 What
is a Safety Management System?
A Safety Management System (SMS) gives decision makers and those who
manage and maintain local roadways the tools to systematically identify,
prioritize, correct, and evaluate the performance of their
transportation safety investments.
What is the goal of a Safety Management System?
The goal of a SMS is to assist local agency engineers, managers, elected
officials, and enforcement and emergency medical services personnel in
their efforts to reduce both fatalities and the severity and frequency
of collisions.
Why is a Safety Management System a good idea?
Collisions cause loss of life, injuries, and property damage.
An average of 115 people died each day in motor vehicle crashes in 2001
— one person every 12 minutes.
A study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) estimated that the economic cost alone of motor vehicle crashes
in 2000 was $230.6 billion. In 2001, 42,116 people were killed in the
estimated 6,323,000 police reported motor vehicle traffic crashes, 3,033,000
people were injured, and 4,282,000 crashes involved property damage only.
“These costs reflect wage loss from injuries, medical expenses,
insurance administration costs, property damage, and claims for personal
and property damage.”
For local agencies to mount a successful effort toward reducing motor
vehicle collisions and their costs, an effective systematic approach must
be taken.
What are the benefits of a Safety Management System?
The primary benefits of an SMS are saved lives and reduced injuries.
Recognizing that “one size does not fit all,” the SMS is
structured to allow each agency to implement the system within the agency’s
resource limitations and focus on the elements that are most appropriate
for the agency’s size, goals and priorities.
Although the SMS might reside with a particular agency it is not agency
focused. It is a collaborative, community-focused effort that takes into
consideration more than the roadway. It also includes the vehicle and
driver in determining safety needs and solutions, and treats emergency
services, law enforcement, and education as equal players with engineering.
The existence of a working, effective SMS tailored to local policy promotes
a collaborative approach to development of sound safety practices. Looking
beyond economics, an SMS provides a variety of other benefits no less
important. An SMS can also increase the capability of reducing the number
and severity of collisions by focusing attention on safety needs that
will result in a higher payback.
Other benefits include improved maintenance of safety investments and
greater certainty that the highest priority needs are identified.
How does the SMS work?
The SMS has two basic components: a collaborative information exchange
network and an eight-element transportation safety decision support process.
The information network centers on the SMS Committee. The SMS Committee
is a standing, cross-disciplinary advisory committee that meets regularly
and includes representation from all major transportation safety stakeholders
in the community. The Committee provides a permanent forum to identify
transportation safety needs through a collaborative process and the potential
resources to meet those needs. The regular meetings provide a forum to
hear all voices, and a synergistic tool to identify creative solutions
and leverage resources.
The SMS process emphasizes the relationship between drivers, vehicles,
and roadways by integrating engineering, education, enforcement and emergency
services into a safety programs architecture. The collaboration of engineering,
enforcement, emergency services and education creates a broader safety
networking resource for an agency and the community it serves.
The SMS relies on an 8-step systematic needs assessment process including
feedback to evaluate the results of a safety program’s efforts and
expenditures. The feedback system completes the loop by creating a report
or series of reports used by decision makers to identify policies to be
changed, safety needs to emphasize, assumptions to be modified and funding
needs to be increased or shifted.
 INTEGRATING DRIVER, VEHICLE, AND ROADWAY
- Local Policy
Policy officially authorized and adopted by elected officials. Establishes
operating guidelines and goals for service providers.
- Data Collection
Data and information used in policy development, planning, designing,
construction and maintenance of transportation facilities, vehicles,
and driver education.
- Data Analysis
Data and information processing through sorting, technical analysis,
study, alternative mitigation analysis, and prioritization.
- System Output
Conclusive data products, data analysis, and application of adopted
policy.
- Decisions
Budget and program adoption by elected officials, including all efforts
toward safety during the following year.
- Project Implementation
Execution of funded work efforts resulting in safety enhancements of
all kinds.
- Monitoring Performance
Measures and analyzes results, providing information from which out-year
efforts are forecast & evaluated, and the work program is developed.
- Annual Safety Report
Reports the results of safety system work efforts and expenditures.
For additional information about Safety Management Systems, contact
Dave Sorensen at (360) 705-7385 or by email: sorensd@wsdot.wa.gov
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/TA/T2Center/Mgt.Systems/SafetyTechnology/
Prepared by
The Washington State Technology Transfer Center
Daniel L. Sunde, P.E.,
WST2 Technology Transfer Engineer
David Sorensen
WST2 Traffic Technology Engineer
Kenneth Epstein, P.E.,
FHWA contact for Safety Management Systems.
Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety
(202) 366-2157 or by email:
kenneth.epstein@fhwa.dot.gov
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