driving forrrwd - a systemic approach to reducing roadway...

Driving FoRRRwD - A Systemic Approach to

Reducing Roadway Departures

California Webinar

September, 2019

Source: NHTSA FARS (2014 – 2016 Annual Average)

The Rural RwD Component of Fatalities

FHWA Definition: A crash in which a vehicle crosses an edge line, a center line, or otherwise

leaves the traveled way.Rural RwD

11,874

34%Rural

18,045

51%

U.S. Traffic

Fatalities

35,230

Source: Oregon State Police

Percent Rural RwD Fatalities

53

63

37

44 (NH)

66 (VT)69

63

32

54

51

65

36

52

4046

45

5 (MA)

32

46

41

48

34

27

26

12 (CT)

4322

37

3121

10 (RI)

33

45

16 (MD)

60

31 (DE)27

27

10 (NJ)47

55

44

39

39

16

48

17

26

0 (DC)

36

54

> 50%

average 35% - 50%

average20% - 34%

average < 20%

2014-2016 Annual Average of Rural Roadway Departures Source: FARS

More than 2 of these will

be in California

Where do rural roadway departures occur?

Local16%

Interstate10%

Other Principal Arterial

26%

Minor Arterial19%

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

fatalities2014-2016 Annual Average of Rural Roadway Departures Source: FARS

NACE estimates that

40-60% of fatalities

occur on roads under

local jurisdiction.

Focusing on Reducing Rural Roadway Departures (FoRRRwD)

• 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.

All

Public

Roads

Syste

mic

Appro

ach

Safe

ty A

ction P

lans

Pro

ven C

ounte

rmeasure

s

Why do drivers leave the roadway?

Photo credit: FHWA

Roadway Condition

Vehicle Component Failure

Collision Avoidance

Driver Error

Where would

you invest

money to

improve safety?

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Systemic Safety Improvements

Systemic

• Based on Risk

• Correlated with particular severe crash types

“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.

— 23 USC 148 (a)(12) Systemic safety

improvement.

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/systemic/index.htm

Center for Accelerating Innovation

10

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!

Rural Roadway Departure Fatalitiesby Most Harmful Event

Head-On

3,354

28%

Rollover

3,609

30%

Trees

2,312

19%

2014-2016 Annual Average of Rural RwDs by MHE Source: FARS

63%

84%

78%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Tree

Head-On

Rollover

Rural RwD fatalities where speed

limit is > 50 MPH

50%

32%

44%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Tree

Head-On

Rollover

Curve-related Rural RwD Fatalities

Poles/

Sign

Posts

Barriers

Other

Fixed

ObjectsOther

HSIP: 23USC 148(c), 23 CFR 924.7

Safety Action Plans

State Strategic Highway Safety Plan

(SHSP)

HSIPOther State

Highway funds

Local funding sources

SAFETY ACTION PLANS

• Regional Plans

• Tribal Plans

• Local Plans

• Other Plans

Roadway Departure Objectives

1st - Keep vehicles on the road

2nd - Reduce the potential for crashes

3rd - Minimize the severity

Improved curve delineation

Friction treatments in curves and other spot locations

Edge line, shoulder & center line rumble strips.

14

1st - Keep vehicles on the road

Shoulder Widening

SafetyEdgeSM

Maintained clear zones

Traversable roadside

slopes

15

2nd - Reduce the potential for crashes

• Breakaway Features

• Signs and luminaire supports

• Utility poles

• Barriers to shield obstacles including:

• Trees and shrubbery

• Other fixed objects

• Slopes

3rd - Minimize the severity

Focusing on Reducing Rural Roadway Departures

• 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.

How can we help you?

Contact

Cate Satterfield

• FHWA Office of Safety

• Cathy.Satterfield@dot.gov

Dick Albin

FHWA Resource Center

Dick.Albin@dot.gov

Questions and Discussion