Standing Committee on Highway Traffic Safety (SCOHTS)

Standing Committee on Highway Traffic Safety (SCOHTS)

Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah

DRAFT Meeting Notes(4/29/10)

NOTE: PowerPoint presentations (if noted available) may be viewed on the SCOHTS webpage at This is part of the Standing Committee on Highway Traffic Safety’s page on the AASHTO website. (

Attendance:

32 members and liaisons

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

1:10pm Meeting begins

Welcome & Getting Acquainted, Pam Hutton, SCOHTS Vice Chair (Colorado DOT)

Welcoming remarks from our host, John Njord, Executive Director (Utah DOT)

Welcomed group to Utah. All 4Es have same goal to save lives. Common goal “Toward Zero Deaths” nationally is to be applauded. Utah established this goal about 5 years ago. Received some criticism about ability to get to that goal, but if not zero what would be the appropriate goal? Last year 245 fatalities. Not acceptable.

On the jump drive provided with the registration package there is a 15 minute video produced last year on distracted driving.

IntelliDrive: holds great promise, vehicle and infrastructure in instant/constant communication. Creating crashless vehicles, highways, etc.

Committee member introductions

Tom Sorel, the new chair, will be chairing the meeting tomorrow.

Approval of last year’s meeting minutes, Joe Toole, SCOHTS Secretary (FHWA)

Last meeting was in Chicago, Illinois on April 29, 2009. 16 action items from that meeting that have been started and or completed, but some are on-going. Motion to approve meeting minutes by Priscilla Tobias and seconded by Ron Lipps to approve minutes. Minutes approved unanimously.

AASHTO report, Tony Kane (AASHTO)

Legislative update: active getting policies across. In agenda – IACP and Safety Alliance – see pg 2-3 in handout. Kirk Steudle testified on position. CVSA and GHSA scheduled to testify May 13. May 11 meeting with AATHO, Health officials important partners. Safety Leadership Award – exemplary DOTs at driving down fatalities. Financial piece missing from Congressional conversation on reauthorization.More emphasis being seen on behavioral side. AASHTO will have finance meeting in Fall 2010. LaHood – President ready to sign bill as long as it has no gas tax increase and is revenue neutral. Linked fee on GH gas emissions that goes into trust fund.Flexibility, data, revenue sources. Barb H. – sanctions may be key part of legislation. Performance measures are seen as popular in next bill. All bill scenarios are interested in what to do with under-performing states. Tony K. – calling for SHSPs that are harder-hitting. Asking for national goals.Total fatalities, fatality rate and number of serious injuries.

EPW discussion of interlocks, etc. all have sanctions associated. GHSA, AASHTO, and TRB also talked about performance measures. All are concerned about underperforming. Appears they will be looking to put penalties on them. Have States to set targets and asking for Congress to set goals. AASHTO supporting 3-year moving average.

Safety Leadership award Last year CO, NV, Nebraska were winners last year. Conference (State Leadership Forum) in May.

Membership Update Newest member Robert Hull, 3 vacancies currently, plan to fill those within the next couple weeks. All regions are full.

Federal and Association Safety Update Joe Toole (FHWA), Marlene Markison (NHTSA), Anna Amos (FMCSA), Barbara Harsha (GHSA)

Federal agencies and state associations will discuss individual and coordinated efforts in highway safety, with a focus on programs and legislation that enhance state DOTs safety efforts.

FHWA: DROP in fatality numbers based on preliminary data. Implementation of ARRA, over 800 projects are classified as safety ($1.3billion), found even more when searching with various safety-relatedcriteria. Continue to push 9 countermeasures, very widely accepted; by and large every State has tried them. Planning to share best practices. Safety Edge will be next big promotion, a number of states have accepted this as a standard practice. Retroreflectivity is out in rulemaking, release of MUTCD, big advancement and will continue to be refined. Within the DOT there is an effort underway in parallel as the TZD effort continues. Four Operating Administrators have gotten together in response to Dep. Sec. Pocari to work together on a plan for reauthorization, support budget proposal, and inform performance measures. Formation of Safety Council.Big drop in fatalities of great interest.Implementation of ARRA. Hard to track projects, but over 800 classified as Ops and Safety improvements = 1.3B. Leveraged safety efforts of states. FHWA projects – pushing 9 countermeasures, rumble stripes and roundabouts are seen as successful. Many states following the countermeasure suggestions.Soon will be promoting the Safety Edge aggressively. Retro-reflectivity – advanced notice out. Final rule is out. MUTCD effort under way.Still in process. NHTSA, FMCSA, FHWA, RITA are main safety players. Administrators of those agencies met to create a Roadway Safety Plan. Intent is that the plan will bring together many activities of those agencies, but also look for opportunities to integrate across organizations. This Fall hope to have plan framework for reauthorization, be budget plan and 3, establish direction for strategic plan. LaHood created safety council – active and making progress. First issue – transit safety – did well on that.

NHTSA: Vehicle side: Cash for clunkers, Toyota, historic rule with EPA. Behavioral side: David Strickland is new administrator since June. Ron Medford is now deputy secretary, so now have a very strong safety group. Consensus performance measures (15 measures) working with GHSA. 2009 data, lowest since just under 34,000 deaths. Most opportunity: increase seat belt use, impaired drivers. Looking at ignition interlocks, long range to make this as standard equipment. 12 states have made interlocks mandatory even for 1st time offenders. Planning a summit in the Fall in DC, working with states to… High visibility campaigns May 24- June 26 click it ticket, August – Sept. Drunk driving. Focus on pedestrian and bicyclists- education and enforcement, pilots in 4 states. Motorcycle safety: fatalities have increased for past 11 years. More helmet laws, more on impaired riding.Cash for Clunkers, Toyota acceleration, fuel economy – issues. Other issues: David Strickland – new administrator. Served on Senate committee related to transportation. Ron Medford names as Deputy. Both committed to highway safety. Highlights: state partners, consensus performance measures implemented – now 15. All states have reported using those performance measures. 3-11-10 reported 2009 = record low fatalities – lowest since 1954 – just under 34,000 8.9 decrease from 2008. 1.27(?) rate. Looking at opportunity areas – SB, impaired drivers, 30 states have primary SB law. 4-27-10 GA passed pick-up loophole closure. On impaired driving, looking at ignition interlock as promise. Long-range – standard equipment? Twelve states now have a law. CA – pilot project on first-time interlock. Planning interlock summit to work with state on implementation issues.Continuing Click-It-or-Ticket enforcement.Over-the-Limit, Under Arrest.Sec LaHood asking for emphasis on Ped/Bike. Every mode should include a look at integrating all modes. Four demo grants, Chi, Fl NM, NC –enforcement grants. MC safety is tough issue. Increased fatals for 11 years. Want to emphasize helmet laws. More on impaired riding on MCs – higher %.Working with rider groups on drink/ride. Big move now onto distracted driving. 4-30-10 is “No Phone Zone Day” – Oprah.

FMCSA: continue cmv crashes, this year’s focus on driver distraction. Vetting and more motorcoach plans on concerns and issues to improve process. Operation Safe Driver, improve driver behavior improvement Oct. 17 – 23, education and enforcement. 12% of total crashes are cmv. Increase seat belt usage. Best way to do a compliance review, roadside, record review (for driver fatigue identification) , more than noting in review – taking enforcement action if seat belt not used. Also educating the driving public how to drive around a cmv.continue to work with state partners. Most efforts recently focused on driver distraction. Spent time working on vetting process for motor coaches transporting passengers.More comprehensive motor coach plan to address issues – many crashes in last year. Make aware of Operation Safe Driver – improve commercial and non-commercial driver behavior. Using Enforcement/Education during this campaign.Oct 17-23, 2010 nationwide emphasis. Large trucks about 12% of fatal crashes. Increase SB use, roadside inspections, regulatory compliance. Want to educate the motoring public on now to operate safely around large vehicles, Strategies – selective traffic enforcement; asking state partners and law enforcement to concentrate in high crash corridors – focus on aggressive and other dangerous violations. Increase training exposure of partners to issues related to operating around a commercial vehicle.

IACP: working on reauthorization issues. Working on officers improving seatbelt use (only 64% rate).working with AASHTO and others on reauthorization. Big push now – roll call video on SB use. Maybe 65% of officers use SBs. Many involved in high speed pursuits – unbelted.

AAMVA: working on suspended and revoked licenses, unconventional vehicles (don’t meet federal safety regulations), motorcycles (testing and licensing, also graduated licensing) also 3-wheel vehicles.Suspended and revoked – big issue. Work on unconventional vehicles. MCs licensing and testing.3-wheel vs 2-wheel vehicles –handling issues.Working on MC GDL issues.

LTAP: peer to peer to get elected officials interested in safety. Working with NACE to streamline processes to get funding to locals (need to bring down the administrative costs). How to implement Safety Edge: issues and implementation though locals and action items have been put together.Trying to get elected officials interested in safety. NLTAPA – issue of streamlining process of getting money to locals. Active trying to raise awareness in LTAPS to work with DOTs to ID issues and how to address.Met with NACE safety work group –talked about implementing (?).

GHSA: Also involvement in Operation Safe Driver and distracted driver. Issued a report (available on website) last week on motorcycle fatalities: 1st 9 months were down, expect for the year may be 10% reduction. Citing economy, weather, rider education. New report Performance measures for Traffic Records Systems:6 systems - roadway, injury, crash, State would choose the performance measures for the system they are planning to address/improve. Voluntary, guidance document but in preparation for what is expected to be coming.Involved in distracted driving legislation at state level – tracking. Did preliminary MC fatalities. First none months of 2009 and less complete. 1st 9 months MC fatals down more than 15.Project for 2009 down by at least 10%.First drop in 11 years. Future recommendation – states pass mandatory helmet laws. Speeding and impaired next two big issues. Another issue – a guidance documents on performance measures on traffic records systems, (what measures?). Use these performance measures in traffic records plan – target federal resources. Use performance measures for data system you want to improve.

Panel Session: Make Roads Safe, T. Bella Dinh-Zarr (FIA Foundation), Tony Kane (AASHTO), Joe Toole (FHWA), Marlene Markison (NHTSA)

International efforts in highway safety, including Make Roads Safe and the Decade of Action, as well as the 2009 Moscow Summit, will be discussed by a panel and by meeting participants, with a focus on the applicability of these efforts to state DOT safety activities, and the role of AASHTO and states in the international efforts.

Presentation made by Bella (ask for presentation)

• Safety Engineers without borders
• 1Driving down US numbers
• 2Helping other countries, outreach, technology transfer
• 3“Embarrass the US” – show how much more other countries are doing

• Recognition that we can learn from other countries… the more we help others the more it is to helping our own nationals (Americans working, traveling, living abroad)
• NHTSA working on harmonization of vehicle safety standards
• NHTSA developing a number of how- to manuals, available on
• NHTSA Teens from several countries working together to improve traffic data through forum
• Iowa support to iRAP mapping
• AAMVA working with Canada and Mexico
• TRB 2 committees: Int’l committee and ? committee there are half day sessions during TRB
• TRB: Road safety conferences on 4 continents
• If States are interested in participating in international efforts, there are many opportunities to contribute. Even if it is to host international visitors when they visit the US.

TK - Twinning efforts; safety engineers without borders; safety sells worldwide;

JT – Moscow involvement brings the issues home; 1.3 million per year worldwide; 50% worldwide are not in vehicles; three sides for US participation – 1) US contribution – ½ by 2020; 2) how can we help other countries? 3)”embarrass” the US by the actions of other nations – so much more we can do. Need to get involved in this international effort and take advantage of it.

MM – NHTSA provides tech assist to other countries; also recognize we can learn from other countries; Another side – more we help developing countries, our tourists benefit; harmonization of vehicle standards throughout the world; work with UN road safety collaboration to develop how-to manuals and guidebooks – available on the WHO website;

AAMVA – working with Canada and Mexico

TRB – RP – many TRB activities with other countries; try to bring international professionals to TRB – about 1,000 per year; get papers from developing countries;

AASHTO – TK – serve on many committees relating to international efforts; serve on board of directors of IRF; may be funding help for short stints with international traffic safety efforts (contact?)

JT – have developed T2 throughout developing countries; interested to know how many would want to commit effort toward other countries – three in the room raised a hand.

Ron Lipps – iRAP taking teams into countries to guide investments of World Bank; implement traffic crash data systems for problem ID.

MM – professionals in the safety field in the US can host visitors from other states

State Reports, Moderated by Pam Hutton, SCOHTS Vice-Chair (Colorado DOT)

Round 1: Committee members present the most successful safety initiatives in their states for the previous year, and also discuss any significant highway safety legislation that was passed and the steps the DOTs took to promote this.

Reports available in meeting materials:MICHIGAN, MISSISSIPPI, NEVADA, ALABAMA (2 reports submitted one from DOT, one from Dept. of Safety)

MI – Dale Lighthizer – 2009 – MI went down across the board. One problem – increase in pedfatals. Continuing multi-million$ investment in cable barrier and CL rumbles; rumbles – learned that not all were happy with the noise; on cable barrier should have done better front-end PR to let others know how they work, EMS education; SB enforcement – law changes; distributing bike helmets and child safety seats to kids; improving crash records systems – 48% reporting electronically;

MS - Jim Willis – have gone about 25% below goal; injury crashes reduced by 18%; lane departure dropped about 15%; focus on lane departure – rumbles on all interstate; minimum 2-foot paved shoulder; strips or stripes on all roads; using CL rumbles; surface friction treatments on curves with good benefit; 6” striping policy; clear-zone re-establishment; use of safety edge; spent $3M on data cleansing in the last two years; focus on education – use a lot of simulation; “room to live” video; impaired driving – use “go-cart”; MT has “In the Cage” concept – wear SB and stay “In the Cage”

NV - Chuck ? – 15 fewer fatals this year to date than in 2009; did “road show” in LV (2), Carson City and Elko to educate on initiatives; installing multiple miles of CL rumbles, but need to involve locals more; working in urban areas with FYAs;

AL – Waylon Benefield – See report

Presentation: Model Inventory of Roadway Elements (MIRE), Bob Pollack (FHWA)

An update on MIRE.

Presentation made by Bob (ask for presentation)This should be last update on the progress because the document (1.0 version) will be finalized and released soon.

Presentation: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) update, Dia Gainor (NASEMSO)

An introduction to key EMS issues and two current projects related to assessing the ability of EMS agencies to respond to crashes. (Event Response Readiness Assessment tool and Model Inventory of Emergency Care Elements). Discussion will focus on AASHTO's role in the development of the tools, the state DOT's role in using the assessment results to include EMS response capabilities in strategic highway safety planning.

Presentation made by Dia (ask for presentation)

HITS: Highway Incident and Transportation System may be the link of data on serious injuries.

Recent CDC report of 25% reduction in fatalities possible with appropriate on-scene and in-hospital care.

NEMSIS to build a logical data dictionary to cover all victims – 437 data elements. All States committed to convert to NEMSIS compliant system, about half of States have done so already.