Center for Excellence in Rural Safety (2005-2013)
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This collection contains all 22 issues of the electronic newsletter Rural Safety News, 5 fact sheets, and other publications of the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety (CERS). From 2005 to 2013, CERS was a joint program between CTS and the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, with sponsorship from the Federal Highway Administration, to facilitate research, training, and outreach activities related to rural transportation safety.
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Browsing Center for Excellence in Rural Safety (2005-2013) by Subject "Drivers"
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Item Five-County Minnesota Case Study: Rural Roadway Fatal Crash Characteristics and Select Safety Improvement Programs(Center for Excellence in Rural Safety, Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, 2008-12) Patterson, Tyler M.; Munnich, LeeThis second in a series of CERS research reports summarizes the characteristics of the fatal rural roadway crashes within five Minnesota counties and describes some of the safety improvement programs or campaigns being used in this five-county area. Past research has shown that some of the many characteristics of fatal rural roadway crashes include younger drivers, alcohol involvement, lack of seat belt use, and speeding. The crash data summarized in this report were generally obtained from the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Several recommendations have been proposed as a result of this case study project that focus on improving rural roadway safety data and analyses. Evaluations of safety improvement programs/campaigns are also proposed. Recommendations include: • Examine more rural roadway crash factors and combinations of factors for additional clarification. • Improve the metrics used to describe or define rural roadways in the United States. • Use the primary characteristics of rural roadway crashes as the basis for safety improvement measures and programs implemented in rural areas. • Include measures and strategies that improve driver decision-making as one of the focus or emphasis areas of a comprehensive safety program. • Fund projects that continue to help upgrade and apply GIS tools to plot and evaluate safety data with respect to driver behavior and roadway conditions. • Scientifically evaluate the impacts of the safety improvement programs described in this report.Item Rural Transportation Safety and the Strategic Highway Safety Plan: An Examination of Select State Programs and Practices(University of Minnesota Center for Excellence in Rural Safety, 2008-02) Munnich, Lee Jr; More, AlecThis first in a series of Center for Excellence in Rural Safety (CERS) research summaries examines the current state of safety planning through interviews and a comprehensive review of the newly mandated strategic highway safety plans (SHSPs) and supporting documents from six states representing different U.S. regions: Alabama, Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, Vermont, and Washington. The researchers took several steps to develop a knowledge base of existing conditions pertaining to safety planning in the six states. During the analysis, five key themes emerged: 1. A focus on changing driver behavior; 2. The importance of state-level public policy and political leadership; 3. The use of emerging technologies; 4. The importance of sustained, collaborative approaches; and 5. The use of measurement-driven approaches, which rely on enhanced data collection and new interpretive methodologies. In addition to these findings, case studies of each state provide a synopsis of certain aspects of their SHSPs. Recommendations concerning the SHSP development process and emphasis areas include: strengthening public engagement activities and initiatives to communicate the importance of roadway safety, reviewing the development structure and safety stakeholders involved, and continuing integration across agencies contributing to safety.