of the focus states and all of the cities with a plan in place for reducing pedestrian fatalities. With this in mind, FHWA recently awarded a contract to develop a "How to Guide" for creating a Pedestrian Safety Plan. As part of the contract, technical assistance will be provided to the opportunity states and cities to help them create and implement the plan. For more information contact Tamara Redmon at tamara.redmon@fhwa.dot.gov
Recent MUTCD Official Rulings
(Official Rulings Database can be found at http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/official_rul.htm
Experimentations 3-168(Ex): State of Vermont Agency of Transportation
request for experimentation with a pattern of transverse markings (similar
to advance speed hump markings) for speed reduction on sections of a
two-lane rural highway where it enters certain built-up villages.
--Request denied pending resubmission with revised plan for evaluation
of markings.
4-219(Ex): Requests from Oregon DOT and from City of Bend, Oregon, to add locations to their previously-approved experimentation with Flashing Yellow Arrow signal indications for protected permissive left turns, as follow-up to NCHRP 3-54 research by Kittelson & Associates.
--Requests Approved
Interim Approvals
IA-2: FHWA Office of Safety requested interim approval for the use of the wayside horn system at highway-rail grade crossings.
--Request approved.
For additional details refer to http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/res-ia_waysidehorns.htm
Recent Rulemaking Activities
Rulemaking information can be found at http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/res-notices.htm
A Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) regarding sign retroreflectivity has been issued.
An Interim Final Rule was issued on the Specific Service and General Service Signing for 24-Hour Pharmacies.
Saving Lives & A Vital Goal Vision: Improving Transportation for a Strong America. Goal: To continually improve highway safety by reducing the number of highway fatalities and injuries including large trucks. Ensuring safe travel on highways is a guiding principle throughout the FHWA. Focus: High-risk areas through technical assistance, research, training, data analysis, and public information as well as through compliance and education. The FHWA is working with safety partners to heighten safety awareness within the highway community, business, industry, and the Public. Top Priorities: Roadway Departure, Intersections, and Pedestrians |
| Dates |
Location |
Event |
|---|---|---|
September 10 – 17 |
New Orleans, LA |
National Safety Council Annual Congress & Expo http://www.nsc.org/ |
September 12 – 15 |
Detroit, MI |
North American Conference on Elderly Mobility |
September 12 – 15 |
Atlanta, GA |
American Public Works Association (APWA) http://www.apwa.net/ |
September 16 – 21 |
Philadelphia, PA |
AASHTO Annual Meeting www.aashto.org |
September 26 – 29 |
Honolulu, HI |
Governors Highway Safety Association www.statehighwaysafety.org |
October 10 |
Nationwide |
Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day www.brakesonfatalities.org |
November 13 – 17 |
Los Angeles, CA |
International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference http://iacp.expoexchange.com/ |
| January 9 - 13 | Washington, DC | Annual TRB Meeting, http://gulliver.trb.org/ |
| February 25 - March 1 | Phoenix, AZ | ATSSA 35th Annual Convention and Traffic Expo, www.atssa.com |
| April 3 - 9 | Nationwide | National Work Zone Awareness Week |
