Using Peer Exchanges to Improve the Effectiveness of Strategic Highway Safety Plans (2014)

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1 1.1 Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) In an effort to reduce traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) mandated the development of Strategic Highway Safety Plans (SHSPs) through the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) in 2005. The SHSP process was modeled after the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ (AASHTO) SHSP created in 1997. Because SHSPs are an instrumental tool in advancing safety and collaboration, the updated transportation legisla- tion Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) requires each State Department of Transportation (DOT) to update their SHSP on a regular basis. An SHSP is a statewide-coordinated safety plan that provides a comprehensive framework for reducing highway fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. It is developed by a lead agency—in most cases the State DOT—in a cooperative process with local, State, Federal, and private sector safety stakeholders. The SHSP is a data-driven, comprehensive plan that establishes statewide goals, objectives, and key emphasis areas, and integrates the Four E’s—Engineering, Education, Enforcement, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The SHSP is a cyclical process that uses evaluation, development, and implementation techniques and changes to drive the plan to the next level (see Figure 1). In recent years, local agencies and planning organizations have begun developing SHSPs for smaller jurisdictions (cities, counties, or regions). Although this guide is written from the per- spective of State agencies, it can be applied to other jurisdictions working to develop an SHSP, revise an SHSP, implement strategies, and evaluate results. 1.2 Peer Exchange Overview A peer exchange (or peer exchange event) is a focused collaboration of stakeholders with common problems or issues. It can address these problems through the collaboration of multiple participants. In the case of the SHSP process, properly designed peer exchanges can help agencies advance their safety programs in a variety of ways, such as the following: • Assess the effectiveness of their SHSP program activities and investment decisions • Provide new ideas and approaches for overcoming SHSP implementation barriers • Clarify and refine effective safety strategies and identify new and effective countermeasures • Identify technical, institutional, and/or political concerns and potential solutions • Increase collaboration and establish new partnerships to enhance the opportunities for safety improvement C H A P T E R 1 Introduction

2 Using Peer Exchanges to Improve the Effectiveness of Strategic Highway Safety Plans • Continue to engage leadership in the safety program • Track performance metrics and continue to save lives and reduce severe injuries • Maintain momentum and constantly improve the program • Provide guidance in updating, implementing, and evaluating the SHSP document. Peer exchanges can take on various forms depending on the needs, objectives, state of the SHSP process, and intended audience. 1.3 Purpose and Scope of the Guide Capitalizing on the successes of SHSP peer exchanges as well as those related to other trans- portation disciplines, the Transportation Research Board commissioned NCHRP Project 17-52, “Using Peer Exchanges to Improve the Effectiveness of a State’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan.” The Project Panel concluded that the development of a guide would help States produce SHSP peer exchange events that were accessible to more stakeholders and that these events could improve SHSP revision, implementation, and evaluation. This guide provides States with information and tools to plan and conduct effective peer exchange events. The guide includes the following elements: focus, advanced planning, effective facilitation, and post-event follow-through. The objective of each peer exchange event is one or both of the following: to improve SHSP implementation and evaluation and to update processes and emphasis areas with the goal of reducing the number and severity of traffic crashes.1 1 Federal Highway Administration, Toward Zero Deaths website. http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tzd. Figure 1. SHSP process. “The opportunity to network with other sectors was great! The speakers were knowledgeable. The topics were very eye-opening.” Participant, Arkansas SHSP Peer Exchange, 2012

Introduction 3 CHAPTER TITLE CONTENT 1 Introduction Introduces the content of the guide. 2 Strategic Highway Safety Plan Basics Describes the fundamental elements that support all SHSP-related practices. 3 Peer Exchange Basics Defines the process of planning a peer exchange, outlines why it is a useful tool, and shows how it can assist in assessing the progress and future of SHSP revision, implementation, and evaluation. 4 Pre-Peer Exchange Planning Supports the selection of the type of peer exchange event. Once the reader selects a peer exchange event type, he/she is expected to read one of the following next four chapters (5-9) based on that type. 5 In-State Peer Exchanges Describes planning, production, and post-event tasks associated with these different types of events. 6 Multi-State/Regional Peer Exchanges 7 Peer Reviews 8 One-on-One Discussions 9 Conclusion Summarizes the discussion of the guide. Glossary Provides definitions for commonly used terms in this guide. Appendix Tools Provides additional information and hands-on tools for practitioners to use. 1.4 Organization of the Guide The guide is organized in the following manner: