CONTACT: Cathy Gillen               
(o) (202) 857-1203
(c) (443) 463-4449
cathygillen@roadwaysafety.org

May 8, 2013

Roadway Safety Foundation Attends National Launch of Global Youth Traffic Safety Month

(Washington, DC) – The Roadway Safety Foundation will be among the hundreds of attendees at the U.S. launch of Global Youth Traffic Safety Month (GYTSM) today at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.  RSF member National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) sponsors the event.

Among the many distinguished dignitaries will be U.S Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Debra A.P. Hersman, Former U.S Transportation Secretary & Make Roads Safe Chairman Norman Y. Mineta, White House Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske, South Africa Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, Kweku Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator David Strickland, among many others.

“Young drivers experience disproportionate fatality rates on the roads, which stems from various factors such as inexperience, peer pressure and skewed risk assessments. With summer right around the corner, this event gives the traffic safety community an opportunity to educate and bring awareness to youth traffic safety issues,” said Greg Cohen, Executive Director of the Roadway Safety Foundation.

Following the launch events at the Jefferson Memorial in the morning, the Roadway Safety Foundation will be promoting their new Roadway Safety Guide and other traffic safety materials such as the Recognize, React, Recover and Teen Roadway Safety Advocates DVDs at the NTSB Youth Open House at L’Enfant Plaza, SW in Washington, DC.

The Roadway Safety Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable and educational organization.  For additional information on RSF and its products, please visit www.roadwaysafety.org.  RSF is also on Facebook and on Twitter. Our videos are also available on-line on our YouTube page.

For additional information on the GYTSM events taking place in Washington, DC and across the country today, please visit www.noys.org.

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CONTACT:
Cathy Gillen
(202) 857-1203 or
(443) 463-4449
cathygillen@roadwaysafety.org

May 6, 2013

Increase in Highway Fatalities in 2012 Calls for Continued Investments in Road Safety

(Washington, D.C.) – Highway fatalities in the United States increased last year 5.3 percent from the previous year, reversing several years of annual declines.  A total of 1,713 more people were killed in traffic crashes in 2012 than in 2011 with a total of 34,080 lives lost, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  The fatality rate, which is the number of deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, also rose - from 1.10 to 1.16.  While total vehicle miles traveled in 2012 increased by 9.1 billion (a .3 percent increase), fatalities increased at a much greater rate of 5.3 percent.

“This news reinforces the fact that we need to do more, not less, to ensure our roads are as safe as possible,” said Greg Cohen, Executive Director of the Roadway Safety Foundation.  “Strong federal investment in roadway safety infrastructure and engineering safety countermeasures is critically needed if our country wants to truly move the needle and tackle the alarming toll that traffic deaths take on our society.”

Recently, Congress passed a two year highway bill that creates performance objectives for reducing highway fatalities and injuries and gives the States needed funding increases in 2013 and 2014 to get America back on track toward reducing deaths and injuries on our roadways.

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) is the first multi-year highway authorization enacted since 2005.  In addition to doubling funding for roadway safety infrastructure improvements as part of the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) to $2.4 billion per year, MAP-21 provides a performance-based management program that emphasizes a data-driven, strategic approach to improving highway safety on all public roads that is based on national safety goals.

“MAP-21 represents a milestone for highway safety,” said Cohen.  “The future of highway safety planning now involves all partners at the table working together to identify key safety problems, establish their relative severity, and adopt strategic and performance-based goals to maximize safety.   These new performance measures that are being adopted at all levels of government will promote effective investments, based on scientific data, and aid States greatly in reducing future traffic crashes and saving lives.”

The Roadway Safety Foundation is a 501(c) (3) charitable and educational organization.  Our mission is to reduce the frequency and severity of motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and fatalities through improvements to roadway systems and their environment.  For additional information please visit www.roadwaysafety.org.

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CONTACT: Cathy Gillen
(202) 857-1203 or
(443) 463-4449
cathygillen@roadwaysafety.org

ROADWAY SAFETY FOUNDATION STATEMENT ON DISTRACTED DRIVING IN ADVANCE OF
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD SUMMIT

(Washington, DC) – The Roadway Safety Foundation (RSF) applauds the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for holding tomorrow’s Forum on the growing issue of distracted driving.  Distracted driving is estimated to be the cause of more than 3,000 fatalities each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

“As transportation safety leaders in Washington take up the issue of distracted driving, today we are calling on all roadway users – motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists – to put safety first and avoid distractions on and around roadways,” said Greg Cohen, Executive Director of the Roadway Safety Foundation.”

“At the same time, policy makers responsible for safety must consider that at some point all road users make mistakes or get distracted at some point.  For that reason, we further call on all states and local governments to implement roadway design countermeasures that make roads more forgivable.  Countermeasures include low-cost design improvements such as median and roadside barriers, clear shoulders, rumble strips, bright signs, and reinforced bridge railings.  Safety investments can help prevent needless deaths and injuries, many of which are the result of inattention and distraction.”

“Motorists, opinion leaders, and policy makers should be aware that distractions often lead to road departure – the #1 contributing factor in highway deaths.  We need to minimize distractions but when mistakes are inevitably made, people should not be killed, paralyzed, or severely injured.  Roadway safety countermeasures can significantly lessen crash severity,” said Cohen.

Across the country, lane and road departure crashes account for 53 percent of fatal crashes, according to the Federal Highway Administration.  Most of these crashes involve only one vehicle whose driver became distracted or made another error.

The Roadway Safety Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable and educational organization.  For additional information please visit www.roadwaysafety.org.

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Contact: Cathy Gillen           
Office: 202-857-1203
Cell: 443-463-4449                          
cathygillen@roadwaysafety.org

December 8, 2011

Safer Highways Continue to Play Large Role in Lowest Highway Fatality Rate Since 1949

Roadway Departure and Intersection Fatalities Decrease Shows Encouraging Trend

(Washington, DC) — The Roadway Safety Foundation today commented on the news that traffic fatalities have dropped to their lowest level and rate since 1949.  In 2010, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 32,885 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes, compared with 33,883 in 2009 – a 2.9 percent decline.  In addition, NHTSA reports that the fatality rate – 1.10 fatalities per 100 million Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) – is the lowest ever documented, even at a time of increased vehicle miles traveled.

In 2006, the Federal Highway Administration implemented a new performance-based safety program, known as the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP).  HSIP greatly increased the amount of federal funds that could be used to eliminate road and roadside hazards.  Research from SAIC has shown that HSIP funding is driving down traffic deaths and injuries, with a benefit cost ratio of 42 to 1.

Because roughly one-third of traffic fatalities are related to the roadway environment itself, Greg Cohen, Executive Director of the Roadway Safety Foundation, expressed delight that both “Roadway Departure” and “Intersection” fatalities are on the decline.  “Roadway Departure” crashes are defined as “A non-intersection crash in which a vehicle crossed an edge line, a center line, or leaves the traveled way.”  Fatalities in these types of crashes account for more than half of overall fatalities.  In 2010, the number of “Roadway Departure” crashes decreased 3.9 percent from 18,052 in 2009 to 17,346 in 2010.   “Intersection” crashes are also on the decline decreasing 7.1 percent from 7,278 in 2009 to 6,758 in 2010.

“These statistics show the importance of well designed and engineered roads,” said Cohen.  “Implementing lifesaving crash countermeasures – such as rumble strips, retroreflective signs and markings, roundabouts, and crash barriers – should be a priority among local, state and federal government officials.”

“The numbers released by NHTSA provide evidence that the engineering enhancements being adopted around the country truly are driving down fatalities. Especially in tough economic times, when resources are scarce, this reminds us that funding for these projects is money well spent, and that such improvements should remain high on our priority list given the staggering number of people killed on our roads.”

Headquartered in Washington, DC, The Roadway Safety Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational and charitable organization whose mission is to reduce the frequency and severity of motor vehicle crashes, injuries and fatalities through enhancements to roadway systems and their environment.

On November 15, RSF and the Federal Highway Administration recognized nine exemplary highway projects and programs from across the country as winners of the biennial National Roadway Safety Awards.  The award winners are credited for reducing fatalities and injuries on our Nation’s roadways through excellence and innovation in operations, planning, and design.  Each of the National Roadway Safety Award recipients was evaluated on innovation, effectiveness, and efficient use of resources.

Examples of the award winning programs include the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Micro Surfacing to Reduce Wet Weather Crash Rates Program and the Mississippi DOT’s Cable Median Barrier Safety Initiative.  For additional information on roadway engineering programs that are saving lives, please visit www.roadwaysafety.org.

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CONTACT:
Cathy Gillen
(202) 857-1203
(443) 463-4449
cathygillen@roadwaysafety.org

Roadway Safety Foundation, Federal Highway Administration Honor Innovative, Lifesaving Safety Programs

States, Local Governments and Private Sector Organizations from Across the Country to Receive Awards

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Roadway Safety Foundation (RSF) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) today recognized nine exemplary highway projects and programs from across the country as winners of the biennial National Roadway Safety Awards.  Recipients of awards included State and local departments of transportation (DOT), a State department of public safety, a local technical assistance program and a private firm.   The award winners are credited for reducing fatalities and injuries on our Nation’s roadways through excellence and innovation in operations, planning, and design.

“It is a privilege to formally recognize the localities and agencies that were selected for the 2011 National Roadway Safety Awards,” said John Porcari, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation. “Each one of this year’s entries demonstrated a commitment to saving lives by improving our nation’s roadways.”

“The lifesaving projects honored here today are noteworthy because deficiencies in the roadway environment contribute to roughly one-third of traffic deaths,” said Greg Cohen, Executive Director of the Roadway Safety Foundation.  “The best and brightest safety professionals who plan, engineer, and implement innovative solutions rarely get public recognition or the opportunity to know whose lives they have saved.  These awards are an opportunity to thank those who increase our odds of getting home safely each day.”

Each of the National Roadway Safety Award recipients was evaluated on innovation, effectiveness, and efficient use of resources. Project categories included infrastructure improvements; operational improvements; and program planning, development, and evaluation.

This year’s honorees include

• Minnesota DOT’s Micro Surfacing to Reduce Wet Weather Crash Rates Program
• Mississippi DOT’s Cable Median Barrier Safety Initiative
• Jones/Linn County (Iowa) Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Overlay With Safety EdgeSM
• Florida DOT’s Making Roadways Safer for Motorcycles Program
• Utah DOT’s Evaluation of Moveable Barriers in Construction Work Zones Program
• Travelers Marketing’s Safety Patrol Sponsor-Partnership (Maryland, Florida, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New York and Kansas)
• California DOT’s Highway Safety Improvement Program  Application and Evaluation Tool for Local Roadways
• New Mexico Department of Public Safety’s Smart Roadside Inspection Program
• Minnesota DOT’s County Roads Safety Plans Program/Wright County’s (Minnesota) Roadway Safety Program (joint award).

There were two honorable mentions –

• Texas DOT’s FM-1960 Median Improvements Program
• New Jersey Local Technical Assistance Program’s Work Zone Safety Education Program.

The Federal Highway Administration and the Roadway Safety Foundation present these biennial awards to agencies and organization across the country who exhibit excellence in roadway design, operations, planning and safety.

For complete details on each of the winners, and for more information on the national awards program,
visit http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadwaysafetyawards.

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Nomination Packet | Application Form

U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary John Porcari Recognizes Nation’s Most Innovative Highway Safety Efforts

What: The Roadway Safety Foundation (RSF) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 2011
National Roadway Safety Awards Recognition Ceremony.

Why: To recognize the best and most innovative safety programs among state highway programs.  With nearly 33,000 fatalities on American roads each year, finding new ways to safeguard motorists and highway workers alike is a national priority.

Who:
-     The Honorable John Porcari, Deputy Secretary, U.S. DOT
-    Gregory M. Cohen, P.E, Executive Director, Roadway Safety Foundation

Recipients of the awards for work in the following states:

• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Iowa
• Florida
• Utah
• California
• New Mexico
• Massachusetts
• Pennsylvania
• Georgia
• New York
• Maryland
• Kansas
• Texas
• New Jersey

When: Tuesday, November 15th, Remarks begin at 12:30 p.m

Where: Rayburn House Office Building – Room B-340 – Washington, DC

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ATTN:  Editors
Digital photos of winners receiving their awards can be emailed via request by emailing awards@roadwaysafety.org with “AWARDS PHOTO REQUEST” in the subject line.