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3 The HSM introduces and promotes the use of science- based safety analysis procedures that can help ensure that the planning, design, operation, construction, and main- tenance of transportation facilities can explicitly consider safety when an agency is deciding how to establish funding allocations. Ideally, complete elimination of all crashes (par- ticularly serious and fatal injury crashes) is optimal; however, any safety improvement that would result in a reduction in crashes should be known and considered. Methods included in the HSM enable an agency to better understand how safety implications can be estimated and how this knowledge can then be integrated into the decision process. Volume 1 of the HSM includes tools that can be used by an agency to create safety management programs. This volume of the HSM includes historically identified safety assessment methods, but also introduces ways to improve assessment performance using additional methods that eliminate known analysis deficiencies such as natural variations in crash data and how these variations can inadvertently introduce biased recommendations. The use of the safety management pro- cedures in Volume 1 of the HSM can help an agency avoid spending valuable resources, in the name of safety, on initia- tives that may not ultimately result in the anticipated reduction in crashes. The screening techniques included in Volume 1 can also help agencies assess systemic policy initiatives. Volume 2 of the HSM introduces predictive methods to estimate crash frequency and severity for rural two-lane roads, rural multilane highways, and urban and suburban arterials. These predictive methods can be used, for example, to assist transportation professionals with weighing project-specific improvement options. Knowledge of the anticipated safety implications for a candidate countermeasure or improvement strategy can assist decision makers in selecting optimal roadway improvement alternatives. The HSM also includes a catalog of crash modification factors/functions in Volume 3. These factors can help an agency better understand the direct impact of a single counter- measure on crash reductions. The target audience of the HSM is practitioners at the state, county, metropolitan planning organization (MPO), or local level (AASHTO 2010b). Any training efforts, therefore, should include content for this expected user group. Objective and Scope An initial step toward effectively integrating the HSM into transportation decision making is to provide tools that can help agencies implement the procedures presented in this important manual. This report provides a summary of the overview training materials developed for the HSM. In addi- tion, Appendix B documents the HSM briefing efforts critical to the early stages of this effort. The activities that led up to the development of the HSM training included the following tasks: ⢠Develop learning objectives and course outline, ⢠Recommend the length and delivery method for the course and how it will meet the needs of the various audiences, ⢠Develop one full module for panel review, ⢠Present a draft version of the full training to the project panel and other invited guests, ⢠Conduct several pilot trainings to refine the material, ⢠Develop companion training materials including an instruc- tor manual, and ⢠Propose training activities and implementation issues that can extend beyond this project. The following summary generally reviews the training course that evolved from these various tasks. Overview Training Course The NCHRP Project 17-38 panel instructed the project team to develop a high-level overview training course that would generally introduce workshop participants to the content and intended application of the material included in the HSM. As C h a p t e r 2 Background
4a first step toward accomplishing this effort, the team identi- fied 12 training modules for the HSM content and developed learning objectives for each module. These learning objec- tives were intended to inform workshop participants about a variety of potential HSM implementation questions. Since candidate users of the HSM may have various levels of expe- rience, the training modules also targeted introductory safety assessment issues. The resulting training modules generally addressed HSM content, but were also intended to help pro- fessionals using the new safety techniques understand how the HSM could be integrated into their daily transporta- tion professional activities. For instance, some of the items included in the training were intended to help transportation professionals understand the role of the HSM as it applies to the following applications that were a target of numerous questions during the briefing activities: ⢠How do we reconcile the HSM findings with what we already âknowâ about highway safety? ⢠What is the role of the HSM when compared with the AASHTO Green Book? AASHTO Roadside Design Guide? The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)? ⢠How can you apply HSM models and approaches to loca- tions with limited or lack of data? ⢠Should an agency be concerned about the possibility of tort liability exposure if it chooses to use the HSM? The duration of the training can vary based on the audi- ence, the level of expertise, and the depth of knowledge the workshop participants need for safety analysis. In addition, several safety courses currently exist and others are under development. The HSM overview training was developed to complement these companion efforts. In general, the dura- tion of the training should last from 2 to 3 days, but agencies can select individual modules that could be customized for shorter training activities. The developers of the HSM created a manual that could be used by all transportation professionals and does not require a mandatory safety background. As a result, the training modules are targeted toward the individual who is just learning about safety analysis and how the HSM can support this effort. If an agency, however, prefers to pro- vide focused training for safety experts or other personnel, it can expand the focus for some of the analytical modules while minimizing the attention on the fundamental mod- ules. Table 1 identifies the 12 instruction modules as well as which target workshop participants would most directly benefit from each specific module. The Introduction (Mod- ule 1) and the Overall HSM Summary (Module 12) should be included in all training workshops. Future Training Activities and Implementation Issues The ultimate widespread use of the HSM depends on inte- gration of the document into the transportation community activities. Central to this goal is dissemination via means of training activities and outreach efforts well beyond the con- clusion of this project. Currently, the FHWA maintains a list of courses and workshops offered by multiple agencies in the United States (see http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/training/). In Personnel Expertise of Workshop Participants Module Number Module Description G en er al K no w le dg e Pl an ni ng D es ig n or O pe ra tio ns Sa fe ty M ai nt en an ce o r C on st ru ct io n Ex ec ut iv es o r M an ag er s Module 1 Introduction to the HSM Module 2 Fundamentals Module 3 OverviewâCrash Modification Factors Module 4 HSM Predictive Method Process Module 5 HSM Calibration Procedure Module 6 Overview of HSM Part B Module 7 Network Screening Module 8 Human Factors Module 9 Diagnosis and Countermeasure Selection Module 10 Economic Appraisal and Project Prioritization Module 11 Safety Effectiveness Evaluation Module 12 Overall HSM Summary Table 1. HSM training modules and associated target workshop participants.
5 There are also several resources currently available for HSM users. AASHTO supports a website located at http:// www.highwaysafetymanual.org that provides the most recent information about the HSM, including a user discussion forum, fact sheets, video files of training webinars, supporting documents, and technical support information. In addition, the TRB Safety Performance Committee located at http:// safetyperformance.org contains supplemental HSM infor- mation, including a Part C Quick Reference Guide, as well as supplemental resources for use with the HSM. Collectively, there are several efforts ongoing to help facilitate the training and implementation of the HSM. addition, several state agencies provide safety-specific train- ing courses. The training material included with this report will be used to directly develop an FHWA training course, but any agency can also use the material to enhance local training or to offer training as needed. Since the 2010 publication date, several HSM training workshops have been offered at national conferences or regional professional society meetings. In addition to formal on-site training, the FHWA is devel- oping a web-based training program for the HSM. The FHWA is also focusing on implementation issues and is currently sponsoring several projects, including helping to develop a practitionerâs guide for the HSM.
