Putting Iowa Crash Data to Work National Traffic Records Forum July 2004 Thomas M. Welch, P.E. State Transportation Safety Engineer Office of Traffic and Safety Iowa Dept. of Transportation tom.welch@dot.iowa.gov

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ROAD SAFETY IS NO ACCIDENT 1.2 million people will die as a result of road crashes this year – more than 3200 deaths each day ROAD SAFETY IS NO ACCIDENT

“FHWA views improving safety as one of its most vital goals and has decided consciously to concentrate on saving lives.” Mary E. Peters , Administrator, Federal Highway Administration “Highway Safety – Everyone’s Responsibility” Public Roads, January 3, 2003 Mary Peters became the FHWA Administrator in July of 2002. After coming on board with FHWA, she asked the leadership team to join her in examining the organization. The group identified key areas are where they saw performance gaps that had to be addressed in order to meet our customers’ needs. Those key areas were called the “Vital Few”.

US DOT Safety Goal (33% Reduction)

US DOT Goal of 1.0 Fatality Rate by 2008 Fatalities US

Iowa Fatality Distribution by Location 34 14 State 56% 149 Fatalities per year City/County 44% 172 57 38 Based on 1996-2000 Crash Fatalities

Rural Fatality Rates by Road Type

Iowa Highway Safety Programs Focus on Local Assistance Crash data sharing & analysis Safety conscious planning Traffic safety engineering services Safety funding assistance Safety engineering training Peer exchange

Timely accessible crash data is CRITICAL to making wise safety investments.

Crash Data Analysis Collaboration Iowa DOT compiles and refines crash data Office of Driver Services Office of Traffic and Safety Data is made available on CD to state and local entities for their analysis use. Iowa’s data analysis “tools” software is available to state and local entities Technical support and training is made available as needed

Sample of High Crash Locations Polk County sites listed with state ranking

Iowa State University, CTRE Sponsors: Office of Traffic and Safety, DOT Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau, DPS

School-Age Pedestrian Crashes City of Des Moines 1995 to 1999 Ages 5 to 19 August 15 to June 15 Monday to Friday 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Schools Data Use Middle Schools

Statewide License for Intersection Collision Analysis Tool Intersection Magic Software

Safety Conscious Planning The next generation of transportation system safety strategies “Each statewide and metropolitan planning process shall provide for consideration of projects and strategies that will increase the safety and security of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users.” - TEA-21 www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/scp

MPO Data Use Data

CTRE examples from Zach Blackhawk County Single Vehicle ROR CTRE examples from Zach

Targeted Enforcement 1995-1999 Rural Alcohol-Related Crashes Corridors ranked by Frequency

Marion Police Department

Marketing Safety

2004 Iowa Traffic Fatality Count for 7/06/04 2003-2004 Comparison 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 -50 159 209 176 173 206 211 Fatalities from Crash Reports & *FNOR News Sources Month *FNOR 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 January   34 40 26 32 39 18 February 15 28 20 22 29 25 March 14 24 37 47 April 35 27 48 May 1 38 44 June 8  24 52 42 36 46 July  3 41 59 August 50 September October 30 43 November 31 December 56 Total 9 159 441 405 446 445 490

Motor Vehicle Accident Fatalities for the week ending 6-35-04 YTD Fatalities 142 Name/Sex/Age/Restraint 152 Molly Rankin F 17 No Accident date/Time: 05/29/2004 00:05 Accident Type/cause: Car / FO Lost control Notes Failed to negotiate curve, hit embankment& OV-turned Location: .3 mi W of Le Claire at Wisconsin St. and 257th Ave. County: Scott Driver/Age/License# Derek Lindle 17 151 Leonard Hartl M 67 Unknown 05/29/2004 09:37 Car / OT Lost control Going up hill lost ctrl, in ditch, OV-turn .5 mi s of Eldorado on HWY 150 Fayette Leonard Hartl 67 149 Douglas Johnston M 45 Unknown 06/19/2004 25:52 PU / FO Lost control Veered off rdway in ditch striking culvert, and OT 1-80 EB at mm 158.1 Jasper Douglas Johnston 45

Optimizing Highway Safety Investments $$$$$$$$$$$$ RESULTS Crashes Reduced = Lives Saved

Iowa DOT Highway Safety Program $$$ Targeted Investment $$$ Based on Statewide Analysis and Prioritization

Iowa DOT’s Safety Investment Focus Emphasis on Reducing Fatal and Major Injury Crashes

Iowa’s Roadway-Related Fatal Crashes 52% of Iowa’s fatalities are related to Lane Departure 39% of Iowa’s fatal crashes are single-vehicle ROR (Run-Off-Road)

Safety Investment Strategy Candidate Safety Projects Paved shoulders Milled in shoulder rumble strips 2-lane shoulder widening High severity crash 2-lane roads High crash curves Centerline rumble strips Cross-median head-on crashes High severity crash intersections Expressway intersections 7 of 9 address ROR crashes

Primary Highway Curves Statewide average = 1.1 / MVM Top 30 average = 11.7 / MVM Worst (of top 30) = 78 / MVM 5% of crashes occur at top 30 locations (1% of curves) 11% of fatals occur at top 30 locations

Curve Improvements Improve super elevation Pave shoulders Add shoulder rumble strips Flatten fore slopes Remove fixed objects Delineate with chevrons / pavement markings Ball bank advisory speed

Bigger and Brighter Curve and Chevron Signs Earlier Identification Positive Guidance US 6, Johnson County

Two Lane Safety Corridors Rural Two-Lane Primary Road Fatalities and Major Injuries (District 6 1998-2000) DOT Data Use 25 unlocated injury severities not represented. (2 Fatal, 23 Major Injuries) Disclaimer: The Center for Transportation Research and Education presents these data as preliminary.

More and Longer Turn Lanes US 30 & S 27, Story County

Passing Lane

Offset Right-turn Lane IA 415, Polk County

4 Foot Paved Shoulder US 63

Milled Shoulder Rumble Strips On 4 to 10 feet paved shoulders Including 2-lane highways 48/12ft skip pattern “Bicycle – friendly” Acceptable to Bicycle Advisory Committee

Target Corridors with high numbers of Single-Vehicle, Run-off-the-Road Crashes on 2-Lane Highways (example District 5)

Iowa Highway Fatalities Five Year Average Return on Investment? Iowa Highway Fatalities Five Year Average 1995-1999 480 2000-2004* 427 * Based on 6 month period

Iowa Miles of Travel and Fatality Rate 1.4

1998-2002 State Fatality Rates by Percent Rural VMT National Average is 1.5

Timely accessible crash data is CRITICAL to making wise safety investments.

Putting Iowa Crash Data to Work Traffic Records Forum July 2004 Thomas M. Welch, P.E. State Transportation Safety Engineer Office of Traffic and Safety Iowa Dept. of Transportation tom.welch@dot.iowa.gov