Model Curriculum for Highway Safety Core Competencies (2010)

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4Road Safety 101 is designed to build out the core competen- cies each of which represents a discrete unit of the course. Each unit is further broken down into modules or segments. These modules represent the key elements or concepts under each of the core competencies. The units and modules are outlined in the following paragraphs: Unit 1: The Nature of Road Safety 1.1 The Nature of Road Safety Definitions of road safety may vary depending on an indi- vidual’s background, education, and experience. This module defines and examines various perspectives on road safety par- ticularly the scientific underpinnings of successful road safety management. 1.2 Road Safety—A Complex Field Road safety professionals work hard to reduce the number and severity of crashes. This module highlights the involve- ment and expertise of individuals from multiple disciplines and multiple modes of transportation. 1.3 Road Safety Demographics The combined efforts of safety professionals to analyze and understand safety data reveal important relationships between road safety and demographic, cultural, and social trends. This module focuses on some of those relationships, looking in detail at how the likelihood of being killed or injured in a crash changes with factors like age, gender, race, ethnicity, and dis- position towards a specific travel mode. 1.4 Road User Decisions This module presents examples of how road design, land use, and vehicle design have positive and negative safety con- sequences for driver decision-making. 1.5 Science-Based Road Safety Research This module addresses the importance of science-based safety research by examining the weaknesses of traditional methods; science-based methods used by both engineers and public health professionals; the relationship between science and data; and the relationship between data driven approaches and positive crash outcomes. 1.6 Intervention Tools This module discusses statistical models for identifying “sites with promise” or those sites with worse than expected safety performance, and tools, such as the Haddon Matrix and road safety audits, used to identify effective countermeasures and interventions. Unit 2: History and Institutional Structures of Road Safety Management 2.1 Foundation for Road Safety Management Policy This module discusses legislation and institutional structures that shape road safety management practices. 2.2 Safety Management Roles and Responsibilities This module identifies public agencies, private sector and nonprofit interest groups, professional associations, and research associations across all modes with a role in manag- ing safety. 2.3 Road Safety Education Opportunities This module takes a look at the education and training opportunities available to road safety professionals. C H A P T E R 4 Description of the Course Modules

2.4 Funding Sources, Requirements, and Opportunities Safety competes with a variety of other important trans- portation programs, including maintenance, congestion, and construction. This module helps safety professionals become familiar with available funding sources and requirements to support their priorities and programs. Unit 3: Origins, Characteristics, and Uses of Crash Data 3.1 State, Local, and Federal Data and Information Systems This module examines state and local data and informa- tion systems used in transportation safety planning. It reviews the types of data available, sources of information, elements of the state crash database, and data improvement strategies. Data and information systems available from the federal gov- ernment are discussed, and the students are shown how the information can be used to improve road safety management. 3.2 Crash Data Collection and Uses This module highlights accepted practices of using data to guide actions and assess their effectiveness. Topics discussed include the environment in which road safety decisions often take place and data supported decision-making in terms of problem identification, intervention planning, and evaluation. Unit 4: Contributing Crash Factors, Countermeasure Selection, and Evaluation 4.1 Contributing Crash Factors and Interactions This module examines the factors that contribute to crashes and methods used for studying them. 4.2 Scientific Principles for Effective Road Safety Analysis This module introduces students to the importance of using suitable scientific methods in the analysis of road safety prob- lems. The discussions include: rational versus pragmatic style of road safety research; regression-to-the-mean; applying expo- sure data; the use of safety performance functions for compar- ison, and with-without rather than before-after analysis. 4.3 Problem Identification Identifying problem entities must be conducted carefully as all the subsequent steps in analysis of a safety problem are based on this first step. This module seeks to help the stu- dent understand the importance of using scientific proce- dures to identify road safety problem locations, drivers, and vehicle types. 4.4 Countermeasure Selection This module discusses and examines helpful tools and meth- ods for selecting effective countermeasures and targeting specific audiences. 4.5 Cost Effectiveness of Alternative Countermeasures This module suggests methods for prioritizing a list of pro- posed countermeasures or interventions. Unit 5: Road Safety Program Management 5.1 Transportation Safety Planning The traditional transportation planning process is responsi- ble for programming most of the funding for the surface trans- portation system. This module explores opportunities for integrating an explicit consideration of safety into the process. 5.2 Leadership and Champions The importance of strong leadership support is discussed throughout the course. This module delves deeper into the characteristics and methods associated with effective leadership. 5.3 Collaboration and Coalition Building Collaboration is the key to successful multidisciplinary road safety planning and countermeasure implementation. This module explores successful collaboration methods. 5.4 Outreach and Communication In this module, participants learn methods for stimulat- ing change through effective communication and outreach activities. 5.5 Current Research Supporting Road Safety Management Methods and sources for improving technical knowledge are presented in this module. Safety professionals are intro- duced to methods for updating their knowledge on a regular basis. Eleven exercises are incorporated into the learning experi- ence. They are designed to help participants practice the infor- mation presented; enhance the learning experience; facilitate 5

a collaborative learning environment; and lead students to additional information sources. The following is the subject matter covered in each exercise: 1. Defining safety from a multidisciplinary perspective, 2. Using Census data in safety analysis, 3. Using the Internet to obtain safety information, 4. Using data to influence public policy, 5. Identifying crash factors using the Haddon Matrix, 6. Demonstrating the use of safety performance functions (SPFs), 7. Using market research techniques, 8. Developing performance measures, 9. Demonstrating leadership roles and responsibilities, 10. Building coalitions, and 11. Assessing public information and education programs. 6