Proposed FHWA Rule Change Would Require States to Assess Road Safety for Pedestrians and Cyclists – SmartCitiesDive
By Dan Zukowski
Amid a decade-long increase in traffic fatalities, the U.S. Department of Transportation adopted the Safe System Approach in 2022, which focuses on safer roads, people, vehicles and speed along with post-crash care.
Nearly 43,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2022, including more than 7,500 pedestrians. “We recognize that the current status of traffic safety in the U.S. is unacceptable, and we’ve adopted the Safe System Approach as the guiding paradigm to address roadway safety,” said Robert Ritter, FHWA associate administrator for safety, on a Monday webinar.
Under the new regulations, the FHWA proposes that states include representatives from underserved communities “to ensure that the needs of all road users are represented in the planning, implementation and evaluation of the [Highway Safety Improvement Program],” Karen Scurry, HSIP program manager, said on the webinar.
