BACKGROUND

Traffic crash fatalities disproportionately affect underserved communities, in particular people of color. This long-standing and systemic problem reinforces the need to implement highway safety programs more equitably, with an increased focus on underserved communities.

State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) and other safety organizations have undertaken a variety of efforts to more effectively engage underserved communities, but these state and local efforts are fragmented and not documented. SHSOs, their subrecipients, and other safety organizations would benefit from information regarding past and ongoing efforts that effectively engage underserved communities to address critical safety issues. Identifying lessons learned, recommendations to effectively engage with underserved communities, communication methods, and metrics to evaluate outcomes would help bolster engagement and outreach efforts with underserved communities.

For the purpose of this project, underserved communities are defined as areas of persistent poverty and historically disadvantaged communities.  

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to document efforts undertaken by SHSOs and other highway safety organizations to achieve effective engagement with underserved communities, including people of color, and to develop a noteworthy practices guide.

STATUS: Research underway.