The HoustonGalveston Regional

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The Houston-Galveston Regional Traffic Safety
Planning Program
Ned Levine, PhD Houston-Galveston Area
Council Houston, TX Regional Traffic Safety
Planning Conference November 16, 2006
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Seriousness of Problem

• 1999-2001 Houston region
• 84,080 serious crashes a year
• 627 fatalities a year
• 93,971 persons injured a year
• The region accounted for
• 26 of all Texas crashes
• 27 of all Texas injury crashes
• 17 of all Texas fatal crashes
• The region has 22 of the statewide population
• and, approximately, 21 of the statewide VMT
• Likelihood of a fatal or injury crash was
• 36 higher than statewide average
• 149 higher than national average

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Costs of Motor Vehicle Crashes
Human Suffering Burden on Public
Services Medical Costs Economic
Costs Congestion Costs High Costs
Using National Safety Council Methodology Motor
Vehicle Crashes Cost for Region 4.0
Billion/Year for 1999-2001
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High-risk Behaviors 1999-2001

• Region U.S.
• Speeding 39 13
• Failing to yield 20 19
• Failing to stop 11 9
• Running a red light 8 5
• DUI/DWI 7 7
• (However, involved in 45 of fatal crashes in
  Texas)
• Following too close 3 3
• Improper turn 2 2
• National Safety Council. U.S. average for
  1999. Fatal and injury crashes only

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High-risk Populations

• Region U.S.
• Teenagers 21 16
• Elderly (65) 8 8
• Male drivers 79 60
• National Safety Council. U.S. average for
  1999. All crashes.

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Safety Reports
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Roadway Comparisons
Serious Crash Risk (Serious Crashes per 100
Million VMT)
Serious Roadway Crash risk John F.
Kennedy Blvd 505 Kirby Drive
437 FM 1960 260 FM 518 235 State
Highway 6 214 Harris County Urban Arterials
247 Region 204 State of Texas 149
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Jurisdictional Comparisons
Serious Crash Risk (Serious Crashes per 100
Million VMT)
Serious City Crash risk Pearland
378 Galveston 337 Baytown
334 Rosenberg 320 Pasadena 290 Conroe
247 Houston 231 Texas City
211 Sugar Land 192 Region 204 State of
Texas 149
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Hot Spot Analysis
Numerous Minor Hot Spots 344 Major Hot Spots
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Safety Engineering Studies
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Safety Plus Studies
Link Safety to Other Developments
Safety
Bike/Ped. Accessibility
Downtown Redevelopment
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Regional Safety Council

• Created in February 2006
• Policy-level advisory group
• Meets three times a year
• Will meet for four years

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Goals

• Recommend policies for improving regional safety
  
• Monitor safety in the region
• Produce an annual safety report
• Sponsor annual safety conference

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Four Safety Committees

• Reducing aggressive driving
• Reducing DUI/DWI crashes
• Improving freight safety
• Improving safety information systems

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Recommendations

• 17 specific recommendations
• Cover legislative, administrative,
• educational, enforcement, and
• engineering actions

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Other Safety Activities

• Safety Meetings
• Developing Plans for Safety Courses
• Safety Outreach

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Safety Web Page
http//www.h-gac.com/safety