Read about RSF’s latest activities in Managing Director Cathy Gillen’s presentation to the Advisory Committee on March 17, 2010.

Check out our RSF Highlights of Accomplishments in 2009 for an update on RSF top initiatives.

Programs

• 2009 National Roadway Safety Awards Program
  The work we began to review and upgrade elements of the biennial National Roadway Safety Awards Program with our partner, the Federal Highway Administration, should pay off with additional applicants and an impressive lineup of honorees in 2009. Our planning, which began early in 2008, resulted in completion of promotional literature and an advertisement/hand-out for introduction in January 2009. We planned a new venue for the awards ceremony on Capitol Hill, expanded media outreach, upgraded the content of the application announcement, and identified additional avenues for raising awareness of the program to potential new applicants.

Safer Roads:  Building Safety Into Your Drive Campaign

All of the following programs are funded by the multi-year grant awarded to RSF by FHWA.

• Filmed Interviews on Tribal Road Safety for TTAP Grant Project: From November 16-19, 2009 RSF Managing Director Cathy Gillen attended the Tribal Transportation Technical Conference in Phoenix, AZ to videotape interviews with key tribal safety leaders on roadway safety issues.  The interviews will be used in a short, six-eight minute video that RSF is producing with Michigan Technological University’s Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP).  The video will focus on the issue of run-off-the-road crashes on tribal lands and rumble strips as a solution to the problem.  The video will be titled, Rumble on the Rez.
• Launched Safe and Mobile Delaware Campaign: On January 13, 2010 RSF and its safety partners, including the University of Delaware (UDel), AAA and AARP, launched the Safe and Mobile Delaware Campaign in Wilmington, DE.  The campaign includes a 26-minute documentary on older driver safety, public service announcements and a web site.  The documentary aired on WHYY (PBS) throughout the months of January and February and is still available “On-demand.”   The news conference was covered by WHYY Channel 12, The News Journal, WDEL and WILM.  Visit www.safeandmobiledelaware.org for additional information.
• Finalized, Promoted and Distributed Recognize, React, Recover Run-Off-Road/Rumble Strip DVD/CD: In late February, the final Recognize, React, Recover DVD/CDs became available for distribution.  More than 5,000 copies of the DVD/CD are being distributed through various channels and partners.  Copies are available through the RSF web-site and will also be distributed at the upcoming Lifesavers Highway Safety Conference April 11-13 in Philadelphia, PA.   AAA and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety are distributing 1,000 copies and the American Traffic Safety Services Association is distributing 500 copies of the DVD/CD.  The Local Technical Assistance Programs (LTAPs) have been promoting them through newsletters and emails and to date we have already received more than 75 orders.
• Monitored Recognize, React, Recover Public Service Announcement Use in South Carolina: The Recognize, React, Recover radio and television public service announcements on the importance of rumble strips on reducing Run-Off-the-Road crashes in South Carolina aired more than 4,100 times in October and November, 2009 at a value of nearly $215,000.

Meetings/Outreach

• Attended Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting: Both RSF’s Executive Director and Managing Director attended several meetings at this year’s TRB Conference.  RSF’s Managing Director Cathy Gillen spoke at  the Tribal Safety Issues Subcommittee of the Committee on Native American Transportation Issues about the Rumble on the Rez video project.
• Attended Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day Meeting: RSF Managing Director attended a Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day (PBFD) meeting held in conjunction with TRB.  PBFD will celebrate its10th Anniversary on October 10, 2010 and a series of events are being planned.
• Attended Highway Safety Partners Venture (HSPV) Meetings on November 10, 2009 and January 28, 2010: RSF Executive Director Greg Cohen and RSF Managing Director Cathy Gillen attended the last two meetings of this group of which RSF is an active partner.  The group meets regularly to discuss the status of highway safety on a national level.  Gillen Chairs the Communications Working Group of the HSPV.
• Exhibited at National Tribal Transportation Conference: RSF exhibited at this conference November 16-19, 2009 as part of its grant with the Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP) at MI Tech. University.  RSF’s video firm was on-hand to interview tribal representatives about road safety in their communities for the video RSF is producing in conjunction with the Michigan Tech. TTAP.
• Spoke at American Traffic Safety Services Association 40th Annual Convention and Traffic Expo in San Antonio, TX: RSF Executive Director Greg Cohen spoke to the Safety and Public Awareness (SPA) Committee at this gathering of roadway safety product manufacturers and suppliers on Monday, February 15, 2010.
• Attended Global Road Safety Meeting: On February 24, 2010, RSF Managing Director Cathy Gillen attended the “Global Road Safety Meeting” sponsored by RSF member organizations the FIA Foundation for the Automobile and Society, AASHTO, AAAFTS, TRB and NOYS.  Approximately 90 participants from more than 60 organizations in U.S., Canada and other countries attended.

Communications

• Distributed Issue of the Roadway Safety E-Reporter: RSF distributed an issue of our e-newsletter in December 2009.  The newsletter is a great way to alert members and others in the safety community about the great program areas in which RSF is working. The E-Reporter is being distributed via a new delivery system that also manages bounce backs and un-subscribes in compliance with anti-spam law.
• Published Highlights of Accomplishments in 2009: Designed and printed an eight-page, two-color publication that touts the highlights of RSF in 2009.  Copies will be distributed at the Lifesavers Highway Safety Conference in April in Philadelphia and mailed to all RSF members and selected prospective members.
• Published Issue of the Roadway Safety Reporter: RSF designed and printed an issue of our hard copy, full-color, 4-page newsletter, the Roadway Safety Reporter.  The first quarter issue featured stories on the Delaware Older Driver Safety campaign as well as updates on the South Carolina and Michigan Safer Roads campaigns.  It will be used as a hand out at the upcoming Lifesavers Highway Safety Conference and mailed to RSF members and prospects this month.

Upcoming Events/Meetings

• April 11-13, 2010: Lifesavers Conference: RSF Managing Director Cathy Gillen will moderate two roadway safety sessions at this conference of nearly 2,000 highway safety professionals and will exhibit at a booth in the exhibit hall.  She will distribute copies of the Delaware older driver safety video, the national Run-off-Road/Rumble Strip DVD,  the latest hard copy issue of the Roadway Safety Reporter, the Highlights of Accomplishments in 2009 report and the Best Practices Guide that highlights the winners of the 2009 National Roadway Safety Awards.

Funding

• Won FHWA Grant to Assist with Rumble on the Rez Project: On February 19, 2010, RSF received word that it had won a grant of $15,000 from the Federal Highway Administration’s Accelerating Safety Activities Program (ASAP) to enhance our Rumble on the Rez project.  The grant funds will be used to conduct additional interviews and secure additional footage for the video.