2. Learning Outcomes
Identify safety issues unique to local and rural areas.
Identify common challenges to improving road safety.
Explain why road agencies and others should continually strive to improve road safety.
Describe the role of the Strategic Highway Safety Plan.

3. Rural and Local Road Safety
The Problem
Rural and Local Road Safety

4. Roadway Geometry- Top of Grade

5. Roadway Geometry- Top of Grade
Roadway Geometry- Approaching Curve Near Bottom
Roadway Geometry- Top of Grade

6. Roadway Geometry- Top of Grade
Roadway Geometry- Upgrade View from Center of Curve
Roadway Geometry- Top of Grade

7. Roadway Geometry- Top of Grade
Truck at Final Rest
Roadway Geometry- Top of Grade

8. Roadway Geometry- Top of Grade
View of Truck During Removal Process
Roadway Geometry- Top of Grade

9. Background In Wisconsin:
83% of lane-miles are on county and local roads
Only 40% of the vehicle miles travelled occur on county and local roads.

10. Wisconsin Fatal Crashes by Year and Location, 1999 to 2008
Background
Wisconsin Fatal Crashes by Year and Location, 1999 to 2008
Source: Wisconsin DOT

11. More than 75% of Wisconsin fatalities occur on rural roads.
Background
More than 75% of Wisconsin fatalities occur on rural roads.
Source: Wisconsin DOT

12. Wisconsin Fatal Crashes by Road System
Background
Wisconsin Fatal Crashes by Road System
Source: Wisconsin DOT

13. Background
Wisconsin Fatalities per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled by Year and Location, 2003 to 2008
Source: Wisconsin DOT

14. State Strategic Highway Safety Plan
Did You Know Your State Has a Strategic Highway Safety Plan?
How Does it Affect You?

15. State Strategic Highway Safety Plan
Wisconsin Focus Areas 1. Increase Safety Belt Use 2. Improve Design/Operation of Intersections 3. Create a More Effective Safety Management System 4. Reduce Speed-Related Crashes 5. Reduce Impaired Driving 6 and 9. Keep Vehicles on the Road and Minimize Consequences of Leaving The Roadway 7. Design Safer Work Zones 8. Reduce Head-On and Cross-Median Crashes 10. Increase Driver Safety Awareness

16. What are Potential Safety Issues?
Narrow roadway
Pavement markings
Poor stopping sight distance
Steep side slopes
Gravel and stones on the roadway
2-16

17. What are Potential Safety Issues?
Water on roadway
No shoulder/edgeline
2-17

18. What are Potential Safety Issues?
Bleeding pavement
Lack of delineation
2-18

19. What are Potential Safety Issues?
Trees in clear zone
Limited sight distance
Lack of signs and delineation
2-19

20. What are Potential Safety Issues?
Fixed objects in clear zone
Unrecoverable steep side slopes
2-20

21. What are Potential Safety Issues?
Bridge structure is a fixed object
2-21

22. What are Potential Safety Issues?
Pavement edge drop-off
2-22

23. What are Potential Safety Issues?
Faded pavement markings
Concrete fixed object
What are Potential Safety Issues?
2-23

24. What are Potential Safety Issues?
Deteriorated sign retroreflectivity
2-24

25. What are Potential Safety Issues?
Fence blocks sidewalk path
2-25

26. Road Users

27. Challenges to Road Safety
Limited…
Budgets
Staffing
Time
Crash data
Traffic and road
information
Understanding or
awareness of safety
issues
Training
In addition to…
Lack of coordination between agencies
Competing priorities
Politics
Staff turnover
Empowerment

28. Ways to Overcome Some Challenges
Develop safety awareness
Identify what to look for
Identify simple, low cost ways to improve road safety
Incorporate safety into the “Big Picture”

29. REVIEW
What are some of the safety issues that can occur in rural areas?
Drainage
Steep drop-offs
Trees close to the roadway
Poor lighting
Sharp curves
Steep hills
Inadequate signage

30. REVIEW Name some common challenges to improving road safety.
Limited budget and resources
Inadequate crash data
Lack of coordination between departments/staff
Limited understanding of safety issues
Limited training
Politics

31. REVIEW What is the purpose of a Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP)?
Each state is required to have a SHSP, which includes engineering, management, education, enforcement, and emergency service elements of highway safety as key factors in evaluating highway safety projects.

32. REVIEW
How does the condition of the roadside potentially increase the chances of a crash?
A roadside with numerous fixed objects and/or steep side slopes means that the vehicle will strike something or roll over before it can be stopped or re-directed.
A safe roadside allows the driver to safely stop the vehicle or get back on the roadway.

33. The Need for Road Safety
Questions?
ACTIVITY
Ask if there are any questions before continuing.