Implementing Highway Safety Improvements

The goal of the ASCE Specialty Conference on Implementing Highway Safety Improvements was to enhance the safety of our nation's highways by identifying the best, most successful highway safety programs currently being implemented, indicating the available resources and the related organization and program management, and providing information regarding the latest technological development. The conference was prompted by the Highway Safety Act of 1978, which is part the Surface Transportation Act of 1978. An introduction to highway safety programs and issues is presented. Traffic, accident, and highway data are given from both national and state perspectives. Interfacing elements of the highway, the driver and the vehicle are discussed including driver licensing and vehicle and highway design. Considerable attention is given to highway safety program management, including problem effectiveness and program effectiveness, and implementation. Recent developments in highway safety research are presented. Tort liability is discussed from both the engineering viewpoint and the legal viewpoint. Safety challenges for the future are considered.