SESSION 356 Road Assessment Programs: New Approaches to Highway Safety Programs January 22, 2007
Imagine a Day When… Road authorities can benchmark the relative risk of road segment in their jurisdiction Resources are allocated based on those risks Motorists can take these risks into account
John Dawson – iRAP Peter Kissinger – AAA Foundation Doug Harwood – MRI Larry Tibbits - MDOT
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Established in (c) 3 Not-For-Profit Research Affiliate of AAA and AAA Motor Clubs North American Focus
Funded through the generosity of and its members
Mission Identify traffic safety problems Foster research that seeks solutions Disseminate information and educational materials
usRAP Background Unacceptably high socio-economic toll from traffic crashes Culture of complacency Under-investment in safety Road safety management can be enhanced with more money & new tools Politics vs. evidence-based decisions
usRAP Background Data limitations in many agencies Variation in analysis & evaluation tools Insufficient appreciation of relative contribution of vehicle, operator & road factors No system to assess road safety risks Little transparency
usRAP Inspired by EuroRAP Collaborate with EuroRAP and AusRAP through iRAP
usRAP Objectives Help cut death and serious injury rates through systematic risk assessment Ensure that strategic decisions are linked to risk assessment Forge partnerships among those responsible for a safe road system
usRAP Objectives (continued) Better information and guidance to motorists Improved crash data record systems
usRAP Pilot Initiated in 2004 Phase I pilot report (IA & MI) released 2006 Phase II (FL & NJ) ongoing Phase III to be initiated in 2007 –Continued expansion –RPS development –Risk communication
Sponsor: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety FIA Foundation for the Automobile & Society iRAP Research Team: Midwest Research Institute Iowa State University usRAP Team
AASHTO AHU & RSF ATSSA Auto clubs FHWA ITE NACE Local highway agencies State highway agencies usRAP Advisory Panel
Risk Mapping Maps of death and serious injury risk for road users Road Protection Score Star rating based on inspecting road features that protect users from serious injury or death Performance Tracking Comparisons of safety performance for roadway sections over time usRAP Protocols
Opportunities for Collaboration AAAFTS partnerships with AASHTO, State DOTs, and FHWA Periodic benchmarking Internal Public AAAFTS funding assistance to enhance road safety AAA support in state legislatures
For more information, please go to: