BACKGROUND

The Safe System approach, initiated about 30 years ago as a global movement, has achieved significant safety improvements by adopters such as Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand. At the center of the Safe System approach is humans’ ability to tolerate crash force. 

The Safe System approach requires commitment and action by stakeholders (including planners, roadway system designers and managers, roadway users, law enforcement, and vehicle manufacturers) to build in redundancy that protects roadway users and reduces roadway fatalities and serious injuries. Commitment and collective action by stakeholders contributes to a positive safety culture.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to develop a practical toolkit for transportation and planning agencies that presents proven, innovative, and emerging strategies to institutionalize the Safe System approach throughout planning and programming processes. To ensure usefulness and practicality of the toolkit, the draft deliverables should engage a range of agency practitioners for review and comment. In addition to presenting specific strategies to institutionalize the Safe System approach throughout planning and programming processes, the toolkit should address:

STATUS: The research is underway. The interim panel meeting was held in September 2024. The research is continuing.