Safety Countermeasures is a periodic update of the program activities of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Safety Countermeasures Division
| Content | Cross-cutting Issues | School Bus Safety | Bicycle Safety | Motorcycle Safety | Pedestrian Safety | Research Programs | Announcements |
Getting
to School Safely Community Action Kit
In an effort to increase
the safety of all students traveling to and from school and school-related
events, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in
conjunction with many partners has developed the "Getting to School Safely
Community Action Kit". The kit provides everyone involved in student travel
- parents, care givers, school administrators, teachers, law enforcement
officers, crossing guards, and the many other community organizations
concerned about student safety - the resources they need to improve the
safety of students traveling to school.
The kit includes information on how to identify a community's safety problems related to students traveling to school in all modes of transportation and create lifesaving programs to address the problems.
The kit includes:
- Fact Sheets;
- Safety Tip Sheets;
- Examples of Successful Programs;
- Calendar of Transportation Safety Events;
- Newspaper Articles on Bicycle, Car, Pedestrian, School Bus, and Related Safety Topics;
- Sample Proclamations;
- Catalog of School Transportation Related Materials;
- Reproducible Student Activity Sheets;
- Listing of National, State, and Local Resources Available on Transportation Safety.
The kit is expected to be available in early October. To order the Community Action Kit please fax your name and mailing address to (202) 366-7721 Attn: Arlene.
Bicycle
and Pedestrian Technical Information Center
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the TEA-21 Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Grant (Section 1212 (o)) to the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center (HSRC). The Chapel Hill-based HSRC has established a team of subcontractors and consultants, including the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals, to work cooperatively with the various agencies of the USDOT, bicycle and pedestrian coordinators, the advocacy community and others to provide a broad range of technical assistance resources (publications, fact sheets, training courses web site etc.), and a clearinghouse. The contract started on June 1 1998 and products (e.g. a toll-free phone number, web site etc.) are now up and running. The website is www.bicyclinginfo.org or www.walkinginfo.org . You can also reach the center at (877) 925-5245 or 877-WALKBIKE toll free in the U.S.
Pedestrian-Bicycle
Team Work Plan is Completed
After two years and numerous iterations, the NHTSA/FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Team has finally completed the Pedestrian-Bicycle Work Plan: Current Projects. The Plan, which was unveiled at a briefing on June 8, 2000, discusses how the Team's mission supports the goals set forth in the "Secretarial Initiative for Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety" and the DOT Strategic Plan, summarizes ongoing, currently proposed, and recently completed NHTSA and FHWA activities, and identifies opportunities and barriers to successfully achieving Departmental goals.
The Team suggested that a long-term commitment to consistent and substantial increased levels of in-house staffing, funding, and resources is needed to fully achieve the DOT Strategic Plan goals of: 1) promoting the public health and safety by working toward the elimination of transportation-related deaths, injuries, and property damage; 2) shaping America's future by ensuring a transportation system that is accessible, integrated, efficient, and offers flexibility of choices; and 3) protecting and enhancing communities and the natural environment affected by transportation. In addition, the goals of the National Bicycling and Walking Study must be consolidated into DOT and agency strategic and performance plans. Most importantly, bicycle and pedestrian projects and programs must be encouraged and supported at all levels in DOT.
Safe
Routes to School Demonstration Program Initiated
NHTSA is working with the Marin County Bicycle Coalition to increase the number of elementary middle school age children who walk or bike to school. With help from a team of parents and students, the program will determine the safest routes to walk or bike to school, suggest safety improvements, develop fun ways to encourage more children to use the identified safe routes, and recruit parents and neighbors to accompany children walking and biking to school. The project will also teach children traffic safety skills and work with city planners and law enforcement officers on ways to slow traffic. At the end of the year, the Marin County Bicycle Coalition will summarize the experience so that other jurisdictions can initiate similar programs.
Pedestrian,
Bicycle, & School Bus PSAs for Spanish Radio Developed
In an attempt to reduce the number of traffic-related pedestrian, bicycle, and school bus fatalities and injuries, NHTSA has developed six public service announcements for distribution to approximately 500 Spanish language radio stations across the country. The dramatic radio spots, which remind motorists to reduce their speeds, pay attention when they're driving, and not pass stopped school buses when the red lights are flashing, are designed to tug at the emotions of the listener. A tracking report that identifies the stations that played the spots will be made available later this year.
The Hispanic population in the United States is estimated at 20 million people, which represents more than 11 per cent of the population. Furthermore, the growth rate of the Hispanic population is seven times greater than the general population. The need for high quality, newsworthy items by a steadily increasing network of Spanish-speaking radio stations is growing as well. Therefore, using radio to reach the Hispanic population is a targeting mechanism that will complement NHTSA's commitment to working with this diverse audience to raise their traffic safety awareness. For more information, contact Lori Millen, email: lmillen@nhtsa.dot.gov.