Representatives of 30 states that have volunteered to take lead roles in implementing the Strategic Highway Safety Plan met in a two-day workshop earlier this month.
The meeting focused on the AASHTO Lead State Safety Initiative and the development of a comprehensive highway safety plan using the integrated safety management process. Both of these initiatives are addressed by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program 500 and 501 Reports. The 500 Report provides guidance in six volumes on issues concerning:
* Unsignalized intersection collisions;
* Head-on collisions;
* Collisions with trees in hazardous locations;
* Collisions involving unlicensed drivers and drivers with suspended or revoked licenses;
* Aggressive driving collisions; and
* Run-off-the-road collisions.
Report 501 provides guidance on the integrated safety management process which AASHTO recommends be used to develop a comprehensive highway safety plan.
The joint workshop concentrated on initial steps states can take to get the initiative started in the various emphasis areas. It was stressed that the main objective of the lead state initiative is to evaluate the NCHRP guides to find definitive data on what will work to save lives.
Roundtable discussions were held in each emphasis area between the various states represented. The discussions focused on what was already being done in the states, what works, what doesn't and major concerns.
