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840 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 310 |
Volume 8, Summer 2006
Also available in PDF, safetyupdate_su06.pdf (225 KB)
To view PDF files, you need the Acrobat® Reader®.
SAFETEA-LU requires States to carry out a program to improve traffic signs and pavement markings in a manner consistent with the recommendations included in the publication "Guidelines and Recommendations to Accommodate Older Drivers and Pedestrians."
We encourage you to begin adopting these guidelines as standard procedure, as appropriate, and implement improvements, particularly in areas with a high senior population. This publication is available online at http://www.tfhrc.gov/humanfac/01105/cover.htm If you would be interested in attending the oneday Older Driver Design workshop, email nj.safety@fhwa.dot.gov.
Motorcycle fatalities in NJ have increased by nearly 50% between 1999 and 2005!
(need specific alt text for this chart. number of fatalities for each year should be listed.)
2nd Annual Traffic Engineering & Safety Forum
November 29th and 30th
Brookdale Community College
For many years, some engineers have had concerns that drivers turning left on a permissive circular green signal indication might inadvertently mistake that indication as implying the left turn has the right of way over opposing traffic, especially under some geometric conditions.
The theme for this year's forum is "Marketing NJ's Comprehensive Strategic Highway Safety Plan for Implementation." The two-day program will provide an overview of NJ's CSHSP and provide nine breakout sessions highlighting strategies in the areas of:
In addition, for the first time awards will be given to those who exemplify safety leadership in the 4 E's--engineering, education, enforcement and emergency medical service.
For additional information, contact the Transportation Safety Resource Center at 732-445-3632 or http://www.tsrc.rutgers.edu/.
While valued as a community asset due to their beauty and environmental benefits, trees are the single most commonly struck objects in serious roadside crashes. Vehicle collisions with trees account for more than 4,000 fatalities and 100,000 injuries each year. Efforts by highway agencies to remove trees are often met with strenuous objections by local residents, concerned with preserving our natural resources and the aesthetics they bring to our surroundings.
To further explore the issue of the safe placement of trees along our country's roadsides, the Federal Highway Administration announces the availability of a 12-minute video entitled Highway Safety and Trees: The Delicate Balance. This video encourages highway agencies and the public to work together to improve safety while minimizing impacts to the environment. To get a copy (FHWA-SA-06-13), send an email to report.center@fhwa.dot.gov or fax a request to (301) 577-1421.
Use this video to initiate a dialogue. The video provides an opportunity for all parties to recognize the benefits and risks associated with trees. It discusses many solutions from roadway relocation to use of guardrail to removal of trees from the most hazardous locations. No single solution is appropriate for all situations; every potential solution deserves discussion. NCHRP Report 500, Volume 3: A Guide for Addressing Collisions with Trees in Hazardous Locations identifies many strategies to 1) Prevent trees from growing in hazardous locations and 2) Eliminate the hazardous condition and/or reduce the severity of the crash.
This guide is available online at http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_rpt_500v3.pdf.
The Bicycle Countermeasure Selection System (BIKESAFE) is intended to provide practitioners with the latest information available for improving the safety and mobility of those who bicycle. The information on the site falls into two categories, Resources and Tools.
The resources are informational pages providing an overview of bicycling in today's transportation system, information about bicycle crash factors and analysis, and selecting and implementing bicycling improvements. The tools allow the user to select appropriate countermeasures or treatments to address specific bicycling objectives or crash problems.
For additional information, visit http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/bikesafe/.
To be added to the distribution list for future editions of this newsletter, please email nj.safety@fhwa.dot.gov.
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