US road safety suggestions

The US needs to up its game on road safety, which a new report can help with, providing key steps state governors can take to help reduce road crash risks. The report has been published by the National Governors Association (NGA) and is titled, “State Strategies to Reduce Highway and Traffic Fatalities and Injuries: A Road Map for States.” The publication emphasises the key role of governors in improving road safety. It suggests ways to improve coordination and strengthen existing efforts across state
February 12, 2018 Read time: 2 mins

The US needs to up its game on road safety, which a new report can help with, providing key steps state governors can take to help reduce road crash risks.

The report has been published by the National Governors Association (NGA) and is titled, “State Strategies to Reduce Highway and Traffic Fatalities and Injuries: A Road Map for States.” The publication emphasises the key role of governors in improving road safety. It suggests ways to improve coordination and strengthen existing efforts across state agencies.

“This project elevates the profile of traffic safety and provides concrete recommendations that have tremendous potential to improve safety outcomes,” said Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) that assisted in the development of the report. “Governors are uniquely positioned to provide leadership on highway safety and foster statewide collaboration among other various agencies, including state highway safety offices. GHSA is glad to support this new report and looks forward to continuing to work with NGA and the safety community to achieve zero traffic fatalities on our roadways.”

Improvements in road safety are sorely needed in the US, which compares poorly with other developed nations in this respect. More worryingly still, there has been a reversal of the steady gains in road safety seen over decades. In 2016, 37,461 people were killed on America’s roads, a 5.6% increase over the previous year. And 39 US states reported an increase in traffic fatalities in 2016.

According to the GHSA, the report will help states to identify and deploy proven countermeasures to reduce crashes and injuries. The report provides key steps that governors can take to improve coordination and strengthen existing efforts across state agencies and identifies recent state efforts to adopt strategies to reduce traffic fatalities. The road map is designed as a policy development tool, allowing a state to use all or portions of the road map as it applies to their unique situation.

Maintenance

Related Content

  • 16th IRF World Meeting
    February 14, 2012
    International Road Community Rises to the Challenge of Safe, Smart and Sustainable Mobility. Songs are like roads - highways to the heart - opening new vistas, new challenges and new opportunities." Singer, Mafalda Arnault's words during a splendidly moving opening ceremony were an apt introduction to the spirit and achievements of what proved a highly successful 16th IRF World Meeting in Lisbon. A capacity audience clapping in unison to the soulful sounds of Fado was symbolic of an industry showing it can
    Read More
  • Bridge safety should become a key US concern
    May 14, 2018
    Bridge safety is a key concern in the US, where so many structures are deficient - *Mary Scott Nabers. There are more than 54,000 structurally deficient bridges in the US. That designation does not mean the bridges are in imminent danger of collapsing, but it does mean that they need immediate attention. That fact becomes more alarming when one realises that every day more than 174 million motorists drive over the nation’s structurally deficient bridges. And, there are no plans for repairing the majority of
    Read More
  • Importance of continued transportation investment
    February 27, 2012
    The US infrastructure network requires urgent attention - * T Peter Ruane. America's transportation infrastructure was once the "shining light on top of the hill." Major investments in a national highway, bridge, transit, airport, port and waterway system during the 20th century paid great dividends. The free and efficient flow of goods and people across the 50 states led to unparalleled economic expansion. The mobility and prosperity resulting from an interconnected infrastructure was a model for the world
    Read More
  • Uruguay’s transport investment is seeing major gains
    August 1, 2017
    Uruguay’s road development programme will help deliver economic growth for the future - Gordon Feller reports. Uruguay is embarking on a new nationwide programme to rehabilitate 890km of roads, and the government intends to improve an additional 260km of dangerous highways and roads. This three-year programme aims to reduce traffic accidents, in part thanks to a US$70 million loan recently authorised by the World Bank’s board of directors. The new operation uses a special financing instrument known as “Prog
    Read More

Highlighted Content