1. Center for Accelerating Innovation
1
Focus on Reducing Rural Roadway Departures
National Association of Development Organizations
National Regional Transportation Conference - July 29, 2020
2. Center for Accelerating Innovation
Source: NHTSA FARS (2014 – 2016 Annual Average)
The Rural RwD Component of Fatalities
FHWA Roadway Departure (RwD)
Definition: A crash in which a vehicle
crosses an edge line, a center line, or
otherwise leaves the traveled way.
Source: Oregon State Police
Rural RwD
11,874
34%Urban
17,185
49%
Rural Non
RRwD
6,171
17%
Rural
18,045
51%
Urban
17,185
49%
U.S. Traffic
Fatalities
35,230
4. Center for Accelerating Innovation
FoRRRwD Overview
AllPublicRoads
ProvenCountermeasures
SystemicApproach
SafetyActionPlans
• Mission - Reduce the
potential for serious injury
and fatal roadway
departure crashes on all
public rural roads by
increasing the systemic
deployment of proven
countermeasures.
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Why All Public Roads?
Local
16%
Interstate
10%
Other Principal
Arterial
26%
Minor Arterial
19%
Major Collector
23%
Minor
Collector
6%
Roads typically
maintained by states =
55% of Rural RwD
fatalities
Roads typically
maintained by locals =
45% of Rural RwD
fatalities
2014-2016 Annual Average of Rural Roadway Departures Source: FARS
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Why do drivers leave the roadway?
Roadway Condition
Vehicle Component Failure
Collision Avoidance
Driver Error
Photo credit: FHWA
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The Driver is weakest link in
this system, so we must
design around human needs.
FROM: Lum & Reagan, Public Roads Magazine,
Winter 1995, “Interactive Highway Safety
Design Module”
Contributing Causes of Crashes
57%
27%
3%
3%
1%
3%
6%
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Where Do Rural Roadway Departures Occur?
2015
2014
2016
2017
2018
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Fatal crash types are
predictable
Source: Pixabay
Fatal crash locations are
random
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Systemic Safety Improvements
Systemic
• Based on Risk
• Correlated with
particular severe
crash types
23 USC 148 (a)(12) Systemic safety
improvement.—The term "systemic safety
improvement" means an improvement that is
widely implemented based on high-risk
roadway features that are correlated with
particular crash types, rather than crash
frequency.
http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/systemic/index.htm
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https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/edc_4/ddsa_resources/ddsa_systemic_analysis.pdf
You don’t have to wait until a
crash occurs to make
improvements!
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12. Center for Accelerating Innovation
State Strategic
Highway Safety Plan
(SHSP)
HSIP
Other State
Highway funds
Local funding
sources
SAFETY ACTION PLANS
• Regional Plans
• Tribal Plans
• Local Plans
• Other Plans
HSIP: 23USC 148(c), 23 CFR 924.7
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Roadway Departure Objectives
1st - Keep vehicles on the road
2nd - Reduce the potential for crashes
3rd - Minimize the severity
• Curve Signing
• Pavement Markings
• Friction Treatments
• Rumbles
• Shoulders
• SafetyEdgeSM
• Center Line Buffer
• Clear Zone
• Traversable Slopes
• Breakaway Devices
• Barriers
15. Center for Accelerating Innovation
New Website
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/FoRRRwD/
• Pages for each of the 4 Pillars
• Additional Resources
• Promotional Materials
• Videos
• Webinar Recordings
• Articles
17. Center for Accelerating Innovation
FoRRRwD Webinar Series
All Public Roads
• April 16, 2020 - Development of Projects and Using Data
• May 12, 2020 - Innovative Mechanisms to Deliver Safety Projects
Systemic Approach
• June 16, 2020 - Risk Factors for RwD
• July 14, 2020 - Prioritizing Locations/Projects
Countermeasures
• August 11, 2020 – HFST and Continuous Friction Measurement
• September 15, 2020 –Signing, Striping and Maintenance Treatments
• October 20, 2020 – Rumble Strips, SafetyEdgeSM, and Gravel Road
Treatments (Tentatively)
Safety Action Plans
• November 2020 – State and Local Safety Plans
AllPublicRoads
ProvenCountermeasures
SystemicApproach
SafetyActionPlans
18. Center for Accelerating Innovation
Contact Dick Albin
FHWA Resource Center
Dick.Albin@dot.gov
Cate Satterfield
FHWA Office of Safety
Cathy.Satterfield@dot.gov
Editor's Notes
From 2014-2016 there were an average of 35,230 traffic fatalities in the United States. Approximately ½ are in a rural area. This is overrepresented when you consider that only 17% of people live in rural areas.
The majority of the rural fatalities are due to a roadway departure. In fact, about a third of all fatalities are due to a roadway departure on a rural roadway
This chart shows the type of roads where these crashes occur, and it is clear we can’t just look at a few of these categories. While ownership varies from state to state, in most states, the three classes of road tend to be operated and maintained by the State while the three classes on the left tend to be operated by local agencies.
93% of crashes are a result of driver error.
(auto animation of the red text box)
Driver Error can happen anywhere. Therefore, to address these crashes you need to implement countermeasures that can affect driver behavior and do it on as much of the system as possible.
Emphasize that as transportation professionals we can design (substantively) not just nominally, to reduce the likelihood of user error.
Ask for examples of how this might be done.
We will be talking about highway safety. In the past, the method used to identify locations for improvements was primarily to look at where crashes have occurred. This is an exercise to see if you can identify a location where you might want to invest in an improvement.
This method lead some to ask - How many people have to die before you make an improvement?
The systemic approach has been used in medical practice for quite a while. Let’s talk about a visit to your Doctor for an annual physical…
The first thing that you’ll do is fill out a form. They’re going to want to know about your health history and habits. They’re going to ask about how often you excerise, how often you consume alchohol, if you’re a smoker…they’ll ask about your parent’s and grandparent’s health issues, what medications you’re currently taking, how you’ve been feeling, and if there’s any changes since your last appointment.
Next, they may have you do bloodwork so the Doctor can review those results. On the way back to the room, they’re going to get your height and your weight. Once in the room, a nurse will check your blood pressure. All before the doctor comes in.
Supposed both of my grandfathers died from heart attacks, my father has a pacemaker and suffers from heart disease, and I’m personally overweight and a smoker. I would considered at-risk for a heart attack, and there’s a chance that the Doctor might prescribe me some medications to proactively treat any issues I might experience. What the Doctor would NOT say “let’s just wait, and come back and see us if start feeling chest pain”
Similar, we don’t have to wait for crashes to happen before treating an at-risk location.
Then go on to talk through the example risk factors used in the infographic.
What are risk factors that you consider for roadway departures?
Define systemic
Risk Factors:
Average daily traffic volumes
Posted or operating speed
Lane width
Shoulder width and type
Horizontal Curvature, delineation, and advance warning devices
Pavement condition and friction
Roadside rating
Presence of centerline and edgeline markings
Presence of centerline, edgeline, or shoulder rumble strips
Driveway design and density
First , keep vehicle in their lane, on the road. Second line of defense, provide for safe recovery on paved shoulder on earth shoulder or in buffer area; last , minimize severity.
The presentation will cover
why this initiative can help improve safety on your roads
how everyone can play a role in it using systemic tools
And what can be done to further implement proven countermeasures
