Each year, thousands of people die when their vehicles leave their travel lane and crash. In some cases the vehicle crossed the centerline and was involved in a head-on crash or opposite direction sideswipe. In others, the vehicle encroached onto the shoulder and beyond to rollover or impact one or more natural or man-made objects, such as utility poles, bridge walls, embankments, guardrails, parked vehicles, or trees.
Although intersections are but a small part of the overall highway system, they are the point at which traffic movements most often conflict with one another. Intersections can be either signalized our un-signalized. As a consequence, nearly 25 percent of all fatal crashes occur at intersections, and about 30 percent of those are at intersections controlled by signals. Fatal crashes at signalized intersections are predominantly multi-vehicle incidents, with 85 percent of them occurring in urban areas. For more information regarding intersections, please visit the following Federal Highway Administration links: FHWA Safety Website: Intersections FHWA Safety Website: Intersections Overview
A work zone is an area of a highway with construction, maintenance, or utility work activities. A work zone is typically marked by temporary traffic control (TTC) devices consisting of signs, channelizing devices, barriers, pavement markings, and/or work vehicles. A work Zone extends from the first warning sign or high-intensity rotating, flashing, oscillating, or strobe lights on a vehicle to the END ROAD WORK sign or the last TTC device. Every year, more than 1,000 fatalities occur in our nation's workzones. More than 40,000 people are injured each year as a result of motor vehicle crashes in work zones. For more information on work zones in general, please visit link below: FHWA Safety Website: Work Zone Mobility and Safety Program
The pedestrian safety goal of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is to continually improve highway safety by reducing pedestrian crashes, fatalities and injuries. Ensuring safe travel on roadways is the guiding principle throughout the FHWA. Pedestrian fatalities account for about 11 percent of all traffic fatalities; improvements in every US community are needed. Walking is a legitimate mode of transportation. It is not acceptable that a desirable and efficient mode of travel is often made difficult and uncomfortable. For more information on pedestrian issues, please visit the following Federal Highway Administration website FHWA Safety: Pedestrian Safety
Highway-Rail Grade Crossing - The general area where a highway and a railroad cross at the same level, within which are located the railroad, roadway and roadside facilities for traffic traversing that area. For more information on highway-rail safety, please visit the following Federal Highway Administration website, FHWA Safety: Highway-Railroad Grade Crossing
The solution to driver behavior is driver awareness. Driver awareness comes through education, which often means safety presentations from education based highway safety groups.
Local Training Classes Available by contacting Marie Walsh at LA Local Technical Assistance Program, 225.767.9184 or through their website. LA Local Technical Assistance Program
