1. Putting Iowa Crash Data to Work National Traffic Records Forum July 2004
Thomas M. Welch, P.E.
State Transportation Safety Engineer Office of Traffic and Safety Iowa Dept. of Transportation

2. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ROAD SAFETY IS NO ACCIDENT
1.2 million people will die as a result of road crashes this year – more than 3200 deaths each day
ROAD SAFETY IS NO ACCIDENT

3. “FHWA views improving safety as one of its most vital goals and has decided consciously to concentrate on saving lives.”
Mary E. Peters , Administrator, Federal Highway Administration
“Highway Safety – Everyone’s Responsibility” Public Roads, January 3, 2003
Mary Peters became the FHWA Administrator in July of After coming on board with FHWA, she asked the leadership team to join her in examining the organization. The group identified key areas are where they saw performance gaps that had to be addressed in order to meet our customers’ needs. Those key areas were called the “Vital Few”.

4. US DOT Safety Goal
(33% Reduction)

5. US DOT Goal of 1.0 Fatality Rate by 2008
Fatalities US

6. Iowa Fatality Distribution by Location34 14
State
56%
149
Fatalities per year
City/County 44%
172 57 38
Based on Crash Fatalities

7. Rural Fatality Rates by Road Type

8. Iowa Highway Safety Programs Focus on Local Assistance
Crash data sharing & analysis
Safety conscious planning
Traffic safety engineering services
Safety funding assistance
Safety engineering training
Peer exchange

9. Timely accessible crash data is CRITICAL to making wise safety investments.

10. Crash Data Analysis Collaboration
Iowa DOT compiles and refines crash data
Office of Driver Services
Office of Traffic and Safety
Data is made available on CD to state and local entities for their analysis use.
Iowa’s data analysis “tools” software is available to state and local entities
Technical support and training is made available as needed

11. Sample of High Crash Locations Polk County sites listed with state ranking

12. Iowa State University, CTRE
Sponsors:
Office of Traffic and Safety, DOT
Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau, DPS

13. School-Age Pedestrian Crashes
City of Des Moines
1995 to 1999
Ages 5 to 19
August 15 to June 15
Monday to Friday
7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Schools Data Use
Middle Schools

14. Statewide License for Intersection Collision Analysis Tool
Intersection Magic
Software

15. Safety Conscious Planning
The next generation of transportation system safety strategies
“Each statewide and metropolitan planning process shall provide for consideration of projects and strategies that will increase the safety and security of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users.” - TEA-21

16. MPO
Data
Use
Data

17. CTRE examples from Zach
Blackhawk County Single Vehicle ROR
CTRE examples from Zach

18. Targeted Enforcement 1995-1999 Rural Alcohol-Related Crashes
Corridors ranked by Frequency

19. Marion Police Department

20. Marketing Safety

21. 2004 Iowa Traffic Fatality Count for 7/06/04
Comparison
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
-50
159
209
176
173
206
211
Fatalities from Crash Reports & *FNOR News Sources
Month
*FNOR
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
January 34 40 26 32 39 18
February 15 28 20 22 29 25
March 14 24 37 47
April 35 27 48
May 1 38 44
June 8
 24 52 42 36 46
July  3 41 59
August 50
September
October 30 43
November 31
December 56
Total 9
159
441
405
446
445
490

22. Motor Vehicle Accident Fatalities for the week ending 6-35-04 YTD Fatalities 142
Name/Sex/Age/Restraint
Molly Rankin F No
Accident date/Time:
05/29/ :05
Accident Type/cause:
Car / FO Lost control
Notes
Failed to negotiate curve, hit embankment& OV-turned
Location:
.3 mi W of Le Claire at Wisconsin St. and 257th Ave.
County:
Scott
Driver/Age/License#
Derek Lindle
Leonard Hartl M Unknown
05/29/ :37
Car / OT Lost control
Going up hill lost ctrl, in ditch, OV-turn
.5 mi s of Eldorado on HWY 150
Fayette
Leonard Hartl
Douglas Johnston M Unknown
06/19/ :52
PU / FO Lost control
Veered off rdway in ditch striking culvert, and OT
1-80 EB at mm 158.1
Jasper
Douglas Johnston

23. Optimizing Highway Safety Investments
$$$$$$$$$$$$
RESULTS Crashes Reduced = Lives Saved

24. Iowa DOT Highway Safety Program
$$$ Targeted Investment $$$ Based on Statewide Analysis and Prioritization

25. Iowa DOT’s Safety Investment Focus
Emphasis on Reducing
Fatal and Major Injury Crashes

26. Iowa’s Roadway-Related Fatal Crashes
52% of Iowa’s fatalities are related to Lane Departure
39% of Iowa’s fatal crashes are single-vehicle ROR (Run-Off-Road)

27. Safety Investment Strategy
Candidate Safety Projects
Paved shoulders
Milled in shoulder rumble strips
2-lane shoulder widening
High severity crash 2-lane roads
High crash curves
Centerline rumble strips
Cross-median head-on crashes
High severity crash intersections
Expressway intersections
7 of 9 address ROR crashes

28. Primary Highway Curves
Statewide average = 1.1 / MVM
Top 30 average = 11.7 / MVM
Worst (of top 30) = 78 / MVM
5% of crashes occur at top 30 locations (1% of curves)
11% of fatals occur at top 30 locations

29. Curve Improvements Improve super elevation Pave shoulders
Add shoulder rumble strips
Flatten fore slopes
Remove fixed objects
Delineate with chevrons / pavement markings
Ball bank advisory speed

30. Bigger and Brighter Curve and Chevron Signs
Earlier Identification Positive Guidance
US 6, Johnson County

31. Two Lane Safety Corridors Rural Two-Lane Primary Road Fatalities and Major Injuries (District )
DOT Data
Use
25 unlocated injury severities not represented.
(2 Fatal, 23 Major Injuries)
Disclaimer: The Center for Transportation Research and Education presents these data as preliminary.

32. More and Longer Turn Lanes
US 30 & S 27, Story County

33. Passing Lane

34. Offset Right-turn Lane
IA 415, Polk County

35. 4 Foot Paved Shoulder
US 63

36. Milled Shoulder Rumble Strips
On 4 to 10 feet paved shoulders
Including 2-lane highways
48/12ft skip pattern
“Bicycle – friendly”
Acceptable to Bicycle Advisory Committee

37. Target Corridors with high numbers of Single-Vehicle, Run-off-the-Road Crashes on 2-Lane Highways (example District 5)

38. Iowa Highway Fatalities Five Year Average
Return on Investment?
Iowa Highway Fatalities Five Year Average *
* Based on 6 month period

39. Iowa Miles of Travel and Fatality Rate
1.4

40. 1998-2002 State Fatality Rates by Percent Rural VMT National Average is 1.5

41. Timely accessible crash data is CRITICAL to making wise safety investments.

42. Putting Iowa Crash Data to Work Traffic Records Forum July 2004
Thomas M. Welch, P.E.
State Transportation Safety Engineer Office of Traffic and Safety Iowa Dept. of Transportation