Guide to Implementation of the Toward Zero Deaths National Strategy on Highway Safety (2022)

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5-1 5. Self-Assessment Tools 5.1 Overview and Background To support the implementation of successful TZD programs, NCHRP 17-64 has developed two online self-assessment tools, one addressing program development and another addressing stakeholder involvement. These two self-assessment tools are components of a comprehensive project to develop guide for agency implementation of the TZD national strategy. The TZD Assessment Tools help agencies gauge the current level of their organization’s practices that support TZD efforts. The information generated shows where they are on a continuum, so they can identify where to best focus efforts. The tools also suggest potential tactics for advancing an agency’s program. In addition, users can consult the guide documents available on the TZD website to learn more about understanding and applying their results. Both assessments are available online at www.trb.org by searching “NCHRP Web-Only Document 324”. 5.2 Assessment Format In the assessment tools, a series of “yes” or “no” questions describing levels of implementation are arranged on a continuum of increasing levels of development or engagement. As the user answers each question, they are given the option to immediately learn why this measure is important and how this area can be strengthened by clicking “More Info.” The user must answer every question in each section to get a complete picture of the program’s status. The data from these assessments are not stored upon completion or if the user exits out before completion. The user receives a printable report highlighting specific responses after finishing the assessment. Users typically need 20 to 30 minutes to complete each assessment. At the end of each assessment, a printable report of user responses is available. An example of a question included in the program development assessment is shown below, followed by the additional information provided for users to learn more about the importance of the described measure. Are Safety Considerations a Factor for Your Agency When Prioritizing All Projects? • Why: It is important to add safety measures to your system that extend beyond already- established safety projects. • How: A number of state and local road authorities have indicated that they are adding safety to their systems beyond implementing safety projects funded through their safety improvement programs. Two examples are: − Incorporating low-cost safety strategies into ongoing pavement preservation and reconstruction projects (enhanced edge lines or edge rumbles) as standard features to more widely distribute proven effective safety countermeasures. − Adding a safety component to the prioritization process for pavement preservation and reconstruction projects. For example, if a group of two-lane rural roadways were being considered for reconstruction in an agency’s Capital Improvement Program, and if lane- departure crashes along rural roads are documented as a priority, those roads with the highest density of these crashes or considered to be the most at-risk based on a systemic risk assessment would be considered a higher priority than comparable roads with either lower densities of crashes or a lower risk rating.

5-2 5.3 Example Use of Self-Assessment Tools: North Dakota DOT (2018) In 2018, North Dakota launched its VZ program. This was done with the support of the office of the Governor of North Dakota as a multi-agency initiative, with participation from the North Dakota DOT, the North Dakota Department of Health, and the North Dakota Highway Patrol. The structure and processes of the SHSP were used as the basis for the program, with a VZ plan, published in August 2018, acting as the central guide framework. North Dakota’s goal of zero fatalities was established through extensive partnerships with more than 200 partners representing engineering, enforcement, education, and emergency medical services as well as partners in media, legislation, executive government, and the public. To support the new program, the North Dakota DOT and the VZ team facilitated six VZ workshops throughout the spring of 2018. Additionally, the team conducted a broad literature review, presenting findings in an informational webinar to stakeholders. As part of their efforts to build capacity, team members conducted multiple focus groups and deployed the Program Assessment Tool developed under NCHRP 17-64 to increase their understanding of the state of their program. The tool helped the team identify needs moving forward as well as how the program could be expanded to achieve greater success, bringing them and their stakeholders closer to the ultimate goal of zero fatalities.