At the 2010 National Local Technical Assistance Program Association (NLTAPA) Conference, several speakers from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) made presentations promoting highway safety and introducing FHWA’s nine proven traffic safety countermeasures.
The FHWA has adopted the Every Day Counts initiative, one part of which is to focus on making the nation’s roads safer. The Every Day Counts initiative is not about inventing “the next big thing.” Rather, it’s about taking effective, proven technologies and getting them into widespread use. Progress has been made over the years, and on many fronts, to promote highway safety. The projected fatality data for 2009 places the national highway death count at 33,963, a drop of about 32 percent compared to the 55,600 traffic fatalities that occurred in 1972, the peak year on record. While much progress has been made, much remains to be done.
The FHWA Safety Program urges local roadway officials to consider implementation of the following nine proven safety countermeasures that show great potential to further reduce highway fatalities and injuries.
Road Safety Audits
A road safety audit (RSA) is a formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or intersection. Audit teams report on potential road safety issues and identify opportunities to improve safety. For more information, go to http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsa/.
Rumble Strips and Rumble Stripes
Many traffic crashes are a result of lane departure. Rumble strips are raised or grooved patterns on the roadway that provide both an audible warning (rumbling sound) and a physical vibration to alert drivers that they are leaving the driving lane. For more information, go to http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/.
Median Barriers
Cross-median crashes can be severe, and may result in serious injury or death. Median barriers redirect vehicles striking either side of the barrier, and can significantly reduce the occurrence of cross-median crashes and the overall severity of median-related crashes. For more information, go to http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/crt/lifecycle/cable.cfm.
Safety Edge
When a tire drops off a paved surface, drivers can have difficulty re-entering the road if the pavement edge is nearly vertical, especially if the height difference is significantly more than 2 inches. In attempting to move the tire back over the vertical pavement edge, drivers may over-steer, possibly lose control of their vehicle, and cross into the path of oncoming traffic. Most drivers and vehicles can recover if the edge is tapered to 30 to 35 degrees from the horizontal. This “Safety Edge” shape is created by fitting resurfacing equipment with a device that extrudes and compacts the shape of the pavement edge to the desired angle. For more information, go to http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/.
Roundabouts
A roundabout is a circular intersection where entering traffic yields to vehicles on the circulatory roadway. Roundabouts are designed to channel traffic at the entrance and provide collision deflection around a center island. Modern roundabouts are geometrically designed to reduce speeds and deflect collision forces, which substantially improves safety while providing excellent operational performance at the intersection. For more information, go to http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/roundabouts/.
Left- and Right-Turn Lane at Stop-Controlled Intersections
Left-turn lanes are auxiliary lanes for storage or speed change of left-turning vehicles. Left-turn lanes reduce the likelihood of intersection crashes. They also make turning easier for drivers and improve the intersection’s operational efficiency. Right-turn lanes provide a separation at intersection approaches between right-turning traffic and adjacent through-traffic. This reduces conflicts and improves intersection safety. For more information, go to http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/.
Yellow Change Intervals
Yellow signal lights that are not timed appropriately are a safety hazard. Yellow change intervals that are not consistent with normal operating speeds create a “dilemma zone” in which drivers can neither stop safely, nor reach the intersection before the signal turns red. For more information, go to http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/redlight/.
Medians and Pedestrian Refuge Areas in Urban and Suburban Areas
Medians reduce traffic conflicts and increase safety by providing a buffer area between opposing lanes of traffic. Medians can be open (pavement markings only), or channelized (raised medians or islands) to separate various road users. Pedestrian Refuge Areas – also known as crossing islands, center islands, refuge islands, pedestrian islands, or median slow points – are raised islands placed in the street to separate crossing pedestrians from vehicles. For more information, go to http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/.
Walkways
Appropriately designed walkways increase safety for all road users. Types of walkways include:
Pedestrian Walkway – A continuous way designated for pedestrians and separated from motor vehicle traffic by a space or barrier.
Shared Use Path – A bikeway or pedestrian walkway physically separated from motor vehicle traffic by an open space or barrier, either within a highway right of way, or within an independent right of way.
Sidewalks – Walkways that are paved and separated from the street, generally by curb and gutter.
Roadway Shoulder – In rural or suburban areas where sidewalks and pathways are not feasible, gravel or paved highway shoulders provide a safer area for pedestrians to walk next to the roadway.
For more information, go to: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bikeped/design.htm#d4.
This article was prepared by Howard McCann, P.E., TEEX Transportation Program Training director, from material provided by the FHWA. Reprinted with permission from TEEX’s Lone Star Roads 4-10.