The care of human life and happiness

1

• The care of human life and happiness
• is the first and only objective of good
  government.
• Thomas Jefferson

2
2005-2009Federal Transportation Act

• SAFETEA-LU
• Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient
  Transportation Equity Act A Legacy for Users
• Requires each state to have a Strategic Highway
  Safety Plan meeting certain criteria and should
  then report the process to FHWA. FHWA then issued
  guidelines that define who should be involved
  in the process and other suggested / required
  elements to consider.

SAFETEA-LU Requirements
3
Highway Safety

• Why a Congressional Priority Now?
• Americans can do more to improve highway safety
• 43,000 deaths per year
• Every year this country experiences a national
  tragedy that is as preventable as it is
  devastating.
• The enormous cost to society is about 230
  billion, or 820 per person.
• Transportation Secretary Leon Mineta April 2006

4
(No Transcript)
5
One Death is One Too Many 445 Annual Fatalities
is Not Acceptable

6
Iowa Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan (CHSP)

• Time for a Culture ChangeFebruary 21, 2007

7
Example SHSP Culture Change Utah Goal Zero
Fatalities

• Tolerance for deathsThe loss of just one life
  is too many
• Culture Change
• Many partners share this goal
• The most important partner is each individual who
  gets behind the wheel

8
Five Year Running Averages
9
Highway Crashes are Complex

• Driver conditions and behavior
• A contributing factor in 95 percent of crashes
• Primary factor in 67 percent of crashes
• Roadway design and environment
• A contributing factor in 28 percent of crashes
• Primary factor in 4 percent of crashes
• Vehicle
• A contributing factor in 8 percent of crashes
• Primary factor in 4 percent of crashes

10
And So are the Solutions The Five Es of
Highway Safety
Multi-disciplinary strategies are the key to
further success
11
Iowa Deaths Emphasis Areas
12
Iowa Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan (CHSP)

• Time for a Culture Change

13
The Condition of U.S. Highway Safety
14
Global Safety ComparisonsFatality Rate (2002
Data) Deaths/1B kmVT

• United Kingdom 7.6
• Sweden 8.3
• Norway 8.3
• Switzerland 8.4
• Finland 8.5
• Australia 9.0
• Denmark 9.2
• Canada 9.3
• USA 9.4
• Germany 11.1

2nd
10th
(Source IRTAD 2004)
15
Why Success in Other Industrialized Nations
?Safety Culture
Safety Culture

• United Kingdom
• Typical speeding, safety belt or cell phone
  traffic violation fine 1,000 1,893
• Automated speed enforcement is commonly employed
• Sweden
• Vision Zero national goal is NO highway deaths
  
• The lowest legal level is .02 BAC
• Norway
• Increased traffic fines up to 30 percent in 2003
• Driving under the influence carries mandatory
  jail time.
• Denmark
• Fines are collected on-the-spot for the
  infringement of all traffic regulations.

16
FinlandWhen it comes to crime, the wealthy
should suffer as much as the poor.
Safety Culture

• Traffic fines generally are based on two
  factors
• the severity of the offense
• the driver's income
• Jaako Rytsola, a 27-year-old Finnish Internet
  entrepreneur and newspaper columnist, was
  cruising in his BMW one recent evening. The
  officer pulled over Mr. Rytsola's car and issued
  him a speeding ticket for driving 43 miles an
  hour in a 25-mile-an-hour zone.
  The fine 71,400.

17
Australia - Most like the U.S.Government, Road
Systems and Travel Patterns

• From nearly identical rates in 1980, the
  Australian rate has fallen to a point where it is
  now a little more than half the U.S. rate. (Based
  on public health measures of deaths/population)
• Implementing the Halving Fatalities goal
  introduced several traffic safety legislative and
  regulatory amendments to increase police powers,
  sharpen laws, and increase penalties.

HALVING Roadway Fatalities, A Case Study from
Victoria, Australia, 1989-2004
18
Australias Safety Culture Based on Every
Drivers Responsibility

• Impairment
• .05 blood alcohol content (BAC) for all drivers
• Zero BAC first three years after licensing and
  for taxi drivers
• Immediate license loss for all drunk-driver
  second or subsequent offenses
• Enforcement
• Increased random breath testing Efforts
  increased five-fold resulting in (statistically)
  one in three drivers likely to be tested
  annually.
• Introduced automated speed limit enforcement with
  cameras
• Vulnerable Road users
• Mandatory bicycle helmet use law (motorcycle
  helmet law since 1960s)
• Education
• Long-term program of public education to support
  specific safety initiatives and keep traffic
  safety in the public arena

HALVING Roadway Fatalities, A Case Study from
Victoria, Australia, 1989-2004
19
Change the Safety Culture

• I would conclude that one of the failures in
  the United States is to get highway safety as a
  high priority for key decision makers.
• -Brian ONeill , President and CEO
• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

20
Iowa Fatalities Trend Line
21
Basis of Iowa Success Legislative Support
22
Iowa Success

• Impairment
• 24 percent alcohol involvement crashes
• 3rd lowest rate in the nation
• Occupant Protection
• 90 percent belt usage
• 11th highest in the nation
• Young Drivers
• Reduction in young driver traffic crashes and
  convictions

23
Basis of Iowa Success Legislative Support

• 1982, per se OWI law.
• 1987 primary seatbelt law
  Life Toll was at 5804 lives saved
• 1987 TSIP ½ program for safety
  (1/2 of 1 RUTF)
• 1999 Iowas Graduated Driver License (GDL)
  (three tier licensing system for young
  drivers)
• 2003 .08 BAC impaired driving law.
• In 2004 child restraint provisions enhanced

24
Iowa LawmakersMaking a Difference

• For three years, Senator David Johnson was a
  champion for child passenger safety, managing the
  bill first in the Iowa House and then in the
  Senate
• Representatives Vicki Lensing and Royd Chambers
  sponsored and managed the House Bill in 2004.
• More than 1,000 individual supporters and 350
  agencies/ organizations signed on in support of
  the upgraded law.

Legislators really do listen to the people they
are elected to represent -The Childrens
Advocate,A Publication of Blank Childrens
Hospital.
25
Basis of Iowa Success Program Support
26
Basis of Iowa SuccessProgram Support

• In 2004, Iowa DOT adopted a paved shoulder and
  rumble strip policy on selected two-lane and
  four-lane facilities.
• In 2005, 298 miles of shoulders were
  paved.
• Iowa DPS and GTSB continue to coordinate
  multi-agency, high-profile enforcement efforts.

27
Basis of Iowa SuccessProgram Support

• GTSB and the Department of Public Health continue
  to support child safety seat awareness and
  technician training.
• In the last decade, the Iowa DOT replaced a
  number of two-lane, high-crash roads with
  four-lane divided roads.
• The Iowa DNR has made progress in reducing the
  Iowa deer herd.

28
Multi-DisciplineIowa Highway Safety Partnership
29
Safety Stakeholders SummitApril 26, 2006
30
Iowas CHSP Will Be Data-Driven

• What will really move the numbers?

31
Low Cost Highway Safety Investments
32
Safety Stakeholders SummitApril 26, 2006
33
Summit Vote
34
Iowa CHSP8 Target Areas (PMT)

• Young Drivers
• Older Persons Mobility
• Occupant Protection
• Impaired Drivers
• Distracted Driving
• Intersections
• Lane Departure
• Local Roads

Time for a Culture Change
35
Target Area Team AssignmentsTeams met May - July

• Each team received guidelines and basic target
  area data to help them develop
• Goals,
• Objectives,
• Policy Strategies,
• Program Strategies, and
• Performance Measures.

Use the data Focus on what will REALLY move
the numbers
36
Top 5 Policy Strategies

• Legislative
• Young Drivers
• Occupant Protection
• Motorcycles
• Enforcement
• Safety Engineering

• Policy
• Lane Departure
• Safety Corridors
• Unpaved Rural Roads
• Innovative Intersection Designs
• Local Multi-Discipline Safety Teams
• Safety Data Availability and Assistance
• Multi-Discipline Traffic Safety Education and
  Training
• Older Persons Safe Mobility

Time for a Culture Change
37
Iowa 5 Data
38
Safety CorridorsPotential Multidiscipline
Strategies

• Dedicated law enforcement
• Speed limit reduction
• Required headlight use
• Double fines for moving violations
• High-visibility sign sheeting
• Over-sized signs
• Enhanced pavement markings
• Public awareness to local media outlets
• Data dissemination to safety professionals
• Education of young drivers in schools and older
  drivers in community centers
• Remove fixed objects (trees, poles, mailboxes,
  driveway slopes)
• Targeted seat belt, speed, and impaired driving
  campaigns
• Safety materials distributed to residents and
  through local businesses along corridor
• Engagement/establishment a multidisciplinary
  safety team
• Automated enforcement (RLR and speed cameras)
• Additional turn lanes
• Paved shoulders and centerline, shoulder rumble
  strips/stripes

39
The Iowa Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan
Mary Stahlhut Mary.Stahlhut_at_dot.iowa.gov 515.239.1
169