Reliability of Safety Management Methods: Systemic Safety Programs

2016Thompson, StuartPDFTech ReportFHWA-SA-16-041DTFH61-10-D-00022-T-13005Safety managementReliabilitySafety programsDecision makingHighway safetyUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of SafetyGross, Frank B.Harmon, TimBahar, Geni BrafmanPeach, KaraUnited States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of SafetyVHB/Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.Thompson, StuartFederal Highway AdministrationHigh quality data and reliable analytical methods are the foundation of data-driven decision-making. The Reliability of Safety Management Methods series includes five information guides that identify opportunities to employ more reliable methods to support decisions throughout the roadway safety management process. Four of the guides focus on specific components of the roadway safety management process: network screening, diagnosis, countermeasure selection, and safety effectiveness evaluation. The fifth guide focuses on the systemic approach to safety management, which describes a complementary approach to the methods described in the network screening, diagnosis, and countermeasure selection guides. The purpose of the Reliability of Safety Management Methods series is to demonstrate the value of more reliable methods in these activities, and demonstrate limitations of traditional (less reliable) methods. The Reliability of Safety Management Methods: Systemic Safety Programs guide describes the state-of-the-practice and the latest tools to support systemic safety analysis. The target audience includes program managers, project managers, and data analysts involved in projects that impact highway safety. The objectives of this guide are to: 1) raise awareness of the systemic approach to safety management, 2) characterize typical projects identified and implemented through a comprehensive safety management program, 3) demonstrate the value of integrating systemic approaches as part of a comprehensive safety management program, and 4) provide information on allocating funding to systemic projects within a comprehensive safety management program. This guide includes six sections and an appendix. The first section introduces roadway safety management and the purpose of safety programs. The second section provides an overview of two general approaches that support a comprehensive safety program, including a discussion of the high-level strengths and limitations. The third section demonstrates the value of projects implemented through various safety programs. Empirical examples lead to cost-effectiveness estimates and information on integrating the systemic approach within a comprehensive safety program. The next sections summarize the data requirements to employ, and available tools and resources to support, a comprehensive approach to safety management. The final section describes future research needs to enhance the state of the knowledge on the systemic approach . An appendix provides detailed information related to the methods and examples presented throughout the guide.84