Your Transportation Planning team is facing a major safety challenge. What are the best ways to address it?

1 Identify and assess risks

The first step to address any safety challenge is to identify and assess the potential risks that may affect your transportation system or project. You can use various tools and methods to collect and analyze data on safety performance, such as crash statistics, road audits, surveys, simulations, and modeling. You can also consult with stakeholders, experts, and users to identify their safety needs and concerns. By identifying and assessing risks, you can prioritize the most critical issues and allocate resources accordingly.

2 Implement safety measures

The next step is to implement appropriate safety measures to mitigate or eliminate the identified risks. Safety measures can be classified into three categories: engineering, education, and enforcement. Engineering measures involve modifying or improving the physical design and operation of the transportation system or project, such as installing signs, signals, barriers, lighting, or sensors. Education measures involve informing and training the users and workers of the transportation system or project, such as providing safety manuals, campaigns, or workshops. Enforcement measures involve applying and monitoring the rules and regulations of the transportation system or project, such as imposing fines, penalties, or sanctions.

3 Evaluate and monitor outcomes

The final step is to evaluate and monitor the outcomes of the implemented safety measures. You can use various indicators and metrics to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the safety measures, such as crash rates, injury rates, travel times, costs, or satisfaction levels. You can also use feedback and reviews from stakeholders, experts, and users to assess the quality and impact of the safety measures. By evaluating and monitoring outcomes, you can identify and address any gaps or problems and make adjustments or improvements as needed.

Safety is a key component of transportation planning that requires constant attention and action. By following these best practices, you can address any safety challenge that your transportation planning team may face and ensure a safe and sustainable transportation system or project.