Current ICT Project
Investigators:
  Yanfeng Ouyang (Primary)
Project Title:
  National Safety Performance (SPF) Summit
Start Date: 1/1/2009
End Date: 12/31/2009
Summary of Project:
  The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) in partnership with the Illinois Center for Transportation (ICT) developed analytical tools to identify and manage a system-wide program of site-specific, and systematic improvements to develop strategies to prevent and reduce fatalities and severe injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes. These tools were developed using advanced statistical techniques for use by IDOT. Safety Performance Functions (SPFs) have currently been developed for Illinois state highways. IDOT has fully incorporated SPFs into its safety program this year and has used the SPFs to identify locations to be included in the federally required 5% Report. IDOT expects to implement Safety Analyst and adopt the AASHTO Highway Safety Manual (HSM) Key. To fully achieve these goals, SPFs need to be expanded to also include the local highway systems. Other states are at various stages of development of SPFs.
Objective of Project:
  The objective of this project is to convene a National Safety Performance Function (SPF) Summit to discuss various on-going and emerging activities and issues regarding the development and implementation of SPFs in order to support system-wide screening for locations with potential for safety improvement or systematic improvements.
Expected Outcome:
  A national summit with researchers in the field will help in exchange of ideas and practices and will help in the implementation of the proposed AASHTO Highway Safety Manual Key. Illinois and these other states would benefit from a national summit with top researchers to discuss topics such as data needs, formatting of SPFs, development and methodologies of SPFs including consideration of the 4Es, applicability to low volume roadways, and implementation of SPFs including linkage to Safety Analyst. From this SPF Summit, IDOT and ICT would be able to take the next step with SPFs and expand to include local highway systems. These SPFs could then be incorporated into Safety Analyst and the HSM. The SPF Summit Proceedings would be of immense benefit to all state DOTs around the country, as safety continues to be a national focus and data driven decisions regarding allocating and directing resources to further reduce fatalities and serious injuries is required.
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Last Updated: 10/22/2009